When I was a kid, I watched Superman reruns on television. I always remember the beginning: “Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings with a single bound!” Of course, as children, my friends and I tried to be Superman. We would tie a towel around our shoulders and leap over obstacles on the ground. We would even build towers of blocks and try to jump over them without knocking them down.
So, when I read in my morning devotions that “by my God I can leap over a wall,” I was intrigued. This verse is located in Psalm 18, which continues with other things the Psalmist could do because of God’s power behind him. Here is more of the Psalm, starting with verse 28:
For You light my lamp;
The Lord my God illumines my darkness.
29 For by You I can run upon a troop;
And by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, His way is blameless;
The word of the Lord is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
31 For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God,
32 The God who girds me with strength
And makes my way blameless?
33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,
And sets me upon my high places.
34 He trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,
And Your right hand upholds me;
And Your gentleness makes me great.
36 You enlarge my steps under me,
And my feet have not slipped.
These verses kind of sound like Superman to me. Because of God’s protection, I have refuge. God is a rock, so I have a fortress. I can scale mountains because God sets me there. My arms can bend bronze.
Notice, especially the last two verses after this recitation of superhuman strength. “Your gentleness makes me great and my feet have not slipped.” These verses are almost a comedown, but they remind us that God’s gentleness toward us keeps us steady and sure in difficult places.
I may not be able to leap over tall buildings or even a wall. Some days I have trouble leaping over the curb. But God steadies and strengthens me. As long as I walk with him, my feet are steady and my way is sure.