Psalm 18:24-26

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 18:20-28

Here, I. David reflects with comfort upon his own integrity, and rejoices in the testimony of his conscience that he had had his conversation in godly sincerity and not with fleshly wisdom, 2 Cor. 1:12. His deliverances were an evidence of this, and this was the great comfort of his deliverances. His enemies had misrepresented him, and perhaps, when his troubles continued long, he began to suspect himself; but, when God visibly took his part, he had both the credit and the comfort of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:24

Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness ,.... Having proved and supported this proposition by the above reasons, it is repeated, for confirmation's sake; according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight ; this phrase, "in his eyesight", is here added, to show that the righteousness of Christ was clean, pure, and spotless in the sight of God; in the eye of divine justice: hence those that are clothed with it are holy and unblamable, and irreprovable in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:25

With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful ,.... The merciful man is the good, gracious, holy, and godly man, as the word F26 חסיד "benigno", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius; "bono", Gejerus, some in Vatablus; "qui bonitati studet", Tigurine version; "pio", Munster, Cocceius, Michaelis; "gracious saint", Ainsworth. here used signifies, and is sometimes rendered; one that has received grace and mercy from the Lord, and has principles of grace and goodness wrought in him, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:26

With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure ,.... None of Adam's posterity are pure by nature; they are all defiled with sin; and though some are pure in their own eyes, they are far from being cleansed from their filthiness; such only are pure who are sanctified by the Spirit of God, have clean hearts created in them, and whose hearts are purified by faith in the blood of Christ; who are justified by Christ's righteousness, and are washed from their sins in his blood; and who, in consequence... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:25

With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful - Thou wilt deal with men as they deal with each other. This is the general tenor of God's providential conduct towards mankind; well expressed by Mr. Pope in his universal prayer: - "Teach me to feel another's wo; To hide the fault I see: The mercy I to others show, That mercy show to me." It is in reference to this that our Lord teaches us to pray: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us." If we act... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:26

With the froward - עקש ikkesh , the perverse man; he that is crooked in his tempers and ways. Thou wilt show thyself froward - תתפתל tithpattal , thou wilt set thyself to twist, twine, and wrestle. If he contend, thou wilt contend with him. Thou wilt follow him through all his windings; thou wilt trace him through all his crooked ways; untwist him in all his cunning wiles; and defeat all his schemes of stubbornness, fraud, overreaching, and deceit. My old Psalter has, With the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:25

Verse 25 25.With the merciful, etc. David here prosecutes the same subject. In considering the grace of God by which he had been delivered, he brings it forward as a proof of his integrity, and thus triumphs over the unfounded and disgraceful calumnies of his enemies. Hypocrites, I confess, are also accustomed to act in the same way; for prosperity and the success of their affairs so elates them that they are not ashamed proudly to vaunt themselves not only against men, but even against God. As... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:26

Verse 26 The last clause of the 26th verse, where it is said, With the perverse thou wilt show thyself perverse, seems to convey a meaning somewhat strange, but it does not imply any thing absurd; yea, rather, it is not without good reason that the Holy Spirit uses this manner of speaking; for he designs thereby to awaken hypocrites and the gross despisers of God, who lull themselves asleep in their vices without any apprehension of danger. (420) We see how such persons, when the Scripture... 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

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