These are King David's last words of delight & warning before building an altar to the Lord, charging his son Solomon 'to walk in His ways...' & dying after 40 years of rule over Israel.

David transformed from a boy shepherd into a great warrior leader by following & fearing God. A healthy sense of fear towards The Almighty & Incomprehensible is only natural. With his elaborate songs of praise, David shows that fear of the Lord culminates into awe & reverence when the personally loving force of God is wholeheartedly pursued.

Not without sin, David confesses his wrongs & accepts God's correction. All his protection, successes & gifts ('first light' & 'fresh rain' etc.), David repeatedly publicly expresses thanksgiving to God with beautiful poetry. How cool would it be if today's leaders did this? David's 'entire salvation' is his every desire & promise fulfilled by God. Amen!

"For Thou art my lamp, O Lord; And the Lord illumines my darkness....The word of the Lord is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him."
(2 Samuel 22:29 & 31).

God offers everyone the ultimate free gift: eternal relationship with Christ! Why some people forever resist this supernatural love & protection is puzzling to me. Yet from my own experience, I see that acceptance of God's gift - belief in Jesus & faith in the Gospel, evolves. It seems that people go through a stage of fading belief & interest due to reasons that are probably similar to why some people never believe. For examples, life's atrocities & challenges ("How could a loving God..."); unanswered prayers & questions; other things & relationships (idols) made priority; adoption of the mainstream-reductionist, analytical worldview.

People in disbelief or the 'estranged' stage of faith are either unable to experience the real life magic of Christ or integrate these experiences with their reality and rather than facing the dissonance, they focus on other aspects of life.

All the while, God  orchestrates that which has us turn towards Him & say "Yes please, thank you God." When we choose to be close enough to hear God, he uses what only he can see in peoples' hearts to guide us. God makes a way, but in this fallen (from God's grace) world, it's often not an easy or pain free way towards His goal of one heart & mind. For instance like when the Lord ensured that Saul & 3000 of Saul's soldiers who were hunting David stay soundly asleep while David showed up Saul!

Forevermore, I'll be relaxing & trusting God not only when life is "good" but especially through difficult times. I'm reading God's word, learning, listening, praying & enjoying God's gift of the living presence of Jesus that keeps on giving :)  Amen!