Psalm 18
Verse 1 Love - Most affectionately, and with my whole soul; as the Hebrew word signifies. Verse 2 Rock - To which I flee for refuge, as the Israelites did to their rocks. Horn - It is a metaphor from those beasts whose strength lies in their horns. Verse 4 Death - Dangerous and deadly troubles. Floods - Their multitude, and strength, and violent assaults, breaking in upon me like a flood. Verse 5 Sorrows - Which brought me to the brink of the grave. Death - Had almost taken hold of me, before I was aware. Verse 6 Temple - Out of his heavenly habitation. Verse 7 Then - Then God appeared on my behalf in a glorious manner, to the terror and confusion of all mine enemies, which is here compared to an earthquake. Verse 8 There went, &c. - All these seem to be figurative expressions, denoting the greatness of his anger. Verse 9 Bowed - By producing thick and dark clouds, whereby the heavens seem to come down to the earth. Came - Not by change of place, but by the manifestation of his presence and power on my behalf. Verse 10 Cherub - Or, upon the cherubim, upon the angels, who are also called God's chariots, Psal 68:17, upon which he is said to sit and ride. All which is not to be understood grossly, but only to denote God's using the ministry of angels, in raising such storms and tempests. Fly - As swiftly as the wind. Verse 11 Darkness - He covered himself with dark clouds. Waters - Watery vapours. Verse 12 At - His glorious and powerful appearance. Passed - Or, passed away, vanished, being dissolved into showers. Verse 14 Arrows - Lightnings. Them - Mine enemies. Verse 15 Discovered - By mighty earthquakes, which overturned the earth, and made its lower parts visible. Verse 18 Prevented - They had almost surprized me. Verse 19 Brought - Out of my straits and difficulties, into a state of freedom and comfort. So he ascribes all his mercies to God's good pleasure, as the first spring of them. Verse 20 Righteousness - Just cause. The innocency of my actions towards Saul, from whose blood I kept my hands pure. Verse 22 Judgments - I diligently studied and considered them. Verse 24 Iniquity - From that sin which I was most inclined or tempted to. Verse 25 Upright - Thou metest to every one the same measure, which he meteth out to others; and therefore thou wilt perform mercy and truth, to those who are merciful and true to others. Verse 26 Pure - Free from the least mixture or appearance of unrighteousness, or unfaithfulness. Froward - Thou wilt cross him and walk contrary to him. Verse 28 Lightest - Given me safety, and comfort, and glory, and posterity also. Verse 29 Troop - Broken through the armed troops of mine enemies. Wall - I have scaled the walls of their strongest cites. Verse 30 Perfect - His providence, though it may sometimes be dark, yet is always wise and just, and unblameable. Tried - The truth of God's promises is approved by innumerable experiences. Verse 31 Who - Our Lord is the only God, and therefore there is none, that can hinder him from accomplishing his own work. Verse 32 Perfect - Perfectly plain and smooth, and clear from impediments. Verse 33 High - places - Confirms me in that high estate into which he hath advanced me. Verse 35 Salvation - Thy protection, which hath been to me like a shield. Held - Kept me from, falling into those mischiefs, which mine enemies designed. Gentleness - Thy clemency, whereby thou hast pardoned my sins; thy grace and benignity. Verse 36 Slipt - As they are apt to do in narrow and uneven ways. Verse 43 People - From contentions, and seditions, under Saul, and Ishbosheth, and Absalom. Heathens - Of the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Syrians, and others. Not known - Even barbarous and remote nations. Verse 44 Hear - As soon as they understand my will and pleasure, they shall instantly comply with it. Verse 45 Close places - Out of their strong holds, where they shall lurk for fear of me. Verse 46 The Lord - He and he only is the true living God. Verse 48 Violent man - From Saul: whom for honour's sake he forbears to mention. Verse 49 Heathen - David is here transported beyond himself, and speaks this in special relation to Christ who was to be his seed, and of whom he was an eminent type, and by whom alone this was done. And therefore this is justly applied to him, and to his calling of the Gentiles, Rom 15:9. Verse 50 His king - To the king whom God himself chose and anointed, and to all his posterity; and especially to the Messiah, who is called David's seed, Acts 13:23 Rom 1:3.