The Hebrew word for “salvation” is yeshuah, which means saviour, deliverer, avenger. It is also the Hebrew name for Jesus. It was one of David’s favourite words to describe the LORD in the Psalms, which may have been why God said that he was a man after His own heart!
2 Samuel 22:3 (NIV)”my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my saviour—from violent people you save me.
Psalm 25:5 (NIV) “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long.”
Psalm 51:12 (NIV) “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary explains, “In the Old Testament, salvation refers both to everyday, regular types of deliverance—as from enemies, disease, danger and to those major deliverances that are specifically interpreted as being a definite part of God’s unique and special involvement in human history as well as special revelations of his character and will.”
Hannah prays in triumph, she rejoices over God’s deliverance from her barrenness. 1 Samuel 2:1–2 (ESV) “And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies because I rejoice in your salvation. 2 “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.
Habakkuk 3:18 (ESV) “yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”
Habakkuk 3:17–19 (ESV) “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation”
Isaiah 12:2 (NIV) Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”
Even when it seems the world is falling down around us we should be able and willing to trust God and not be afraid. To hold to him as our strength and defence. To know that he is our salvation. How much better when we can pass through the trials of life knowing that our life is in God’s hands, and trusting him in all things.
When the children of Israel stood upon the wilderness side of the Red Sea and beheld the waters of God’s judgment swallowing up their enemies, they sang this song: Exodus 15:2 (NIV) “The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
When David was beset by many and great foes, and his life was chased and hunted like a wild roe, he turned to God with this prayer: Psalm 35:3 (NKJV) “Also draw out the spear and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”