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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 18:29-50

In these verses, I. David looks back, with thankfulness, upon the great things which God had done for him. He had not only wrought deliverance for him, but had given him victory and success, and made him triumph over those who thought to triumph over him. When we set ourselves to praise God for one mercy we must be led by that to observe the many more with which we have been compassed about, and followed, all our days. Many things had contributed to David's advancement, and he owns the hand of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:45

The strangers shall fade away ,.... Like the leaves of trees in autumn, when they fall and perish; to which hypocrites and nominal professors are compared, Judges 1:12 ; and be afraid out of their close places ; their towers and fortified places, or the rocks and mountains to which they betake themselves for shelter; but, as not thinking themselves safe enough, through fear and dread, come out of them; see Micah 7:17 . Some Jewish writers F17 R. Donesh apud Jarchi & Abendana... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:45

The strangers shall fade away - נכר בני beney nechar , the same persons mentioned above. They shall not be able to effect any thing against me; יבלו yibbolu , "they shall fall as the leaves fall off the trees in winter." And be afraid out of their close places - Those who have formed themselves into banditti, and have taken possession of rocks and fortified places, shall be so afraid when they hear of my successes, that they shall surrender at discretion, without standing a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:45

Verse 45 What is added immediately after, (verse 45,) the children of strangers shall fade away; they shall tremble (438) from within their places of concealment, serves to place, in a still more striking light, the great fame and formidable name which we have said David had acquired. It is no ordinary sign of reverence when those who are protected in hiding-places, and shut up within steep fortifications, are so stricken with terror as to come forth of their own accord and surrender... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 18:1-50

The authorship of David is generally allowed, and indeed has been questioned only by three recent critics—Olshausen, Von Lengerke, and Professor Cheyne. The period at which it was written is declared in the title to be "when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul"—a date which is quite in accord with the contents of the poem. For while it celebrates his deliverance from perils of various kinds—from a "strong enemy" ( Psalms 18:17 ), from a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 18:1-50

The conqueror's song of praise and hope. It is not our purpose, nor is it our province, in this section of the 'Pulpit Commentary,' to write homilies on specific texts; but rather to deal with this psalm (as we have done with others) as a whole —for it is a unity—and to show how grand a basis it presents for the pulpit exposition of the provisions of "the everlasting covenant" to which allusion is made in the last verse of the psalm. The student and expositor might with advantage refer... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 18:1-50

A retrospect of life. The sailor tells of the perils of the sea; the traveller recounts the varied incidents of his career; and the soldier who has passed through battles and sieges can speak of hairbreadth escapes and moving accidents by flood and field. So it is with human life. We have the power of looking back; we can in imagination revive the past, and as scene after scene rises before us, our heart is thrilled with various emotions. And what we have experienced and recalled, we can... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 18:1-50

The retrospect of a life: a sermon for the close of the year. "In this magnificent hymn the royal poet sketches in a few grand outlines the history of his life. By God's help he had subdued every enemy, and now, in middle life, looking back with devout thankfulness on the past, he sings this great song of praise to the God of his life." Divisions of the psalm: 1 . The introduction, setting forth all that Jehovah is to David ( Psalms 18:1-3 ). 2 . The record of David's sufferings... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 18:28-45

As in the former narrative section ( Psalms 18:4-24 ) David seems to have had his earlier troubles in mind, so, in the present one, his troubles since he entered upon the kingdom seem especially to engage his thoughts. These consisted chiefly of wars with foreign enemies, in which, while he incurred many dangers, he was, upon the whole, eminently successful. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 18:45

The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. Converts are represented as coming into the Church, not merely from love, but partly from fear. The kingdom of the Redeemer at once attracts and alarms. So Isaiah says, "The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted … The sons also of them that afflict thee shall come kneeling unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles... read more

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