Psalms 118:13

13 They chased me until I was almost defeated, but the Lord helped me.

Psalms 118:13 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 118:13

Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall
Or "pushing, thou hast pushed me F1, that I might fall": an apostrophe to some particular enemy, as Saul was to David; who thrust sore at him to take away his life, by casting a javelin at him; speaking to his servants to kill him; sending messengers to watch his house and slay him, and by, pursuing him from place to place. And such an one was Judas to Christ, who lifted up his heel against him, and betrayed him into the hands of his enemies; or the devil in him, and by him; and who thrust sore at Christ by others; by Herod in his infancy, who sought to take away his life; and by the Scribes and Pharisees, who attempted it in different ways, and at last got him nailed to the cross; as well as Satan thrust sore at him, by his temptations in the wilderness, and when in his agonies in the garden, and when on the cross: and so the same enemy thrusts sore at the members of Christ, to cause them to fall from him, and the steadfastness of their faith in him to fail; that they may fall into temptation, and by it into sin, and that finally and totally, and into hell itself, could he obtain it;

but the Lord helped me;
helped David, so that he perished not by the hand of Saul, he sometimes feared he should; helped Christ, as man and Mediator, in the day of salvation, and raised him from the dead, and gave him glory: and he helps his people against all their enemies; holds them with his right hand; helps them to fight against them; maintains his own work of grace in them, and keeps them from a total and final falling away, by his power unto salvation. The Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord helped me.''


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (yntyxr hxr) "impellendo impulisti me", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Michaelis; "trudendo trusisti me", Cocceius.

Psalms 118:13 In-Context

11 They surrounded me on every side, but with the Lord's power I defeated them.
12 They surrounded me like a swarm of bees, but they died as quickly as thorns burn. By the Lord's power, I defeated them.
13 They chased me until I was almost defeated, but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord gives me strength and a song. He has saved me.
15 Shouts of joy and victory come from the tents of those who do right: "The Lord has done powerful things."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.