Psalms 118:7

7 The Lord is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

Psalms 118:7 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 118:7

The Lord taketh my part with them that help me
With the four hundred men that were with David, and stood by him in his troubles, ( 1 Samuel 22:2 ) ; see ( Psalms 54:4 ) ; and with those who ministered unto Christ as man, ( Luke 8:3 ) . Or, "the Lord [is] for me, with" or "among my helpers" F20; he is the principal helper, he is one for all; he is in the room and stead of other helpers; having him, there is no need of any other: the Lord is the only helper of his people, vain is the help of man; he helps them out of all their troubles and difficulties, in the exercise of every grace, and in the discharge of every duty; he helps them to all their mercies temporal and spiritual, to grace here, and glory hereafter. The Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord is to help me;''

therefore shall I see [my desire] upon them that hate me;
see "vengeance" on them, as the Targum; which was desired by David, by the Messiah, and by the saints; not for the sake of that itself, but for the glory of divine justice. David saw this, ( Psalms 54:7 ) ; so will the Messiah, when all his enemies, that will not have him to reign over them, will be slain before him; and so will the people of God, when antichrist is destroyed.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (yrzeb yl) "pro me est cum iis qui auxiliantur mihi", Vatablus; so Cocceius, Gejerus.

Psalms 118:7 In-Context

5 Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?
7 The Lord is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.