Vs.4-6: The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears”

… not because my enemies were surrounding me, it was my current circumstances that were surrounding me.

It took me several times of reading these verses to realize that David sung this song “after” GOD rescued him from his enemies. Have you looked back and been able to see GOD at work, rescuing you from your enemies whether it was financial woes, emotional issues, or true enemies? Do we sing out to GOD when we have been rescued as David did, or do I just feel that since I am saved that I do not have to thank GOD for rescuing me from whatever it is I am going through?

In vs. 7-12, the earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

When I read these verses, it makes me think of how thunderstorms terrify me. I was under the impression that they could find me anywhere I was whether hidden in the house in some dark place, or just in my bedroom. My only protection from them was to be with my mother. As I began meditating on these verses for Vertical however, I started imagining GOD parting the heavens, mounting a cherubim, advancing with hailstones and bolts of lighting to come and save me from my enemies and storms took a whole new look for me. Maybe because I feel like my life is spiraling out of control, and I live in constant fear of “what’s next” these verses keeps coming to me.  Maybe GOD wanted me to see that HE has parted the heavens, mounted a cherubim, advanced with hailstones and bolts of lighting to come and save me from my enemies. That every time I have been relieved from the situation I was in, or fear that I felt was removed, that GOD was saving me. Can you see where GOD has saved you in times of your life when you felt that you needed GOD to rescue you? Have you thanked him for those times he rescued you?