1 To the Overseer. -- By a servant of Jehovah, by David, who hath spoken to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul, and he saith: -- I love Thee, O Jehovah, my strength.
And David speaketh to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, and he saith: `Jehovah `is' my rock, And my bulwark, and a deliverer to me, My God `is' my rock -- I take refuge in Him; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower, and my refuge! My Saviour, from violence Thou savest me! The Praised One, I call Jehovah: And from mine enemies I am saved. When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me, The cords of Sheol have surrounded me, Before me have been the snares of death. In mine adversity I call Jehovah, And unto my God I call, And He heareth from His temple my voice, And my cry `is' in His ears, And shake and tremble doth the earth, Foundations of the heavens are troubled, And are shaken, for He hath wrath! Gone up hath smoke by His nostrils. And fire from His mouth devoureth, Brands have been kindled by it. And He inclineth heaven, and cometh down, And thick darkness `is' under His feet. And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And is seen on the wings of the wind. And He setteth darkness Round about Him -- tabernacles, Darkness of waters -- thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him Were brands of fire kindled! Thunder from the heavens doth Jehovah, And the Most High giveth forth His voice. And He sendeth forth arrows, And scattereth them; Lightning, and troubleth them; And seen are the streams of the sea, Revealed are foundations of the world, By the rebuke of Jehovah, From the breath of the spirit of His anger. He sendeth from above -- He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters. He delivereth me from my strong enemy, From those hating me, For they were stronger than I. They are before me in a day of my calamity, And Jehovah is my support, And He bringeth me out to a large place, He draweth me out for He delighted in me. Jehovah recompenseth me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me. For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God. For all His judgments `are' before me, As to His statutes, I turn not from them. And I am perfect before Him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity. And Jehovah returneth to me, According to my righteousness, According to my cleanness before His eyes. With the kind Thou shewest Thyself kind, With the perfect man Thou shewest Thyself perfect, With the pure Thou shewest Thyself pure, And with the perverse Thou shewest Thyself a wrestler. And the poor people Thou dost save, And Thine eyes on the high causest to fall. For Thou `art' my lamp, O Jehovah, And Jehovah doth lighten my darkness. For by Thee I run -- a troop, By my God I leap a wall. God! Perfect `is' His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield He `is' to all those trusting in Him. For who is God save Jehovah? And who a Rock save our God? God -- my bulwark, `my' strength, And He maketh perfect my way; Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand, Teaching my hands for battle, And brought down was a bow of brass by mine arms, And Thou givest to me the shield of Thy salvation, And Thy lowliness maketh me great. Thou enlargest my step under me, And mine ankles have not slidden. I pursue mine enemies and destroy them, And I turn not till they are consumed. And I consume them, and smite them, And they rise not, and fall under my feet. And Thou girdest me `with' strength for battle, Thou causest my withstanders to bow under me. And mine enemies -- Thou givest to me the neck, Those hating me -- and I cut them off. They look, and there is no saviour; Unto Jehovah, and He hath not answered them. And I beat them as dust of the earth, As mire of the streets I beat them small -- I spread them out! And -- Thou dost deliver me From the strivings of my people, Thou placest me for a head of nations; A people I have not known do serve me. Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me, At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me. Sons of a stranger fade away, And gird themselves by their close places. Jehovah liveth, and blessed `is' my Rock, And exalted is my God -- The Rock of my salvation. God -- who is giving vengeance to me, And bringing down peoples under me, And bringing me forth from mine enemies, Yea, above my withstanders Thou raisest me up. From a man of violence Thou deliverest me. Therefore I confess Thee, O Jehovah, among nations. And to Thy name I sing praise. Magnifying the salvations of His king, And doing loving-kindness to His anointed, To David, and to his seed -- unto the age!'
For all things I have strength, in Christ's strengthening me;
And thou hast said in that day: `I thank thee, O Jehovah, Though Thou hast been angry with me, Turn back doth Thine anger, And Thou dost comfort me. Lo, God `is' my salvation, I trust, and fear not, For my strength and song `is' Jah Jehovah, And He is to me for salvation. And ye have drawn waters with joy Out of the fountains of salvation, And ye have said in that day, Give ye praise to Jehovah, call in His name. Make known among the peoples His acts. Make mention that set on high is His name. Praise ye Jehovah, for excellence He hath done, Known is this in all the earth. Cry aloud, and sing, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in thy midst `is' the Holy One of Israel!'
My strength and song `is' Jah, And He is to me for salvation.
for David, indeed, his own generation having served by the will of God, did fall asleep, and was added unto his fathers, and saw corruption,
Cause `it' to come, O Jehovah, for I `am' Thy servant. I `am' Thy servant, son of Thy handmaid, Thou hast opened my bonds.
To the Overseer. -- By a servant of Jehovah, by David. The transgression of the wicked Is affirming within my heart, `Fear of God is not before his eyes,
God! who is girding me `with' strength, And He maketh perfect my way.
And Hannah prayeth, and saith: `My heart hath exulted in Jehovah, My horn hath been high in Jehovah, My mouth hath been large over mine enemies, For I have rejoiced in Thy salvation. There is none holy like Jehovah, For there is none save Thee, And there is no rock like our God. Ye multiply not -- ye speak haughtily -- The old saying goeth out from your mouth, For a God of knowledge `is' Jehovah, And by Him actions are weighed. Bows of the mighty are broken, And the stumbling have girded on strength. The satiated for bread hired themselves, And the hungry have ceased. While the barren hath borne seven, And she abounding with sons hath languished. Jehovah putteth to death, and keepeth alive, He bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up. Jehovah dispossesseth, and He maketh rich, He maketh low, yea, He maketh high. He raiseth from the dust the poor, From a dunghill He lifteth up the needy, To cause `them' to sit with nobles, Yea, a throne of honour He doth cause them to inherit, For to Jehovah `are' the fixtures of earth, And He setteth on them the habitable world. The feet of His saints He keepeth, And the wicked in darkness are silent, For not by power doth man become mighty. Jehovah -- broken down are His adversaries, Against them in the heavens He thundereth: Jehovah judgeth the ends of earth, And giveth strength to His king, And exalteth the horn of His anointed.'
And Deborah singeth -- also Barak son of Abinoam -- on that day, saying: -- `For freeing freemen in Israel, For a people willingly offering themselves Bless ye Jehovah. Hear, ye kings; give ear, ye princes, I, to Jehovah, I -- I do sing, I sing praise to Jehovah, God of Israel. Jehovah, in Thy going forth out of Seir, In Thy stepping out of the field of Edom, Earth trembled, also the heavens dropped, Also thick clouds dropped water. Hills flowed from the face of Jehovah, This one -- Sinai -- From the face of Jehovah, God of Israel. In the days of Shamgar son of Anath -- In the days of Jael -- The ways have ceased, And those going in the paths go `in' crooked ways. Villages ceased in Israel -- they ceased, Till that I arose -- Deborah, That I arose, a mother in Israel. He chooseth new gods, Then war `is' at the gates! A shield is not seen -- and a spear Among forty thousand in Israel. My heart `is' to the lawgivers of Israel, Who are offering themselves willingly among the people, Bless ye Jehovah! Riders on white asses -- Sitters on a long robe -- And walkers by the way -- meditate! By the voice of shouters Between the places of drawing water, There they give out righteous acts of Jehovah, Righteous acts of His villages in Israel, Then ruled in the gates have the people of Jehovah. Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, utter a song; Rise, Barak, and take captive thy captivity, Son of Abinoam. Then him who is left of the honourable ones He caused to rule the people of Jehovah, He caused me to rule among the mighty. Out of Ephraim their root `is' against Amalek. After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down lawgivers, And out of Zebulun those drawing with the reed of a writer. And princes in Issachar `are' with Deborah, Yea, Issachar `is' right with Barak, Into the valley he was sent on his feet. In the divisions of Reuben, Great `are' the decrees of heart! Why hast thou abode between the boundaries, To hear lowings of herds? For the divisions of Reuben, Great `are' the searchings of heart! Gilead beyond the Jordan did tabernacle, And Dan -- why doth he sojourn `in' ships? Asher hath abode at the haven of the seas, And by his creeks doth tabernacle. Zebulun `is' a people who exposed its soul to death, Naphtali also -- on high places of the field. Kings came -- they fought; Then fought kings of Canaan, In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; Gain of money they took not! From the heavens they fought: The stars from their highways fought with Sisera. The brook Kishon swept them away, The brook most ancient -- the brook Kishon. Thou dost tread down strength, O my soul! Then broken were the horse-heels, By pransings -- pransings of its mighty ones. Curse Meroz -- said a messenger of Jehovah, Cursing, curse ye its inhabitants, For they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah among the mighty! Blessed above women is Jael, Wife of Heber the Kenite, Above women in the tent she is blessed. Water he asked -- milk she gave; In a lordly dish she brought near butter. Her hand to the pin she sendeth forth, And her right hand to the labourers' hammer, And she hammered Sisera -- she smote his head, Yea, she smote, and it passed through his temple. Between her feet he bowed -- He fell, he lay down; Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell -- destroyed. Through the window she hath looked out -- Yea, she crieth out -- the mother of Sisera, Through the lattice: Wherefore is his chariot delaying to come? Wherefore tarried have the steps of his chariot? The wise ones, her princesses, answer her, Yea, she returneth her sayings to herself: Do they not find? -- they apportion spoil, A female -- two females -- for every head, Spoil of finger-work for Sisera, Spoil of embroidered finger-work, Finger-work -- a pair of embroidered things, For the necks of the spoil! So do all Thine enemies perish, O Jehovah, And those loving Him `are' As the going out of the sun in its might!' and the land resteth forty years.
Then singeth Moses and the sons of Israel this song to Jehovah, and they speak, saying: -- `I sing to Jehovah, For triumphing He hath triumphed; The horse and its rider He hath thrown into the sea. My strength and song is JAH, And He is become my salvation: This `is' my God, and I glorify Him; God of my father, and I exalt Him. Jehovah `is' a man of battle; Jehovah `is' His name. Chariots of Pharaoh and his force He hath cast into the sea; And the choice of his captains Have sunk in the Red Sea! The depths do cover them; They went down into the depths as a stone. Thy right hand, O Jehovah, Is become honourable in power; Thy right hand, O Jehovah, Doth crush an enemy. And in the abundance of Thine excellency Thou throwest down Thy withstanders, Thou sendest forth Thy wrath -- It consumeth them as stubble. And by the spirit of Thine anger Have waters been heaped together; Stood as a heap have flowings; Congealed have been depths In the heart of a sea. The enemy said, I pursue, I overtake; I apportion spoil; Filled is my soul with them; I draw out my sword; My hand destroyeth them: -- Thou hast blown with Thy wind The sea hath covered them; They sank as lead in mighty waters. Who `is' like Thee among the gods, O Jehovah? Who `is' like Thee -- honourable in holiness -- Fearful in praises -- doing wonders? Thou hast stretched out Thy right hand -- Earth swalloweth them! Thou hast led forth in Thy kindness The people whom Thou hast redeemed. Thou hast led on in Thy strength Unto Thy holy habitation. Peoples have heard, they are troubled; Pain hath seized inhabitants of Philistia. Then have chiefs of Edom been troubled: Mighty ones of Moab -- Trembling doth seize them! Melted have all inhabitants of Canaan! Fall on them doth terror and dread; By the greatness of Thine arm They are still as a stone, Till Thy people pass over, O Jehovah; Till the people pass over Whom Thou hast purchased. Thou dost bring them in, And dost plant them In a mountain of Thine inheritance, A fixed place for Thy dwelling Thou hast made, O Jehovah; A sanctuary, O Lord, Thy hands have established; Jehovah reigneth -- to the age, and for ever!' For the horse of Pharaoh hath gone in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Jehovah turneth back on them the waters of the sea, and the sons of Israel have gone on dry land in the midst of the sea. And Miriam the inspired one, sister of Aaron, taketh the timbrel in her hand, and all the women go out after her, with timbrels and with choruses; and Miriam answereth to them: -- `Sing ye to Jehovah, For Triumphing He hath triumphed; The horse and its rider He hath thrown into the sea!'
I have loved, because Jehovah heareth My voice, my supplication, Because He hath inclined His ear to me, And during my days I call. Compassed me have cords of death, And straits of Sheol have found me, Distress and sorrow I find. And in the name of Jehovah I call: I pray Thee, O Jehovah, deliver my soul, Gracious `is' Jehovah, and righteous, Yea, our God `is' merciful, A preserver of the simple `is' Jehovah, I was low, and to me He giveth salvation.
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.