1.
And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
David spake . At this point in his history (about 1018 B.C.) This song was written and edited by him later as Psalms 18 , with the full liberty of all other editors of their own work.
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
this song . Compare Exodus 15 .Deuteronomy 32 .
2.
And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
rock . Hebrew. sela = a shadow, or shelter. First occurrence.
3.
The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
The God of my rock . Septuagint and Syriac read "My God was my rock" = immovable defence (Deuteronomy 32:4 ).
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
rock . Hebrew zur = a cliff, in situ. See Psalms 18:2 ; Psalms 31:3 , Psa 31:42 , Psalms 31:9 ; Psalms 71:3 .
4.
I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
5.
When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
When, or, For.
ungodly men = Belial.
6.
The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
sorrows of hell = meshes of Sheol. See App-35
7.
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
8.
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.
The. Some codices, with Septuagint and Syriac, read "and the".
9.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
10.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.
11.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
fly. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .
was seen . Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "and darted".
wind . Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .
12.
And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
Dark gathering of.
13.
Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
14.
The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
the MOST HIGH. Hebrew. Elyon. App-4 .
15.
And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
16.
And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
channels. Hebrew. aphikim, a watercourse, con-strained by rocks or pipes or rocky channels. First occurrence. See Job 6:15 ; Job 12:21 ; Job 40:18 ; Job 41:15 .Psalms 18:15 ; Psalms 18:42 .; 2Sa 126:4 .Song of Solomon 5:12 .Isaiah 8:7 . Ezekiel 6:3 ; Ezekiel 31:12 ; Ezekiel 32:6 ; Ezekiel 34:13 ; Ezekiel 35:8 ; Ezekiel 36:4 , Ezekiel 36:6 . Joel 1:20 Joel 3:18 . See notes on these eighteen passages for the various renderings.
discovered = laid bare.
blast = nesheimah. App-16 .
breath . Hebrew ruach. App-9 .
17.
He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
18.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
from. Some codices, with Syriac and Vulgate, read "and from". Compare Psalms 18:17 .
19.
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
prevented = got before.
20.
He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21.
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
22.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23.
For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
judgments . Compare Deuteronomy 4:1 , note.
24.
I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
upright = blameless. Hebrew. tamim.
iniquity . Hebrew ' avah. App-44 .
25.
Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
26.
With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
27.
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
show Thyself unsavoury = show Thyself ready to contend.
unsavoury = a wrestler. Compare Psalms 18:26 .
28.
And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
merciful = gracious.
And . Some codices, with two early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read this "And" in text. man. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14 .
29.
For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
lamp = light.
30.
For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
By . Some codices, with two early printed editions, Septuagint, Aramaean, and Syriac, read "And by".
31.
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
GOD . Hebrew. 'El. App-4 .
word = statements. Hebrew. 'imrah, what is said. See App-73 .
is tried = hath been proved.
32.
For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
who . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
33.
God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
strength = fortress.
power = strength.
maketh my way perfect : or, showeth to the blameless His way. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "my way", as in Psalms 18:32 .
34.
He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.
setteth = maketh me to stand firm.
my high places . Contrast the "high places "so fatal to Jonathan and Saul (2 Samuel 1:25 ).
35.
He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
36.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
37.
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
38.
I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
39.
And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.
40.
For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.
41.
Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
42.
They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
looked = looked about. But Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read "cried out". Compare Psalms 18:41 .
43.
Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.
44.
Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.
strivings = contentions.
heathen = Gentile nations.
45.
Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.
Strangers = foreigners.
shall submit themselves , or give a feigned and unwilling obedience.
46.
Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.
shall be afraid out of their close places = shall come forth trembling from their hiding-places.
47.
The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
48.
It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me,
People = Peoples.
49.
And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
violent man : i.e. Saul.
man . Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .
50.
Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
51.
He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
tower . Figure of speech Prosopopceia. App-6 .