Our Condescending God

“Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.” (2Sa 22:36 AV)

That word, ‘gentleness’ is very interesting.  One dictionary states that the word means meekness.  Meekness is strength under restraint.  Still another states that it means condescension.  Putting the two together, we see that the gentleness of God is His attribute by which He comes down to the level of those whom He loves and intercedes in a way that they can thrive.  Two major events precipitated this passage of scripture.  The verse above is part of a psalm or song David wrote toward the end of his reign.  Joshua had made a treaty with the Gibeonites many decades prior.  Since that time, they were hewers of wood and servants of Israel.  Saul, wishing to impress Israel, broke the treaty and began to exterminate the Gibeonites.  God brought famine on the land because of this.  David, once he was established as king, enquired as to what the Gibeonites would require to make this right.  Seven male descendants were to be executed.  Five were sons of Michal, David’s first wife and daughter of Saul.  The second event was the decisive victory God had given Israel over the Philistines.  This battle would forever nullify the threat these people were toward God’s people.  David was finally at rest.  Perhaps the meekness to which David is referring has to do with the LORD refraining from more severe punishment following Bathsheba and the death of his four sons.  Regardless, that for which David is deeply grateful is that God would condescend to men of low report.  He was eternally grateful that God would care enough to be involved in his life.  The gentleness of God has enlarged David, and it was God’s salvation for which he was truly thankful.

What we must consider this morning is the relationship between the shield of salvation and the gentleness of God’s hand.  Note the colon between the two phrases.  That means the second half expounds on the first.  God’s salvation is brought by His gentleness.  This is truly evident in the incarnation of Christ and His death on the cross.  God came down to man.  God did not require man to come up to Him.  He came down to earth, took on the form of a man, lived perfectly according to the law, and was sacrificed for our sins.  What meekness!  What gentleness!  God’s gentleness does not stop at Calvary.  It continues for all eternity.  This is where the shield of salvation comes in.  Just this morning, as I was taking my time driving down the road, it gave me some time to reflect.  We are going through a challenging time.  And things are not going to get any better.  As we age and disease progresses, the challenges will increase and become more severe.  Life changes are going to happen at a more dramatic and quicker pace.  There is not taking for granted another decade or year.  If we are not careful, we will allow the difficulties of life to rob us of the joy which we should have in Jesus.

So, the thought came by way of the Holy Spirit that I am truly grateful for the life God had given.  But even more so, the eternal life I have been given.  There is no basis for complaint.  None.  God doesn’t owe us anything.  The life we have been given is merely a step into glorious eternal life.  If we have nothing at all, we have more than we need in the person of our Creator.  He didn’t have to condescend by way of creation.  He didn’t have to make anyone.  The fact that He gives life and then redeems life is far more blessed than any adversity we might face.  David’s use of the word ‘great’ isn’t the same as how we might understand it today.  The word ‘great’ means enlarged.  David may be speaking of his reign.  But he might also be speaking of his inner blessedness.  I think it is the latter.  Being grateful is one of the keys to David’s contentment.  God is good.  All the time!  The fact that He desires to create mankind and then be involved with mankind is too wonderful for the humble soul.