Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Psalms » Chapter 18 » Verse 39

Psalms 18:39 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

39 For thou hast girded H247 me with strength H2428 unto the battle: H4421 thou hast subdued H3766 under me those that rose up H6965 against me.

Cross Reference

Psalms 18:32 STRONG

It is God H410 that girdeth H247 me with strength, H2428 and maketh H5414 my way H1870 perfect. H8549

2 Samuel 22:40-41 STRONG

For thou hast girded H247 me with strength H2428 to battle: H4421 them that rose up H6965 against me hast thou subdued H3766 under me. Thou hast also given H5414 me the necks H6203 of mine enemies, H341 that I might destroy H6789 them that hate H8130 me.

1 Chronicles 22:18 STRONG

Is not the LORD H3068 your God H430 with you? and hath he not given you rest H5117 on every side? H5439 for he hath given H5414 the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 into mine hand; H3027 and the land H776 is subdued H3533 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and before H6440 his people. H5971

Psalms 34:21 STRONG

Evil H7451 shall slay H4191 the wicked: H7563 and they that hate H8130 the righteous H6662 shall be desolate. H816

Psalms 66:3 STRONG

Say H559 unto God, H430 How terrible H3372 art thou in thy works! H4639 through the greatness H7230 of thy power H5797 shall thine enemies H341 submit H3584 themselves unto thee.

Proverbs 8:36 STRONG

But he that sinneth H2398 against me wrongeth H2554 his own soul: H5315 all they that hate H8130 me love H157 death. H4194

Isaiah 45:14 STRONG

Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 The labour H3018 of Egypt, H4714 and merchandise H5505 of Ethiopia H3568 and of the Sabeans, H5436 men H582 of stature, H4060 shall come over H5674 unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come H3212 after H310 thee; in chains H2131 they shall come over, H5674 and they shall fall down H7812 unto thee, they shall make supplication H6419 unto thee, saying, Surely God H410 is in thee; and there is none else, there is no H657 God. H430

Lamentations 5:5 STRONG

Our necks H6677 are under persecution: H7291 we labour, H3021 and have no rest. H5117

Ezekiel 30:24-25 STRONG

And I will strengthen H2388 the arms H2220 of the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and put H5414 my sword H2719 in his hand: H3027 but I will break H7665 Pharaoh's H6547 arms, H2220 and he shall groan H5008 before H6440 him with the groanings H5009 of a deadly wounded H2491 man. But I will strengthen H2388 the arms H2220 of the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and the arms H2220 of Pharaoh H6547 shall fall down; H5307 and they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 when I shall put H5414 my sword H2719 into the hand H3027 of the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and he shall stretch it out H5186 upon the land H776 of Egypt. H4714

John 15:23 STRONG

He that hateth G3404 me G1691 hateth G3404 my G3450 Father G3962 also. G2532

1 Corinthians 15:25-28 STRONG

For G1063 he G846 must G1163 reign, G936 till G891 G3757 he hath put G302 G5087 all G3956 enemies G2190 under G5259 his G846 feet. G4228 The last G2078 enemy G2190 that shall be destroyed G2673 is death. G2288 For G1063 he hath put G5293 all things G3956 under G5259 his G846 feet. G4228 But G1161 when G3752 he saith G2036 G3754 all things G3956 are put under G5293 him, it is manifest G1212 that G3754 he is excepted, G1622 which did put G5293 all things G3956 under G5293 him. G846 And G1161 when G3752 all things G3956 shall be subdued G5293 unto him, G846 then G5119 shall G5293 the Son G5207 also G2532 himself G846 be subject G5293 unto him that put G5293 all things G3956 under G5293 him, G846 that G2443 God G2316 may be G5600 all G3956 in G1722 all. G3956

Ephesians 1:22 STRONG

And G2532 hath put G5293 all G3956 things under G5259 his G846 feet, G4228 and G2532 gave G1325 him G846 to be the head G2776 over G5228 all G3956 things to the church, G1577

Philippians 3:21 STRONG

Who G3739 shall change G3345 our G2257 vile G5014 body, G4983 that G1519 it G846 may be G1096 fashioned like unto G4832 his G846 glorious G1391 body, G4983 according to G2596 the working G1753 whereby he G846 is able G1410 even G2532 to subdue G5293 all things G3956 unto himself. G1438

Commentary on Psalms 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


PSALM 18

Ps 18:1-50. "The servant of the Lord," which in the Hebrew precedes "David," is a significant part of the title (and not a mere epithet of David), denoting the inspired character of the song, as the production of one entrusted with the execution of God's will. He was not favored by God because he served Him, but served Him because selected and appointed by God in His sovereign mercy. After a general expression of praise and confidence in God for the future, David gives a sublimely poetical description of God's deliverance, which he characterizes as an illustration of God's justice to the innocent and His righteous government. His own prowess and success are celebrated as the results of divine aid, and, confident of its continuance, he closes in terms of triumphant praise. 2Sa 22:1-51 is a copy of this Psalm, with a few unimportant variations recorded there as a part of the history, and repeated here as part of a collection designed for permanent use.

1. I will love thee—with most tender affection.

2, 3. The various terms used describe God as an object of the most implicit and reliable trust.

rock—literally, "a cleft rock," for concealment.

strength—a firm, immovable rock.

horn of my salvation—The horn, as the means of attack or defense of some of the strongest animals, is a frequent emblem of power or strength efficiently exercised (compare De 33:17; Lu 1:69).

tower—literally, "high place," beyond reach of danger.

3. to be praised—for past favors, and worthy of confidence.

4. sorrows—literally, "bands as of a net" (Ps 116:3).

floods—denotes "multitude."

5. death—and hell (compare Ps 16:10) are personified as man's great enemies (compare Re 20:13, 14).

prevented—encountered me, crossed my path, and endangered my safety. He does not mean he was in their power.

6. He relates his methods to procure relief when distressed, and his success.

temple—(Compare Ps 11:4).

7, 8. God's coming described in figures drawn from His appearance on Sinai (compare De 32:22).

8. smoke out … his nostrils—bitter in His wrath (compare Ps 74:1).

by it—that is, the fire (Ex 19:18).

9. darkness—or, a dense cloud (Ex 19:16; De 5:22).

10. cherub—angelic agents (compare Ge 3:24), the figures of which were placed over the ark (1Sa 4:4), representing God's dwelling; used here to enhance the majesty of the divine advent. Angels and winds may represent all rational and irrational agencies of God's providence (compare Ps 104:3, 4).

did fly—Rapidity of motion adds to the grandeur of the scene.

11. dark waters—or, clouds heavy with vapor.

12. Out of this obscurity, which impresses the beholder with awe and dread, He reveals Himself by sudden light and the means of His terrible wrath (Jos 10:11; Ps 78:47).

13. The storm breaks forth—thunder follows lightning, and hail with repeated lightning, as often seen, like balls or coals of fire, succeed (Ex 9:23).

14. The fiery brightness of lightning, in shape like burning arrows rapidly shot through the air, well represents the most terrible part of an awful storm. Before the terrors of such a scene the enemies are confounded and overthrown in dismay.

15. The tempest of the air is attended by appropriate results on earth. The language, though not expressive of any special physical changes, represents the utter subversion of the order of nature. Before such a God none can stand.

16-19. from above—As seated on a throne, directing these terrible scenes, God—

sent—His hand (Ps 144:7), reached down to His humble worshipper, and delivered him.

many waters—calamities (Job 30:14; Ps 124:4, 5).

18. prevented—(Ps 18:3).

19. a large place—denotes safety or relief, as contrasted with the straits of distress (Ps 4:1). All his deliverance is ascribed to God, and this sublime poetical representation is given to inspire the pious with confidence and the wicked with dread.

20-24. The statements of innocence, righteousness, &c., refer, doubtless, to his personal and official conduct and his purposes, during all the trials to which he was subjected in Saul's persecutions and Absalom's rebellions, as well as the various wars in which he had been engaged as the head and defender of God's Church and people.

23. upright before him—In my relation to God I have been perfect as to all parts of His law. The perfection does not relate to degree.

mine iniquity—perhaps the thought of his heart to kill Saul (1Sa 24:6). That David does not allude to all his conduct, in all relations, is evident from Ps 51:1, &c.

25-27. God renders to men according to their deeds in a penal, not vindictive, sense (Le 26:23, 24).

merciful—or, "kind" (Ps 4:3).

26. froward—contrary to.

27. the afflicted people—that is, the humbly pious.

high looks—pride (Ps 101:5; 131:1).

28. To give one light is to make prosperous (Job 18:5, 6; 21:17).

thou—is emphatic, as if to say, I can fully confide in Thee for help.

29. And this on past experience in his military life, set forth by these figures.

30-32. God's perfection is the source of his own, which has resulted from his trust on the one hand, and God's promised help on the other.

tried—"as metals are tried by fire and proved genuine" (Ps 12:6). Shield (Ps 3:3). Girding was essential to free motion on account of the looseness of Oriental dresses; hence it is an expressive figure for describing the gift of strength.

33-36. God's help farther described. He gives swiftness to pursue or elude his enemies (Hab 3:19), strength, protection, and a firm footing.

35. thy gentleness—as applied to God—condescension—or that which He gives, in the sense of humility (compare Pr 22:4).

36. enlarged my steps—made ample room (compare Pr 4:12).

37-41. In actual conflict, with God's aid, the defeat of his enemies is certain. A present and continued success is expressed.

39. that rose up against me—literally, "insurgents" (Ps 3:1; 44:5).

40. given me the necks—literally, "backs of the necks"; made them retreat (Ex 23:27; Jos 7:8).

42. This conquest was complete.

43-45. Not only does He conquer civil foes, but foreigners, who are driven from their places of refuge.

44. submit, &c.—(compare Margin)—that is, show a forced subjection.

46. The Lord liveth—contrasts Him with idols (1Co 8:4).

47, 48. avengeth me—His cause is espoused by God as His own.

48. liftest me up—to safety and honors.

49, 50. Paul (Ro 15:9) quotes from this doxology to show that under the Old Testament economy, others than the Jews were regarded as subjects of that spiritual government of which David was head, and in which character his deliverances and victories were typical of the more illustrious triumphs of David's greater Son. The language of Ps 18:50 justifies this view in its distinct allusion to the great promise (compare 2Sa 7:12). In all David's successes he saw the pledges of a fulfilment of that promise, and he mourned in all his adversities, not only in view of his personal suffering, but because he saw in them evidences of danger to the great interests which were committed to his keeping. It is in these aspects of his character that we are led properly to appreciate the importance attached to his sorrows and sufferings, his joys and successes.