Daily Devotional - Psalm 18:1

When was the last time you said, “I love you,” to God? Not as part of a memorized prayer or a familiar song lyric, but from that quiet, vulnerable place where the heart speaks honestly. David did exactly that. A man who knew the splendor of palace halls and the loneliness of desert caves, the thrill of victory and the ache of betrayal, stripped away every title and every triumph to offer these simple words.

“I love you, Lord, my strength.” Psalm 18:1

Psalm 18 is not written from comfort—it rises from survival. David is looking back on years of running, fighting, and hiding, a long wilderness marked by midnight prayers and desperate hope. He has seen God shake mountains, tear open the heavens, and rescue him from enemies stronger than himself. Yet the psalm does not begin with a list of miracles or victories.

It opens like a love song: “I love you.” Then, almost in the same breath, David adds, “my strength.” After a lifetime of striving, he finally names the true source of every victory, every ounce of courage, every step taken when quitting would have been easier. His strength was never in the sword, the strategy, or the crown—it was rooted in love for the Lord.

Perhaps David uncovered a truth we often overlook: loving God is not merely an act of devotion; it is the foundation of real strength. When love for God becomes our first response—before fear, before plans, before self-reliance—we draw from a power that circumstances cannot weaken. This kind of love anchors us in storms, gives us a song in the midnight hours, and provides the courage to keep moving forward.

David didn’t just survive his battles; he turned them into worship. His pain became praise. His hardship became testimony. And his first confession was not about what God had done—but about who God was to him.

Walk in faith, rest in grace, and trust the One who walks beside you.

In His love and grace,
ray mileur