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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 18:1-19

The title gives us the occasion of penning this psalm; we had it before (2 Sam. 22:1), only here we are told that the psalm was delivered to the chief musician, or precentor, in the temple-songs. Note, The private compositions of good men, designed by them for their own use, may be serviceable to the public, that others may not only borrow light from their candle, but heat from their fire. Examples sometimes teach better than rules. And David is here called the servant of the Lord, as Moses... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:1

I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. These words are not in twenty second chapter of Second Samuel: the psalm there begins with Psalm 18:2 . The psalmist here expresses his love to the Lord, and his continuance in it; that Jehovah the Father was, is, and ever will be the object of Christ's love, is certain; and which has appeared by his readiness in the council and covenant of grace to do his will; by his coming down from heaven to earth for that purpose; by his delight in it, it being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:2

The Lord is my rock ,.... To whom the saints have recourse for shelter and safety, for supply, support, and divine refreshment; and in whom they are secure, and on whom they build their hopes of eternal life and happiness, and so are safe from all enemies, and from all danger. Christ is called a Rock on all these accounts, Psalm 61:2 ; and my fortress ; or garrison; so the saints are kept in and by the power of God as in a garrison, 1 Peter 1:5 ; and my deliverer : out of all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:3

I will call upon the Lord ,.... In prayer, for fresh mercies, and further appearances of himself, and discoveries of his grace and favour; who is worthy to be praised ; for the perfections of his nature, the works of his hands, his providential goodness, and more especially for his covenant grace and blessings in Christ. The Targum is, "in praise, or with an hymn, I pray before the Lord;' agreeably to the rule the apostle gives, Philemon 4:6 ; and this prayer was a prayer of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:4

The sorrows of death compassed me ,.... These words and the following, in this verse and Psalm 18:5 , as they respect David, show the snares that were laid for his life, the danger of death he was in, and the anxiety of mind he was possessed of on account of it; and as they refer to Christ, include all the sorrows of his life to the time of his death, who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief personally, and bore and carried the sorrows and griefs of all his people; and may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:5

The sorrows of hell compassed me about ,.... Or "the cords of the grave" F19 חבלי שאול "funes sepulchri", Musculus, Gejerus. , under the power of which he was detained for awhile; the allusion may be to the manner of burying among the Jews, who wound up their dead bodies in linen clothes; so that they were as persons bound hand and foot; and thus were they laid in the grave; see John 11:44 ; and so was Christ, till he was raised from the dead, when he showed himself to have the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:6

In my distress I called upon the Lord ,.... The great Jehovah, the everlasting I AM, who is the most High in all the earth, and who is able to save, Hebrews 5:7 ; and cried unto my God ; as Jesus did, Matthew 27:46 ; so the members of Christ, when in distress, as they often are, through sin and Satan, through the hidings of God's face, a variety of afflictions, and the persecutions of men, betake themselves to the Lord, and call upon their God: a time of distress is a time for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:7

Then the earth shook and trembled ,.... As it did quickly after Christ called upon the Lord, and cried to his God upon the cross, Matthew 27:50 ; and so some time after, when his people were praying together, the place where they were assembled was shaken, Acts 4:31 ; as a token of God's presence being with them: and the shaking and trembling of the earth is often used as a symbol of the presence of God, and of the greatness of his majesty; as when he brought the children of Israel... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:1

I will love thee - Love always subsists on motive and reason. The verb רחם racham signifies to love with all the tender feelinys 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 - read more

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