Psalm 18:1

Whole Psalm. Sometimes the Lord cheers and comforts the heart of his people with smiling and reviving providences, both public and personal. There are times of lifting up, as well as casting down by the hand of providence. The scene changes, the aspects of providence are very cheerful and encouraging; their winter seems to be over; they put off their garments of mourning; and then, ah, what sweet returns are made to heavenly gracious souls! Doth God lift them up by prosperity? they also will lift up their God by praises. See title, and Psalms 18:1-3 . So Moses, and the people with him ( Exodus 15:1-27 ), when God had delivered them from Pharaoh, how do they exalt him in a song of thanksgiving, which for the elegancy and spirituality of it, is made an emblem of the doxologies given to God in glory by the saints. Revelation 15:1 . John Flavel.

Title. "The servant of the Lord;" the name given to Moses ( Joshua 1:1 Joshua 1:13 Joshua 1:15 , and in nine other places of that book) and to Joshua ( Joshua 24:29 Judges 2:8 ); but to none other except David (here, and in the title to Psalms 36:1-12 ). Compare Acts 13:36 , uphreteoas. This is significant; reminding us of the place occupied by David in the history of Israel. He was the appointed successor of Moses and Joshua, who extended the power of Israel over the whole region allotted to them by Divine promise. W. Kay, 1871.

Title. This Psalm, which is entitled a shirah (or song), is David's hymn of praise to God for his deliverance from all his enemies (see the title, and above, 2 Samuel 22:1-51 ), and has an appropriate place in the present group of Psalms, which speak of resurrection after suffering. It is entitled a Psalm of David, "the servant of the Lord," and thus is coupled with another psalm of deliverance, Psalms 36:1-12 . Christopher Wordsworth.

Verse 1. I will love thee, O Lord. The word whereby the psalmist expresses his entire affection, in the noun signifieth a womb, and imparts such an affection as cometh from the innermost part of man (~xr., matrix), from his bowels, from the bottom of his heart, as we speak. It is, therefore, oft put for such pity and compassion as moveth the bowels. Some, therefore, thus translate that phrase, "From my innermost bowels will I love thee, O Lord." To give evidence of his entire and ardent love of God, he oft professes his wonderful great love to God's commandments, whereof he saith with admiration, "Oh, how I love thy law! I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. I love them exceedingly" ( Psalms 119:97 Psalms 119:127 Psalms 119:167 ); therefore, he saith to God, "Consider how I love thy precepts" ( Psalms 119:159 ). William Gouge, 1575-1653.

Verse 1. I will love thee. Intimately as a mother loves the child that comes out of her womb. Westminster Assembly's Annotations, 1651.

Verse 1-2. God hath, as it were, made himself over to believers. David doth not say, God will give me or bestow salvation upon me; but he saith, "He is the horn of my salvation." It is God himself who is the salvation and the portion of his people. They would not care much for salvation if God were not their salvation. It more pleaseth the saints that they enjoy God, than that they enjoy salvation. False and carnal spirits will express a great deal of desire after salvation, for they like salvation, heaven, and glory well; but they never express any longing desire after God and Jesus Christ. They love salvation, but they care not for a Saviour. Now that which faith pitches most upon is God himself; he shall be my salvation, let me have him, and that is salvation enough; he is my life, he is my comfort, he is my riches, he is my honour, and he is my all. Thus David's heart acted immediately upon God, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. It pleased holy David more that God was his strength, than that God gave him strength; that God was his deliverer, than that he was delivered; that God was his fortress, his buckler, his horn, his high tower, than that he gave him the effect of all these. It pleased David, and it pleases all the saints more that God is their salvation, whether temporal or eternal, than that he saves them: the saints look more at God than at all that is God's. Joseph Caryl.

Verse 1-2. David speaks like one in love with God, for he doth adorn him with confession of praise, and his mouth is filled with the praise of the Lord, which he expresses in this exuberance and redundancy of holy oratory. Edward Marbury.

NOTES TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER

Verse 1. Love's resolve, love's logic, love's trials, love's victories.

James Hervey has two sermons upon "Love to God" from this text.

WORKS WRITTEN ABOUT THE EIGHTEENTH PSALM IN SPURGEON'S DAY

There is "An Exposition" of this Psalm in "A Critical History of the Life of David. By SAMUEL CHANDLER, D.D., F.R., and A.S.S.," 1766. 2 vol., 8vo.

The Sufferings and Glories of the Messiah: an Exposition of Psalm XVIII., and 52:13 ; 53:12. By JOHN BROWN, D.D., 1853.