Psalm 18 - "He Trains My Hands for War"

David is able to appeal to God on the basis of his righteousness. This is not the righteousness imputed to him by Christ, nor is it a a kind of manufactured self-righteousness. This is the righteousness that permeated David's way of living after God had declared him righteous. When heaven declares something, it must necessarily play out on earth. The Lord makes David blameless and equips him with strength (v.32) so that his feet do not slip (v.36). The Lord trains David's hands for war (v.35) so that he overtakes his enemies until they are consumed (v.37). God's will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven, which means that we too need to live according to the righteousness which God has gifted us. This is the cultural mandate which starts in the garden, is strengthened in the Great Commission, and which carries on until Christ returns to fully consummate this mission. The charge then, in our lives, in our families, in our church, and in our society is to visibly display the righteousness of God. May our speech, our spending, and our use of time all be used in this-worldly ways to reflect the holiness of the Triune God.