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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 18:16

He sent from above ,.... Either his hand, as in Psalm 144:7 ; he exerted and displayed his mighty power in raising Christ from the dead; or he sent help from his sanctuary; as in Psalm 20:2 ; and helped and strengthened him in a day of salvation; or when he wrought out the salvation of his people; or "he sent his word", as in Psalm 107:20 ; his word of command, to take up his life again, as he had given it to lay it down, John 10:18 . The Targum is, he sent his prophets; but it may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 18:17

He delivered me from my strong enemy ,.... Which, as it may respect David, may be understood of Goliath the Philistine champion, who was a man of war from his youth; or Saul, king of Israel; and, as it may respect David's antitype, may design either the chief priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, who were men of power and influence; or more especially Satan, the strong man armed, with all his principalities and powers; or, likewise death, the last enemy, from whose pains and cords he was loosed... read more

John Gill

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

They prevented me in the day of my calamity ,.... Referring to the times of his distress in the garden and upon the cross; the time of his sufferings and death, which was a dark and cloudy day, as the word F24 ביום אידי "in the day of my cloudy calamity", Ainsworth; "nomen" איד "proprie signifient vaporem vel nubem, ut Gen. vii. 6. hinc per metaphoram transfertur ad obscuras ac terrificas calamitatum nebulas, Prov. i. 26.", Gejerus. used suggests, both in a literal and in a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:16

He drew me out of many waters - Here the allusion is still carried on. The waters thus poured out were sweeping the people away; but God, by a miraculous interference, sent and drew David out. Sometimes waters are used to denote multitudes of people; and here the word may have that reference; multitudes were gathered together against David, but God delivered him from them all. This seems to be countenanced by the following verse. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:17

He delivered me from my strong enemy - Does not this refer to his conflict with Ishbi-benob? "And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant - thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel;" 2 Samuel 21:16 , 2 Samuel 21:17 . It appears that at this time he was in the most imminent... read more

Adam Clarke

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

They prevented me in the day of my calamity - They took advantage of the time in which I was least able to make head against them, and their attack was sudden and powerful. I should have been overthrown, but the Lord was my stay. He had been nearly exhausted by the fatigue of the day, when the giant availed himself of this advantage. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 18:16

Verse 16 16.He sent down from above. Here there is briefly shown the drift of the sublime and magnificent narrative which has now passed under our review, namely, to teach us that David at length emerged from the profound abyss of his troubles, neither by his own skill, nor by the aid of men, but that he was drawn out of them by the hand of God. When God defends and preserves us wonderfully and by extraordinary means, he is said in Scripture language to send down succor from above; and this... read more

John Calvin

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

Verse 18 18.They had prevented me in the day of my calamity. (409) The Psalmist here confirms in different words the preceding sentence, namely, that he had been sustained by the aid of God, when there was no way of escaping by the power of man. He tells us how he had been besieged on all sides, and that not by an ordinary siege, inasmuch as his enemies, in persecuting him, always molested him most in the time of his calamity. From this circumstance it is the more evident that he had obtained... 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

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