13 Thou hast thrust hard at me that I might fall; but Jehovah helped me.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me; for they were mightier than I. They encountered me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my stay.
And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me, I pray, choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David to-night; and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only; and I will bring back all the people to thee. The man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: all the people shall be in peace.
{To the chief Musician. On Jonathelem-rechokim. Of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath.} Be gracious unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up: all the day long fighting he oppresseth me. Mine enemies would swallow [me] up all the day long; for they are many that fight against me haughtily. In the day that I am afraid, I will confide in thee.
Then Jesus was carried up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted of the devil: and having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he hungered. And the tempter coming up to him said, If thou be Son of God, speak, that these stones may become loaves of bread. But he answering said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which goes out through God's mouth. Then the devil takes him to the holy city, and sets him upon the edge of the temple, and says to him, If thou be Son of God cast thyself down; for it is written, He shall give charge to his angels concerning thee, and on [their] hands shall they bear thee, lest in anywise thou strike thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, It is again written, Thou shalt not tempt [the] Lord thy God. Again the devil takes him to a very high mountain, and shews him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory, and says to him, All these things will I give thee if, falling down, thou wilt do me homage. Then says Jesus to him, Get thee away, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt do homage to [the] Lord thy God, and him alone shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaves him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 118
Commentary on Psalms 118 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 118
Ps 118:1-29. After invoking others to unite in praise, the writer celebrates God's protecting and delivering care towards him, and then represents himself and the people of God as entering the sanctuary and uniting in solemn praise, with prayer for a continued blessing. Whether composed by David on his accession to power, or by some later writer in memory of the restoration from Babylon, its tone is joyful and trusting, and, in describing the fortune and destiny of the Jewish Church and its visible head, it is typically prophetical of the Christian Church and her greater and invisible Head.
1-4. The trine repetitions are emphatic (compare Ps 118:10-12, 15, 16; 115:12, 13).
Let … say—Oh! that Israel may say.
now—as in Ps 115:2; so in Ps 118:3, 4. After "now say" supply "give thanks."
that his mercy—or, "for His mercy."
5. distress—literally, "straits," to which "large place" corresponds, as in Ps 4:1; 31:8.
6, 7. Men are helpless to hurt him, if God be with him (Ps 56:9), and, if enemies, they will be vanquished (Ps 54:7).
8, 9. Even the most powerful men are less to be trusted than God.
10-12. Though as numerous and irritating as bees [Ps 118:12], by God's help his enemies would be destroyed.
12. as the fire of thorns—suddenly.
in the name, &c.—by the power (Ps 20:5; 124:8).
13-16. The enemy is triumphantly addressed as if present.
15. rejoicing and salvation—the latter as cause of the former.
16. right hand … is exalted—His power greatly exerted.
17, 18. He would live, because confident his life would be for God's glory.
19-21. Whether an actual or figurative entrance into God's house be meant, the purpose of solemn praise is intimated, in which only the righteous would or could engage.
22, 23. These words are applied by Christ (Mt 21:42) to Himself, as the foundation of the Church (compare Ac 4:11; Eph 2:20; 1Pe 2:4, 7). It may here denote God's wondrous exaltation to power and influence of him whom the rulers of the nation despised. Whether (see on Ps 118:1) David or Zerubbabel (compare Hag 2:2; Zec 4:7-10) be primarily meant, there is here typically represented God's more wonderful doings in exalting Christ, crucified as an impostor, to be the Prince and Saviour and Head of His Church.
24. This is the day—or period distinguished by God's favor of all others.
25. Save now—Hebrew, "Hosanna" (compare Ps 115:2, &c., as to now) a form of prayer (Ps 20:9), since, in our use, of praise.
26. he that cometh … Lord—As above intimated, this may be applied to the visible head of the Jewish Church entering the sanctuary, as leading the procession; typically it belongs to Him of whom the phrase became an epithet (Mal 3:1; Mt 21:9).
27-29. showed us light—or favor (Ps 27:1; 97:11). With the sacrificial victim brought bound to the altar is united the more spiritual offering of praise (Ps 50:14, 23), expressed in the terms with which the Psalm opened.