Psalm 18:32-50

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 18:32

It is God that girdeth me with strength ,.... For battle, as in Psalm 18:39 ; with strength of body and fortitude of mind; both which are from the Lord, and were in David; and were acknowledged by him as bestowed on him by the Lord; and which confirms what he had before said of him: or with spiritual strength, with strength in his soul, against sin, Satan, and the world; and to do the will and work of God: saints are girt by the Lord with the whole armour of God, and among the rest with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:33

He maketh my feet like hind's feet ,.... As light and swift as theirs, as the Targum; that is, either to flee, when there was a necessity for it, as Kimchi observes; or rather to pursue after the enemy, to run through a troop, and leap over a wall, as before; see 1 Chronicles 12:8 ; the same phrase is used in Habakkuk 3:19 ; and may be understood in a spiritual sense of that readiness and cheerfulness with which the saints run the ways of God's commandments, when their hearts are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:34

He teacheth my hands to war ,.... From whence it appears, that war, in some cases, is lawful; and that all the skilfulness and art in training men for war, in the use of armour, in marshalling of armies, in forming sieges, &c.; is all from God; see Psalm 144:1 ; and so is all that spiritual skill, in making use of the whole armour of God against every enemy, sin, Satan, and the world; and even the wisdom and skill, counsel and instruction, which Christ as man and Mediator had, when it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:35

Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation ,.... Meaning either temporal salvation, which was a shield to him when he had no outward one, as when he fought with Goliath; and was what preserved him in all his battles at other times: or spiritual salvation, which is of the Lord, of his contriving, effecting:, and applying, and in which his glory is concerned; interest in which is a free gift of his, as are the knowledge, application, and possession of it; and this is as a shield, which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:36

Thou hast enlarged my steps under me ,.... Which is opposed to those straitened circumstances in which the psalmist was, Psalm 18:4 ; and is expressive of deliverance from his enemies, by whom he was surrounded, besieged, and shut up; see Psalm 31:8 ; and of freedom of walking at large, without being straitened for room, or interrupted by others, Proverbs 4:12 ; and of safety in standing; all which is true in a spiritual sense of believers in Christ, who being delivered by him out of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:37

I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them ,.... Which may refer to David's pursuing the Amalekites, who overtook them and recovered all they had carried away, 1 Samuel 30:8 ; so Kimchi explains it; neither did I turn again till they were consumed ; for not a man escaped, save four hundred young men that rode on camels and fled, Psalm 18:17 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:38

I have wounded them, that they were not able to rise ,.... Which was not only true of the Amalekites, but of all with whom David engaged in war; they are fallen under my feet ; either dead, or become subject and tributaries to him; as the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, and Edomites; see 2 Samuel 8:1 . This, with Psalm 18:37 , may very well be accommodated to David's antitype, and be expressive of the entire victory he has obtained over all his and his people's enemies; he wounded... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:39

For thou hast girded me with strength unto battle ,.... See Psalm 18:32 ; that natural strength, courage and valour, which David had, were from the Lord; and so is the Spirit of power, love, and of a sound mind, which believers have; and likewise that strength which Christ, as man, had and used in his combat with the powers of darkness; see Psalm 80:17 ; thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me ; as the psalmist ascribes his strength, so he attributes his success to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:40

Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies ,.... Either to slay them, or to trample or put a yoke upon them; or rather the sense is, thou hast made them to fly before me, to turn their necks or backs unto me, as the word is used in Joshua 7:8 ; and it is expressive of an utter rout and vanquishing of them; that I might destroy them that hate me ; they not being able to face him and stand against him. read more

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