The Lord is My Rock
The phrase, "The Lord is my rock" (Psa. 18:2) occurs numerous times throughout Scripture. The Lord is referred to as "my rock" three times in this Psalm alone. Sometimes the work "rock" is capitalized as in verses 31 and 46 where David is calling the Lord his Rock. But what does that really mean?
David was referring to the rocky, craggy heights over Jerusalem where he had sought refuge on many occasions when Saul was hunting him. There were many caves that could be used for concealment. (See Psa. 94:22 where David says God is his fortress and the rock in whom he takes refuge.)
A rock denotes strength, something firm and immovable; also something reliable for a foundation as in the parable Jesus told in Matt. 7:24-27. The foolish man built his house upon the sand and when the flood and winds came it collapsed. But the wise man put his foundation upon the rock (notice it doesn't say "a rock: but "the rock.") His house stood when the winds and the floods came. A children's song about these two builders ends "So build your house upon the Lord Jesus Christ."
When Israel was in the desert and had no water, the people grumbled and complained and were about to stone Moses. The Lord told Moses to go to the rock at Horeb. Horeb was called the mountain of God and is thought to be Mt. Sinai (Ex. 3:1) This is where the Lord had appeared to Moses in the burning bush. He was told to go this specific rock and to strike the rock and water would come out of it. Later in Num. 20 Israel had arrived at Kadesh in the Desert of Zin which was many miles from Horeb. They were again without water and the Lord told Moses to speak to the rock and the rock would pour out its water. Moses was upset with the Israelites and said "Listen you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" And Moses raised his staff and struck the rock twice. Because of Moses' disobedience in striking the rock twice instead of speaking to it, and also taking credit for bringing water out of the rock, he was forbidden to enter the promised land. The scripture says he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. (Psa. 136:3)
Some Bible scholars believe that the Israelites carried the rock with them. This would make sense since the first time the rock was struck was many miles from the second occasion. God told Moses to speak "to the rock." It was a specific rock and it was in their midst. I Cor. 10:4 says "They drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." I'm not inferring that Jesus morphed into a rock, but he was the one the rock represented and he was their provider as they wandered around the desert just as He is our provider. Moses was not to strike the rock a second time because Jesus was smitten once and for all. He will never have to die and pay the price for our sins a second time.
The Lord is indeed our rock; a place of refuge, a sure foundation to build our lives upon and the source that quenches our spiritual thirst. Hannah prayed, "There is no one holy like the Lord, there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God." I say a resounding "Amen!"
Tomorrows Bible Reading - Leviticus 16, Psalm 19, Proverbs 30, I Timothy 1
God is good all the time,
Naomi Brinkman
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