Psalms 18

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said The title clearly states the occasion of this sublime ode. It must have been written after the Syrian wars, from the allusions of Psalms 18:43-44, while its freshness and jubilant air throughout would fix it soon after. No recognition of David’s great sin appears. The song throughout is in the highest strain of triumph. The style is exceedingly majestic, ornate, and full of inspiration, a fine specimen of true Hebraic poetry. David now stands, in the flush of victory, upon the height of his military conquests and kingly theocratic power, and surveys the long line of victories which have elevated him from the humble shepherd boy to the first rank of the western Asiatic monarchs. In the list of his conquered enemies Saul holds a conspicuous rank. (See note on title.) Jehovah alone has wrought this great deliverance, and that he alone may have the glory, the psalm is written. The subjugation of the heathen offers a typical foreshadowing of Messiah’s triumphs over the nations; but we are probably not to regard the psalm as prophetically Messianic. After Saul, the historic retrospections are mostly recorded 2 Samuel 7-10. The psalm first appeared in 2 Samuel 22:0, and was afterward, with verbal but not important variations, revised for temple service, as its assignment to the chief musician shows.

The strophic arrangement has been variously given. Psalms 18:1-3, introduction; 4-6, a glance at the perils from which David cries to God, 7-19, the wonderful manner and phenomena of divine interference; 20-29, the moral of this great providence, namely, retribution according to character; 30-45, various special descriptions of the mode of divine help, and of the greatness of the victories; 46-50, doxology of praise and thanksgiving for all God’s mercies.

TITLE:

David, the servant of the Lord See on title, Psalms 36:0; and thus God speaks of “David my servant,” Psalms 89:3; Psalms 89:20. It is a designation of office, as one sent of God. Compare Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1. David also calls himself the servant of Jehovah, Psalms 19:11; Psalms 19:13; Psalms 144:10. In his kingship he represented Jehovah, no less than Moses did as lawgiver or Joshua as saviour.

Spake unto the Lord Dedicated to Jehovah. See on Psalms 45:2.

And from the hand of Saul The conjunction is emphatic, as if it read, especially from the hand of Saul. So ו is often used; as, (Joshua 2:1,) “Go view the land, even Jericho,” especially Jericho. Nehemiah 8:15: “In all their cities, and in Jerusalem,” particularly in Jerusalem. The particle here gives Saul the pre-eminence in the rank of enemies. Psalms 18:4-20 are supposed to allude specially to Saul’s persecutions. See note on Psalms 18:20.