25 With the merciful H2623 thou wilt shew thyself merciful; H2616 with an upright H8549 man H1399 thou wilt shew thyself upright; H8552
Shouldest G1163 not G3756 thou G4571 also G2532 have had compassion G1653 on thy G4675 fellowservant, G4889 even G2532 as G5613 I G1473 had pity G1653 on thee? G4571 And G2532 his G846 lord G2962 was wroth, G3710 and delivered G3860 him G846 to the tormentors, G930 till G2193 G3757 he should pay G591 all G3956 that was due G3784 unto him. G846 So G3779 likewise shall my G3450 heavenly G2032 Father G3962 do G4160 also G2532 unto you, G5213 if G3362 ye from G575 your G5216 hearts G2588 forgive G863 not G3362 every one G1538 his G846 brother G80 their G846 trespasses. G3900
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 Blessed H835 is he that considereth H7919 the poor: H1800 the LORD H3068 will deliver H4422 him in time H3117 of trouble. H7451 The LORD H3068 will preserve H8104 him, and keep him alive; H2421 and he shall be blessed H833 upon the earth: H776 and thou wilt not deliver H5414 him unto the will H5315 of his enemies. H341 The LORD H3068 will strengthen H5582 him upon the bed H6210 of languishing: H1741 thou wilt make H2015 all his bed H4904 in his sickness. H2483 I said, H559 LORD, H3068 be merciful H2603 unto me: heal H7495 my soul; H5315 for I have sinned H2398 against thee.
Unto the upright H3477 there ariseth H2224 light H216 in the darkness: H2822 he is gracious, H2587 and full of compassion, H7349 and righteous. H6662 A good H2896 man H376 sheweth favour, H2603 and lendeth: H3867 he will guide H3557 his affairs H1697 with discretion. H4941 Surely he shall not be moved H4131 for ever: H5769 the righteous H6662 shall be in everlasting H5769 remembrance. H2143
The righteous H6662 perisheth, H6 and no man H376 layeth H7760 it to heart: H3820 and merciful H2617 men H582 are taken away, H622 none considering H995 that the righteous H6662 is taken away H622 from H6440 the evil H7451 to come. He shall enter H935 into peace: H7965 they shall rest H5117 in their beds, H4904 each one walking H1980 in his uprightness. H5228
Yet ye say, H559 The way H1870 of the Lord H136 is not equal. H8505 Hear H8085 now, O house H1004 of Israel; H3478 Is not my way H1870 equal? H8505 are not your ways H1870 unequal? H8505 When a righteous H6662 man turneth away H7725 from his righteousness, H6666 and committeth H6213 iniquity, H5766 and dieth H4191 in them; for his iniquity H5766 that he hath done H6213 shall he die. H4191 Again, when the wicked H7563 man turneth away H7725 from his wickedness H7564 that he hath committed, H6213 and doeth H6213 that which is lawful H4941 and right, H6666 he shall save H2421 his soul H5315 alive. H2421 Because he considereth, H7200 and turneth away H7725 from all his transgressions H6588 that he hath committed, H6213 he shall surely H2421 live, H2421 he shall not die. H4191 Yet saith H559 the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 The way H1870 of the Lord H136 is not equal. H8505 O house H1004 of Israel, H3478 are not my ways H1870 equal? H8505 are not your ways H1870 unequal? H8505 Therefore I will judge H8199 you, O house H1004 of Israel, H3478 every one H376 according to his ways, H1870 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 Repent, H7725 and turn H7725 yourselves from all your transgressions; H6588 so iniquity H5771 shall not be your ruin. H4383
But G4133 love ye G25 your G5216 enemies, G2190 and G2532 do good, G15 and G2532 lend, G1155 hoping G560 for nothing G3367 again; G560 and G2532 your G5216 reward G3408 shall be G2071 great, G4183 and G2532 ye shall be G2071 the children G5207 of the Highest: G5310 for G3754 he G846 is G2076 kind G5543 unto G1909 the unthankful G884 and G2532 to the evil. G4190 Be ye G1096 therefore G3767 merciful, G3629 as G2531 your G5216 Father G3962 also G2532 is G2076 merciful. G3629 G2532 Judge G2919 not, G3361 and G2532 ye shall G2919 not G3364 be judged: G2919 condemn G2613 not, G3361 and G2532 ye shall G2613 not G3364 be condemned: G2613 forgive, G630 and G2532 ye shall be forgiven: G630 Give, G1325 and G2532 it shall be given G1325 unto you; G5213 good G2570 measure, G3358 pressed down, G4085 and G2532 shaken together, G4531 and G2532 running over, G5240 shall men give G1325 into G1519 your G5216 bosom. G2859 For G1063 with the same G846 measure G3358 that G3739 ye mete withal G3354 it shall be measured G488 to you G5213 again. G488
Is it not to deal H6536 thy bread H3899 to the hungry, H7457 and that thou bring H935 the poor H6041 that are cast out H4788 to thy house? H1004 when thou seest H7200 the naked, H6174 that thou cover H3680 him; and that thou hide H5956 not thyself from thine own flesh? H1320 Then shall thy light H216 break forth H1234 as the morning, H7837 and thine health H724 shall spring forth H6779 speedily: H4120 and thy righteousness H6664 shall go H1980 before H6440 thee; the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 shall be thy rereward. H622
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 18
Commentary on Psalms 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 18
Ps 18:1-50. "The servant of the Lord," which in the Hebrew precedes "David," is a significant part of the title (and not a mere epithet of David), denoting the inspired character of the song, as the production of one entrusted with the execution of God's will. He was not favored by God because he served Him, but served Him because selected and appointed by God in His sovereign mercy. After a general expression of praise and confidence in God for the future, David gives a sublimely poetical description of God's deliverance, which he characterizes as an illustration of God's justice to the innocent and His righteous government. His own prowess and success are celebrated as the results of divine aid, and, confident of its continuance, he closes in terms of triumphant praise. 2Sa 22:1-51 is a copy of this Psalm, with a few unimportant variations recorded there as a part of the history, and repeated here as part of a collection designed for permanent use.
1. I will love thee—with most tender affection.
2, 3. The various terms used describe God as an object of the most implicit and reliable trust.
rock—literally, "a cleft rock," for concealment.
strength—a firm, immovable rock.
horn of my salvation—The horn, as the means of attack or defense of some of the strongest animals, is a frequent emblem of power or strength efficiently exercised (compare De 33:17; Lu 1:69).
tower—literally, "high place," beyond reach of danger.
3. to be praised—for past favors, and worthy of confidence.
4. sorrows—literally, "bands as of a net" (Ps 116:3).
floods—denotes "multitude."
5. death—and hell (compare Ps 16:10) are personified as man's great enemies (compare Re 20:13, 14).
prevented—encountered me, crossed my path, and endangered my safety. He does not mean he was in their power.
6. He relates his methods to procure relief when distressed, and his success.
temple—(Compare Ps 11:4).
7, 8. God's coming described in figures drawn from His appearance on Sinai (compare De 32:22).
8. smoke out … his nostrils—bitter in His wrath (compare Ps 74:1).
by it—that is, the fire (Ex 19:18).
9. darkness—or, a dense cloud (Ex 19:16; De 5:22).
10. cherub—angelic agents (compare Ge 3:24), the figures of which were placed over the ark (1Sa 4:4), representing God's dwelling; used here to enhance the majesty of the divine advent. Angels and winds may represent all rational and irrational agencies of God's providence (compare Ps 104:3, 4).
did fly—Rapidity of motion adds to the grandeur of the scene.
11. dark waters—or, clouds heavy with vapor.
12. Out of this obscurity, which impresses the beholder with awe and dread, He reveals Himself by sudden light and the means of His terrible wrath (Jos 10:11; Ps 78:47).
13. The storm breaks forth—thunder follows lightning, and hail with repeated lightning, as often seen, like balls or coals of fire, succeed (Ex 9:23).
14. The fiery brightness of lightning, in shape like burning arrows rapidly shot through the air, well represents the most terrible part of an awful storm. Before the terrors of such a scene the enemies are confounded and overthrown in dismay.
15. The tempest of the air is attended by appropriate results on earth. The language, though not expressive of any special physical changes, represents the utter subversion of the order of nature. Before such a God none can stand.
16-19. from above—As seated on a throne, directing these terrible scenes, God—
sent—His hand (Ps 144:7), reached down to His humble worshipper, and delivered him.
many waters—calamities (Job 30:14; Ps 124:4, 5).
18. prevented—(Ps 18:3).
19. a large place—denotes safety or relief, as contrasted with the straits of distress (Ps 4:1). All his deliverance is ascribed to God, and this sublime poetical representation is given to inspire the pious with confidence and the wicked with dread.
20-24. The statements of innocence, righteousness, &c., refer, doubtless, to his personal and official conduct and his purposes, during all the trials to which he was subjected in Saul's persecutions and Absalom's rebellions, as well as the various wars in which he had been engaged as the head and defender of God's Church and people.
23. upright before him—In my relation to God I have been perfect as to all parts of His law. The perfection does not relate to degree.
mine iniquity—perhaps the thought of his heart to kill Saul (1Sa 24:6). That David does not allude to all his conduct, in all relations, is evident from Ps 51:1, &c.
25-27. God renders to men according to their deeds in a penal, not vindictive, sense (Le 26:23, 24).
merciful—or, "kind" (Ps 4:3).
26. froward—contrary to.
27. the afflicted people—that is, the humbly pious.
high looks—pride (Ps 101:5; 131:1).
28. To give one light is to make prosperous (Job 18:5, 6; 21:17).
thou—is emphatic, as if to say, I can fully confide in Thee for help.
29. And this on past experience in his military life, set forth by these figures.
30-32. God's perfection is the source of his own, which has resulted from his trust on the one hand, and God's promised help on the other.
tried—"as metals are tried by fire and proved genuine" (Ps 12:6). Shield (Ps 3:3). Girding was essential to free motion on account of the looseness of Oriental dresses; hence it is an expressive figure for describing the gift of strength.
33-36. God's help farther described. He gives swiftness to pursue or elude his enemies (Hab 3:19), strength, protection, and a firm footing.
35. thy gentleness—as applied to God—condescension—or that which He gives, in the sense of humility (compare Pr 22:4).
36. enlarged my steps—made ample room (compare Pr 4:12).
37-41. In actual conflict, with God's aid, the defeat of his enemies is certain. A present and continued success is expressed.
39. that rose up against me—literally, "insurgents" (Ps 3:1; 44:5).
40. given me the necks—literally, "backs of the necks"; made them retreat (Ex 23:27; Jos 7:8).
42. This conquest was complete.
43-45. Not only does He conquer civil foes, but foreigners, who are driven from their places of refuge.
44. submit, &c.—(compare Margin)—that is, show a forced subjection.
46. The Lord liveth—contrasts Him with idols (1Co 8:4).
47, 48. avengeth me—His cause is espoused by God as His own.
48. liftest me up—to safety and honors.
49, 50. Paul (Ro 15:9) quotes from this doxology to show that under the Old Testament economy, others than the Jews were regarded as subjects of that spiritual government of which David was head, and in which character his deliverances and victories were typical of the more illustrious triumphs of David's greater Son. The language of Ps 18:50 justifies this view in its distinct allusion to the great promise (compare 2Sa 7:12). In all David's successes he saw the pledges of a fulfilment of that promise, and he mourned in all his adversities, not only in view of his personal suffering, but because he saw in them evidences of danger to the great interests which were committed to his keeping. It is in these aspects of his character that we are led properly to appreciate the importance attached to his sorrows and sufferings, his joys and successes.