Psa 18:1-2 | Clarke | e4.org | PSALM XVIII David's address of thanks to Jehovah , 1-3. A relation of sufferings undergone, and prayers made for assistance , 4-6. A magnificent description of Divine interposition in behalf of the sufferer , 7-15; and of the deliverance wrought for him , 16-19. That this deliverance was in consideration of his righteousness , 20-24; and according to the tenor of God's equitable proceedings , 25-28. To Jehovah is ascribed the glory of the victory , 29-36; which is represented as complete by the destruction of all his opponents , 37-42. On these events the heathen submit , 43-45. And for all these things God is glorified , 46-50. NOTES ON PSALM XVIII The title: "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul." Except the first clause, this title is taken from . The reader is requested to turn to the notes on , for some curious information on this Psalm, particularly what is extracted from Dr. Kennicott . This learned writer supposes the whole to be a song of the Messiah, and divides it into five parts , which he thus introduces:- "The Messiah's sublime thanksgivings, composed by David when his wars were at an end, towards the conclusion of his life. And in this sacred song the goodness of God is celebrated, 1. For Messiah's resurrection from the dead, with the wonders attending that awful event, and soon following it. 2. For the punishment inflicted on the Jews; particularly by the destruction of Jerusalem. And, 3. For the obedience of the Gentile nations. See ; ; and ; with ." And that the title now prefixed to this hymn here and in , describes only the time of its composition, seems evident; for who can ascribe to David himself as the subject, , &c.? In Dr. Kennicott's remarks there is a new translation of the whole Psalm, p. 178, &c. The strong current of commentators and critics apply this Psalm to Christ; and to oppose a whole host of both ancients and moderns would argue great self-confidence. In the main I am of the same mind; and on this principle chiefly I shall proceed to its illustration; still however considering that there are many things in it which concern David, and him only. Drs. Chandler and Delaney have been very successful in their illustration of various passages in it; all the best critics have brought their strongest powers to bear on it; and most of the commentators have laboured it with great success; and Bishop Horne has applied the whole of it to Christ. My old Psalter speaks highly in its praise: "This Psalme contenes the sacrement of al chosyn men, the qwilk doand the law of God thurgh the seven fald grace of the Haly Gast fra al temptaciouns, and the pouste of dede and of the devel lesid: this sang thai syng til God; and thankes him and says, I sal luf the Lord , noght a day or twa, bot ever mare: my strength , thurgh quam I am stalworth in thoght." Verse 1. I will love thee ] Love always subsists on motive and reason. The verb racham signifies to love with all the tender feelings of nature . "From my inmost bowels will I love thee, O Lord!" Why should he love Jehovah? Not merely because he was infinitely great and good, possessed of all possible perfections, but because he was good to him : and he here enumerates some of the many blessings he received from him. My strength. ] 1. Thou who hast given me power over my adversaries, and hast enabled me to avoid evil and do good.

‏ Psalms 18:1-2

PSALM XVIII

David's address of thanks to Jehovah, 1-3.

A relation of sufferings undergone, and prayers made for assistance, 4-6.

A magnificent description of Divine interposition in behalf of the sufferer, 7-15;

and of the deliverance wrought for him, 16-19.

That this deliverance was in consideration of his righteousness, 20-24;

and according to the tenor of God's equitable proceedings,

25-28.

To Jehovah is ascribed the glory of the victory, 29-36;

which is represented as complete by the destruction of all his opponents, 37-42.

On these events the heathen submit, 43-45.

And for all these things God is glorified, 46-50.

NOTES ON PSALM XVIII

The title: "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul."

Except the first clause, this title is taken from 2Sa 22:1. The reader is requested to turn to the notes on 2Sa 22:1, for some curious information on this Psalm, particularly what is extracted from Dr. Kennicott. This learned writer supposes the whole to be a song of the Messiah, and divides it into five parts, which he thus introduces:-

"The Messiah's sublime thanksgivings, composed by David when his wars were at an end, towards the conclusion of his life. And in this sacred song the goodness of God is celebrated, 1. For Messiah's resurrection from the dead, with the wonders attending that awful event, and soon following it. 2. For the punishment inflicted on the Jews; particularly by the destruction of Jerusalem. And, 3. For the obedience of the Gentile nations. See Ro 15:9; Heb 2:13; and Mt 28:2-4; with Mt 24:7, 29."

And that the title now prefixed to this hymn here and in 2Sa 22:1, describes only the time of its composition, seems evident; for who can ascribe to David himself as the subject, Ps 18:5, 6, 8-17, 21-26, 30, 42, 44, &c.?

In Dr. Kennicott's remarks there is a new translation of the whole Psalm, p. 178, &c.

The strong current of commentators and critics apply this Psalm to Christ; and to oppose a whole host of both ancients and moderns would argue great self-confidence. In the main I am of the same mind; and on this principle chiefly I shall proceed to its illustration; still however considering that there are many things in it which concern David, and him only. Drs. Chandler and Delaney have been very successful in their illustration of various passages in it; all the best critics have brought their strongest powers to bear on it; and most of the commentators have laboured it with great success; and Bishop Horne has applied the whole of it to Christ. My old Psalter speaks highly in its praise: "This Psalme contenes the sacrement of al chosyn men, the qwilk doand the law of God thurgh the seven fald grace of the Haly Gast fra al temptaciouns, and the pouste of dede and of the devel lesid: this sang thai syng til God; and thankes him and says, I sal luf the Lord, noght a day or twa, bot ever mare: my strength, thurgh quam I am stalworth in thoght."

Verse 1. I will love thee] Love always subsists on motive and reason. The verb racham signifies to love with all the tender feelings of nature. "From my inmost bowels will I love thee, O Lord!" Why should he love Jehovah? Not merely because he was infinitely great and good, possessed of all possible perfections, but because he was good to him: and he here enumerates some of the many blessings he received from him.

My strength.] 1. Thou who hast given me power over my adversaries, and hast enabled me to avoid evil and do good.

Verse 2. The Lord is my rock] 2. I stand on him as my foundation, and derive every good from him who is the source of good. The word sela signifies those craggy precipices which afford shelter to men and wild animals; where the bees often made their nests, and whence honey was collected in great abundance. "He made him to suck honey out of the rock," De 32:13. 3. He was his fortress; a place of strength and safety, fortified by nature and art, where he could be safe from his enemies. He refers to those inaccessible heights in the rocky, mountainous country of Judea, where he had often found refuge from the pursuit of Saul. What these have been to my body, such has the Lord been to my soul.

Deliverer] 4. mephalleti, he who causes me to escape. This refers to his preservation in straits and difficulties. He was often almost surrounded and taken, but still the Lord made a way for his escape-made a way out as his enemies got in; so that, while they got in at one side of his strong hold, he got out of the other, and so escaped with his life. These escapes were so narrow and so unlikely that he plainly saw the hand of the Lord was in them. 5. My God, Eli, my strong God, not only the object of my adoration, but he who puts strength in my soul. 6. My strength, tsuri. This is a different word from that in the first verse. Rabbi Maimon has observed that tsur, when applied to God, signifies fountain, source, origin, &c. God is not only the source whence my being was derived, but he is the fountain whence I derive all my good; in whom, says David, I will trust. And why? Because he knew him to be an eternal and inexhaustible fountain of goodness. This fine idea is lost in our translation; for we render two Hebrew words of widely different meaning, by the same term in English, strength. 7. My buckler, maginni, my shield, my defender, he who covers my head and my heart, so that I am neither slain nor wounded by the darts of my adversaries. 8. Horn of my salvation. Horn was the emblem of power, and power in exercise. This has been already explained; see on 1Sa 2:1. The horn of salvation means a powerful, an efficient salvation. 9. My high tower; not only a place of defence, but one from which I can discern the country round about, and always be able to discover danger before it approaches me.