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.

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

• 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

• [a]. Or terrified me
• [b]. Or in his wrath
• [c]. Or just decrees
• [d]. Or blameless
• [e]. Or You gave me my enemies' necks

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician, [a Psalm] of David. This is the same with that in 2 Samuel 22:1, with some variations, omissions, and alterations:

the servant of the Lord; not only by creation, nor merely by regeneration, but by office, as king of Israel, being put into it by the Lord, and acting in it in submission and obedience to him; just as the apostles under the New Testament, on account of their office, so style themselves in their epistles:

who spake unto the Lord the words of this song; that is, who delivered and sung this song in so many express words, in public, before all the congregation of Israel, to the honour and glory of God:

in the day [that] the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul, Not that this psalm was composed and sung the selfsame day that David was delivered from Saul, and set upon the throne; for it seems to have been written in his old age, at the close of his days; for immediately after it, in the second book of Samuel, it follows, "now these be the last words of David," 2 Samuel 23:1: but the sense is, that whereas David had many enemies, and particularly Saul, who was his greatest enemy, the Lord delivered him from them all, and especially from him, from him first, and then from all the rest; which when he reflected upon in his last days, he sat down and wrote this psalm, and then sung it in public, having delivered it into the hands of the chief musician for that purpose. There are two passages cited out of it in the New Testament, and applied to Christ; Psalm 18:2, in Hebrews 2:13, and Psalm 18:49 in Romans 15:9; and there are many things in it that very well agree with him; he is eminently the "servant" of the Lord as Mediator; he was encompassed with the snares and sorrows of death and hell, and with the floods of ungodly men, when in the garden and on the cross God was his helper and deliverer, as man; and he was victorious over all enemies, sin, Satan, the world, death and hell; as the subject of this psalm is all along represented: and to Christ it does most properly belong to be the head of the Heathen, whose voluntary subjects the Gentiles are said to be, Psalm 18:43; and which is expressed in much the same language as the like things are in Isaiah 55:4; which is a clear and undoubted prophecy of the Messiah; to which may be added, that the Lord's Anointed, the King Messiah, and who is also called David, is expressly mentioned in Psalm 18:50; and which is applied to the Messiah by the Jews {q} as Psalm 18:32 is paraphrased of him by the Targum on it;

and he said; the following words:

{q} Echa Rabbati, fol. 50. 2. & Midrash Tillim in Tzeror Hammor, fol. 47. 3.