4 The sorrows H2256 of death H4194 compassed H661 me, and the floods H5158 of ungodly men H1100 made me afraid. H1204
The sorrows H2256 of death H4194 compassed H661 me, and the pains H4712 of hell H7585 gat hold H4672 upon me: I found H4672 trouble H6869 and sorrow. H3015
When G1161 Pilate G4091 saw G1492 that G3754 he could prevail G5623 nothing, G3762 but G235 that rather G3123 a tumult G2351 was made, G1096 he took G2983 water, G5204 and washed G633 his hands G5495 before G561 the multitude, G3793 saying, G3004 I am G1510 innocent G121 of G575 the blood G129 of this G5127 just person: G1342 see G3700 ye G5210 to it. Then G2532 answered G611 all G3956 the people, G2992 and said, G2036 His G846 blood G129 be on G1909 us, G2248 and G2532 on G1909 our G2257 children. G5043
When the waves H4867 of death H4194 compassed H661 me, the floods H5158 of ungodly men H1100 made me afraid; H1204 The sorrows H2256 of hell H7585 compassed me about; H5437 the snares H4170 of death H4194 prevented H6923 me;
Then H233 the waters H4325 had overwhelmed H7857 us, the stream H5158 had gone over H5674 our soul: H5315
And they shall be afraid: H926 pangs H6735 and sorrows H2256 shall take hold H270 of them; they shall be in pain H2342 as a woman that travaileth: H3205 they shall be amazed H8539 one H376 at another; H7453 their faces H6440 shall be as flames. H3851
He is despised H959 and rejected H2310 of men; H376 a man H376 of sorrows, H4341 and acquainted H3045 with grief: H2483 and we hid as it were H4564 our faces H6440 from him; he was despised, H959 and we esteemed H2803 him not. Surely H403 he hath borne H5375 our griefs, H2483 and carried H5445 our sorrows: H4341 yet we did esteem H2803 him stricken, H5060 smitten H5221 of God, H430 and afflicted. H6031
And said, H559 I cried H7121 by reason of mine affliction H6869 unto the LORD, H3068 and he heard H6030 me; out of the belly H990 of hell H7585 cried H7768 I, and thou heardest H8085 my voice. H6963 For thou hadst cast H7993 me into the deep, H4688 in the midst H3824 of the seas; H3220 and the floods H5104 compassed H5437 me about: all thy billows H4867 and thy waves H1530 passed over H5674 me. Then I said, H559 I am cast out H1644 of thy sight; H5869 yet I will look H5027 again H3254 toward thy holy H6944 temple. H1964 The waters H4325 compassed me about, H661 even to the soul: H5315 the depth H8415 closed me round about, H5437 the weeds H5488 were wrapped about H2280 my head. H7218 I went down H3381 to the bottoms H7095 of the mountains; H2022 the earth H776 with her bars H1280 was about me for ever: H5769 yet hast thou brought up H5927 my life H2416 from corruption, H7845 O LORD H3068 my God. H430 When my soul H5315 fainted H5848 within me I remembered H2142 the LORD: H3068 and my prayer H8605 came in H935 unto thee, into thine holy H6944 temple. H1964
And G2532 while G2089 he G846 yet G2089 spake, G2980 lo, G2400 Judas, G2455 one G1520 of the twelve, G1427 came, G2064 and G2532 with G3326 him G846 a great G4183 multitude G3793 with G3326 swords G3162 and G2532 staves, G3586 from G575 the chief priests G749 and G2532 elders G4245 of the people. G2992
And G1161 they that passed by G3899 reviled G987 him, G846 wagging G2795 their G846 heads, G2776 And G2532 saying, G3004 Thou that destroyest G2647 the temple, G3485 and G2532 buildest G3618 it in G1722 three G5140 days, G2250 save G4982 thyself. G4572 If G1487 thou be G1488 the Son G5207 of God, G2316 come down G2597 from G575 the cross. G4716 G1161 Likewise G3668 also G2532 the chief priests G749 mocking G1702 him, with G3326 the scribes G1122 and G2532 elders, G4245 said, G3004 He saved G4982 others; G243 himself G1438 he cannot G3756 G1410 save. G4982 If G1487 he be G2076 the King G935 of Israel, G2474 let him G2597 now G3568 come down G2597 from G575 the cross, G4716 and G2532 we will believe G4100 him. G846 He trusted G3982 in G1909 God; G2316 let him deliver G4506 him G846 now, G3568 if G1487 he will have G2309 him: G846 for G1063 he said, G2036 G3754 I am G1510 the Son G5207 of God. G2316 G1161 The thieves G3027 also, G2532 which G3588 were crucified G4957 with him, G846 cast G3679 the same G846 in his G846 teeth. G3679
And G2532 he taketh G3880 with G3326 him G1438 Peter G4074 and G2532 James G2385 and G2532 John, G2491 and G2532 began G756 to be sore amazed, G1568 and G2532 to be very heavy; G85 And G2532 saith G3004 unto them, G846 My G3450 soul G5590 is G2076 exceeding sorrowful G4036 unto G2193 death: G2288 tarry ye G3306 here, G5602 and G2532 watch. G1127
Then G5119 saith he G3004 unto them, G846 My G3450 soul G5590 is G2076 exceeding sorrowful, G4036 even unto G2193 death: G2288 tarry ye G3306 here, G5602 and G2532 watch G1127 with G3326 me. G1700 And G2532 he went G4281 a little G3397 further, G4281 and fell G4098 on G1909 his G846 face, G4383 and G2532 prayed, G4336 saying, G3004 O my G3450 Father, G3962 if G1487 it be G2076 possible, G1415 let G3928 this G5124 cup G4221 pass G3928 from G575 me: G1700 nevertheless G4133 not G3756 as G5613 I G1473 will, G2309 but G235 as G5613 thou G4771 wilt.
In G1722 that same G1565 hour G5610 said G2036 Jesus G2424 to the multitudes, G3793 Are ye come out G1831 as G5613 against G1909 a thief G3027 with G3326 swords G3162 and G2532 staves G3586 for to take G4815 me? G3165 I sat G2516 daily G2250 G2596 with G4314 you G5209 teaching G1321 in G1722 the temple, G2411 and G2532 ye laid G2902 no G3756 hold G2902 on me. G3165
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 18
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.