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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 18:2

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:3

I will call upon the Lord - When he was conscious that the object of his worship was such as he has pointed out in the above nine particulars, it is no wonder that he resolves to call upon him; and no wonder that he expects, in consequence, to be saved from his enemies; for who can destroy him whom such a God undertakes to save? read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:4

The sorrows of death compassed me - מות חבלי chebley maveth , the cables or cords of death. He was almost taken in those nets or stratagems by which, if he had been entangled, he would have lost his life. The stratagems to which he refers were those that were intended for his destruction; hence called the cables or cords of death. The floods of ungodly men - Troops of wicked men were rushing upon him like an irresistible torrent; or like the waves of the sea, one impelling another... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:5

The sorrows of hell - שאול חבלי chebley sheol , the cables or cords of the grave. Is not this a reference to the cords or ropes with which they lowered the corpse into the grave? or the bandages by which the dead were swathed? He was as good as dead. The snares of death prevented me - I was just on the point of dropping into the pit which they had digged for me. In short, I was all but a dead man; and nothing less than the immediate interference of God could have saved my life. read more

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