Psalms 18

Listen to Psalms 18
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my 1rock and my 2fortress and my deliverer, my God, my 3rock, in 4whom I take refuge, my 5shield, and 6the horn of my salvation, my 7stronghold.
3 I call upon the LORD, who is 8worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
4 9The cords of death encompassed me; 10the torrents of destruction assailed me;[a]
5 11the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
6 12In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his 13temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth 14reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,[b] and devouring 15fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He 16bowed the heavens and 17came down; 18thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on 19the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his 20canopy around him, thick clouds 21dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him 22hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
13 The LORD also 23thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his 24voice, hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his 25arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and 26routed them.
15 Then 27the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your 28rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of 29the breath of your nostrils.
16 He 30sent from on high, he took me; he 31drew me out of 32many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were 33too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.
19 He brought me out into 34a broad place; he rescued me, because he 35delighted in me.
20 The LORD dealt with me 36according to my righteousness; according to 37the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21 For I have 38kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For 39all his rules[c] were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was 40blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 With 41the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure; and with 42the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27 For you save 43a humble people, but 44the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my 45lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can 46leap over 47a wall.
30 This God--his way is 48perfect;[d] the word of the LORD 49 proves true; he is 50a shield for all those who 51take refuge in him.
31 For 52who is God, but the LORD? And who is 53a rock, except our God?--
32 the God who 54equipped me with strength and made my way 55blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a 56deer and set me secure on 57the heights.
34 He 58trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand 59supported me, and your 60gentleness made me great.
36 You 61gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies 62turn their backs to me,[e] and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 63They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as 64dust before the wind; I cast them out like 65the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from 66strife with the people; you made me 67the head of the nations; 68people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; 69foreigners 70came cringing to me.
45 71Foreigners lost heart and 72came trembling out of their fortresses.
46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation--
47 the God who gave me vengeance and 73subdued peoples under me,
48 who delivered me from my enemies; yes, you 74exalted me above those who rose against me; you rescued me from 75the man of violence.
49 76For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and 77sing to your name.
50 Great 78salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his 79anointed, to 80David and his offspring forever.

Images for Psalms 18

Psalms 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

David rejoices in the deliverances God wrought for him. (1-19) He takes the comfort of his integrity, which God had cleared up. (20-28) He gives to God the glory of all his mighty deeds. (29-50)

Verses 1-19 The first words, "I will love thee, O Lord, my strength," are the scope and contents of the psalm. Those that truly love God, may triumph in him as their Rock and Refuge, and may with confidence call upon him. It is good for us to observe all the circumstances of a mercy which magnify the power of God and his goodness to us in it. David was a praying man, and God was found a prayer-hearing God. If we pray as he did, we shall speed as he did. God's manifestation of his presence is very fully described, ver. ( 7-15 ) . Little appeared of man, but much of God, in these deliverances. It is not possible to apply to the history of the son of Jesse those awful, majestic, and stupendous words which are used through this description of the Divine manifestation. Every part of so solemn a scene of terrors tells us, a greater than David is here. God will not only deliver his people out of their troubles in due time, but he will bear them up under their troubles in the mean time. Can we meditate on ver. 18, without directing one thought to Gethsemane and Calvary? Can we forget that it was in the hour of Christ's deepest calamity, when Judas betrayed, when his friends forsook, when the multitude derided him, and the smiles of his Father's love were withheld, that the powers of darkness prevented him? The sorrows of death surrounded him, in his distress he prayed, ( Hebrews 5:7 ) . God made the earth to shake and tremble, and the rocks to cleave, and brought him out, in his resurrection, because he delighted in him and in his undertaking.

Verses 20-28 Those that forsake the ways of the Lord, depart from their God. But though conscious to ourselves of many a false step, let there not be a wicked departure from our God. David kept his eye upon the rule of God's commands. Constant care to keep from that sin, whatever it be, which most easily besets us, proves that we are upright before God. Those who show mercy to others, even they need mercy. Those who are faithful to God, shall find him all that to them which he has promised to be. The words of the Lord are pure words, very sure to be depended on, and very sweet to be delighted in. Those who resist God, and walk contrary to him, shall find that he will walk contrary to them, ( Leviticus 26:21-24 ) . The gracious recompence of which David spoke, may generally be expected by those who act from right motives. Hence he speaks comfort to the humble, and terror to the proud; "Thou wilt bring down high looks." And he speaks encouragement to himself; "Thou wilt light my candle:" thou wilt revive and comfort my sorrowful spirit; thou wilt guide my way, that I may avoid the snares laid for me. Thou wilt light my candle to work by, and give me an opportunity of serving thee. Let those that walk in darkness, and labour under discouragements, take courage; God himself will be a Light to them.

Verses 29-50 When we praise for one mercy, we must observe the many more, with which we have been compassed all our days. Many things had contributed to David's advancement, and he owns the hand of God in them all, to teach us to do likewise. In verse Verse 32 , and the following verses, are the gifts of God to the spiritual warrior, whereby he is prepared for the contest, after the example of his victorious Leader. Learn that we must seek release being made through Christ, shall be rejected. In David the type, we behold out of trouble through Christ. The prayer put up, without reconciliation Jesus our Redeemer, conflicting with enemies, compassed with sorrows and with floods of ungodly men, enduring not only the pains of death, but the wrath of God for us; yet calling upon the Father with strong cries and tears; rescued from the grave; proceeding to reconcile, or to put under his feet all other enemies, till death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed. We should love the Lord, our Strength, and our Salvation; we should call on him in every trouble, and praise him for every deliverance; we should aim to walk with him in all righteousness and true holiness, keeping from sin. If we belong to him, he conquers and reigns for us, and we shall conquer and reign through him, and partake of the mercy of our anointed King, which is promised to all his seed for evermore. Amen.

Cross References 80

  • 1. ver. 31, 46; Psalms 19:14; Psalms 31:3
  • 2. Psalms 91:2; Psalms 144:2
  • 3. ver. 31, 46; Psalms 19:14; Psalms 31:3
  • 4. [Hebrews 2:13]
  • 5. ver. 30; Genesis 15:1
  • 6. Psalms 112:9; Luke 1:69
  • 7. See Psalms 9:9
  • 8. Psalms 48:1; Psalms 96:4; Psalms 113:3; Psalms 145:3
  • 9. Psalms 116:3; [Psalms 119:61]
  • 10. See Psalms 32:6
  • 11. [See ver. 4 above]
  • 12. Psalms 66:14; Psalms 102:2; Psalms 120:1; [Jonah 2:2]
  • 13. See Psalms 11:4
  • 14. [Judges 5:4; Acts 4:31; Acts 16:26]
  • 15. See Psalms 21:9
  • 16. Psalms 144:5
  • 17. Isaiah 64:1
  • 18. See Exodus 20:21
  • 19. Psalms 104:3
  • 20. Job 36:29; [Psalms 97:2]
  • 21. [Psalms 29:3]
  • 22. [Psalms 148:8; Joshua 10:11]
  • 23. 1 Samuel 2:10; 1 Samuel 7:10; See Job 37:4
  • 24. Isaiah 30:30; See Psalms 29:3-9
  • 25. Psalms 7:13; Psalms 64:7; Psalms 77:17; Psalms 144:6; Deuteronomy 32:23, 42; Habakkuk 3:11
  • 26. Exodus 14:24; Joshua 10:10
  • 27. Psalms 42:1; Joel 1:20(Heb.); [Job 36:30]
  • 28. Psalms 106:9; Nahum 1:4
  • 29. [Exodus 15:8]
  • 30. [Psalms 144:7]
  • 31. [Exodus 2:10]
  • 32. See Psalms 32:6; Job 22:11
  • 33. Psalms 142:6
  • 34. Psalms 31:8; Psalms 118:5; [ver. 36]
  • 35. Psalms 22:8; 2 Samuel 15:26
  • 36. Psalms 7:8; 1 Samuel 24:19; 1 Samuel 26:23; 1 Kings 8:32
  • 37. See Job 22:30
  • 38. [Genesis 18:19; Proverbs 8:32]
  • 39. Psalms 119:30, 102
  • 40. Genesis 17:1; [1 Kings 14:8]
  • 41. Matthew 5:7
  • 42. Psalms 81:12; Leviticus 26:23, 24; Proverbs 3:34; Acts 7:42; Romans 1:28
  • 43. [Exodus 3:7]
  • 44. See Psalms 101:5
  • 45. Psalms 132:17; 1 Kings 11:36; 1 Kings 15:4; 2 Kings 8:19; [2 Samuel 21:17]; See Job 18:5, 6
  • 46. [Isaiah 35:6]
  • 47. See 2 Samuel 5:6-9
  • 48. Deuteronomy 32:4; Daniel 4:37; Matthew 5:48; [Revelation 15:3]
  • 49. See Psalms 12:6
  • 50. ver. 2
  • 51. Psalms 17:7
  • 52. [Psalms 86:8]
  • 53. See ver. 2
  • 54. 1 Samuel 2:4; Isaiah 45:5
  • 55. Psalms 101:2, 6; Psalms 119:1; Job 22:3
  • 56. Habakkuk 3:19
  • 57. Deuteronomy 32:13; Isaiah 58:14
  • 58. Psalms 144:1
  • 59. Psalms 20:2
  • 60. [Isaiah 63:9]
  • 61. Psalms 31:8; Proverbs 4:12; [ver. 19]
  • 62. Exodus 23:27; [Psalms 21:12]
  • 63. See Job 27:9
  • 64. 2 Kings 13:7
  • 65. Isaiah 10:6; Micah 7:10; Zechariah 10:5
  • 66. [2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 19:9, 43; 2 Samuel 20:1]
  • 67. [Psalms 2:8]; See 2 Samuel 8:1-14
  • 68. Isaiah 55:5; [Psalms 22:27]
  • 69. Psalms 144:7
  • 70. Psalms 66:3; Psalms 81:15; Deuteronomy 33:29
  • 71. [See ver. 44 above]
  • 72. Micah 7:17
  • 73. Psalms 47:3; Psalms 144:2; [Isaiah 45:1]
  • 74. Psalms 59:1
  • 75. Psalms 140:1
  • 76. Cited Romans 15:9
  • 77. Psalms 66:4
  • 78. Psalms 144:10
  • 79. See Psalms 2:2
  • 80. [Psalms 89:29; 2 Sam. 7:12, 13, 29]

Footnotes 5

Chapter Summary

Psalms 18 Commentaries