(35) Thy gentleness.—Or, meekness, as in margin. We cannot afford to sacrifice this striking foreshadowing of His saying of Himself, “I am meek and lowly,” to the scare of a word like anthropomorphism. Why be afraid to speak of the Divine Being as meek any more than as jealous. The LXX. and Vulgate have “discipline,” probably through this timidity. read more
Psalms 18:17-19 These words were sung upon the scaffold by four sons of the Huguenots: 'He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. 'They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay 'He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me because he delighted in me.' They were sung by the last martyrs of the desert, Francis Rochette, and three brothers of the name of Grenier, who suffered as late as 1762, under... read more
Psalms 18:1-50THE description of the theophany (Psalms 18:7-19) and that of the psalmist’s God-won victories (Psalms 18:32-46) appear to refer to the same facts, transfigured in the former case by devout imagination and presented in the latter in their actual form. These two portions make the two central masses round which the psalm is built up. They are connected by a transitional section, of which the main theme is the power of character to determine God’s aspect to a man as exemplified in... read more
Psalms 18:0 The Story of God’s Power in Behalf of Christ 1. In the jaws of death (Psalms 18:1-6 ) 2. God appearing and delivering (Psalms 18:7-18 ) 3. God gave Him glory (Psalms 18:19-27 ) 4. His enemies subdued (Psalms 18:28-42 ) 5. The head of the nations (Psalms 18:43-45 ) Psalms 18:1-6 . This is another remarkable Psalm. Though David wrote it not everything could be his experience. He was a prophet (Acts 2:30 ) and prophesied; much in this Psalm is prophecy describing the... read more
18:35 Thou hast also given me the {b} shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy {c} gentleness hath made me great.(b) To defend me from dangers.(c) He attributed the beginning, continuance and increase in well doing only to God’s favour. read more
Psalms 18:0 A song of victory. It opens with ejaculatory expressions of triumph for deliverance. All nature is described as convulsed when the Almighty presses to the rescue. The next division is meditation on the principles involved, the whole closing with a further outburst of triumph and confidence. 2 Samuel 22:0 is a copy of this ode saying a few variations, and the student is referred to our treatment of it at that place. Psalms 19:0 God’s revelation in the world and in the Word. We have a... read more
Psalms 18:0 [Note. Critics are very definite in their judgment that this psalm is the most magnificent ode which David composed. It was sung in the last years of prosperity, when the surrounding nations all knelt before the king in homage and presented to him tribute. The form of the psalm is distinctly after the manner of David, who loved to dwell upon the phenomena of the natural world and to find his way through nature up to nature's God. Probably the psalm was composed in view of the... read more
These are all glorious triumphs of our risen and exalted Saviour. And He who hath thus conquered for us, can and will conquer sin in us. Like another Joshua, our Almighty Leader and Commander, which Jehovah hath given to his people, he will put our feet upon the neck of all our enemies. Isaiah 55:4 ; Joshua 10:24 ; Romans 16:20 . read more
29-50 When we praise for one mercy, we must observe the many more, with which we have been compassed all our days. Many things had contributed to David's advancement, and he owns the hand of God in them all, to teach us to do likewise. In verse Psalms 18:32, and the following verses, are the gifts of God to the spiritual warrior, whereby he is prepared for the contest, after the example of his victorious Leader. Learn that we must seek release being made through Christ, shall be rejected. In... read more
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John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:1-50
Of all the Pss. this is the one which can be ascribed with greatest confidence to David. It is found, with some variations, in 2 Samuel 22, and the title is largely taken from 2 Samuel 22:1. It consists of a series of triumphant thanksgivings to God, with which the writer connects a highly figurative account of his deliverance from danger (Psalms 18:4-19), an assertion of his own uprightness (Psalms 18:20-24), and a description of the victories he has won by God’s assistance (Psalms... read more