Psalm 18 comments

 

Psalm 18:1 ¶  «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,» I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5  The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 6  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7  Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. 8  There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were

kindled by it. 9  He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10  And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 11  He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. 12  At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. 13  The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. 14  Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. 15  Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. 16  He sent from above, he took me, he drew

me out of many waters. 17  He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. 18  They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 19  He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

 

Whomever wrote the introduction to verse one, whether David himself or the chief musician, refers to David as the servant of the LORD.

 

This phrase is used to describe Moses numerous times. As an example;

 

Deuteronomy 34:5  So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

 

It is used to describe Joshua.

 

Joshua 24:29  And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

 

Paul uses the phrase in reference to Timothy, a bishop or pastor and evangelist spreading the gospel of Christ. (See 2Timothy 4:5 and the traditional postscript in the KJV to 2Timothy which says, «The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.»)

 

2Timothy 2:22 ¶  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23  But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

 

See Philippians 1:1 where Paul refers to himself and Timothy as servants of Jesus Christ.

 

Philippians 1:1  Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

 

And Paul will use it to describe himself;

 

Romans 1:1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

 

And to Christians generally.

 

Romans 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

 

David says that the LORD is his strength and several other things showing David’s complete trust in God.

 

Three things in verse 2 that may be of interest to you include the reference to a buckler.

 

2Samuel 22:31  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.

 

Psalm 35:2  Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

 

A buckler is a small shield or target you can hold in front of you or it can be attached to your left arm if right handed to protect that arm.

 

The horn of my salvation is also used in 2Samuel 22.

 

2Samuel 22:3  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.

 

Let’s read David’s song in that chapter of 2Samuel.

 

  2Samuel 22:1 ¶  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:

 

    2 ¶  And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 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. 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; 6  The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; 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. 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. 12  And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. 13  Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. 14  The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. 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. 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. 19  They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 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. 24  I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. 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. 28  And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. 29  For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. 30  For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. 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. 32  For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? 33  God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. 34  He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places. 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. 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. 45  Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. 46  Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close 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, 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. 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.

 

Strength is linked directly linked to the word horn in another verse and, of course, strength is power.

 

Psalm 89:17  For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

 

1Samuel 2:10  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

 

2Samuel 22:33  God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

 

The overwhelming majority of times the word salvation is used it is a reference to temporal deliverance from an enemy or a situation.

 

So, David says God is his buckler shield, the power of his deliverance, and his high tower.

 

A high tower, also called in history a castle’s Keep, was an important part of the defense of a fortress, enabling defenders to retreat to a safe place in a siege in the case of the fortress walls being penetrated. Notice how that worked out in at least one instance recorded in Judges;

 

Judges 9:52  And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53  And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.

 

What is David referring to by sorrows of death, sorrows of hell, and snares of death? David mentions the sorrows of hell again later in Psalms along with the phrase the pains of hell.

 

Psalm 116:3  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

 

Again, in David’s song upon deliverance from Saul this sentiment is expressed along with another phrase waves of death.

 

2Samuel 22:5  When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; 6  The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; 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.

 

These are all expressions of the fear and dread of death and dying, particularly of being killed by another. The process of dying can be very painful and agonizing, physically and mentally, if you are not drugged up by a doctor. God understands this for us. I’ll discuss Christ presently in this regard.

 

Again in Psalms we have this in keeping with verse 6;

 

Ps 130:1 ¶  «A Song of degrees.» Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2  Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

 

David describes God’s actions on his behalf in verses 3 to 15 metaphorically and symbolically. This is explained in 16 and the rest of the passage. Matthew Henry noted that the greater our difficulties are the more glorious is God’s deliverance. Here is David’s expression of God’s great power in that he pictures what is happening the world of the spirit that he cannot see. God did great things for him in his danger and distress as I know in my own life when God delivered me from a seemingly hopeless situation. People in history have pictured God as a sword-wielding warrior or even, in modern day, a person dressed in military garb and armed with all sorts of weapons dispensing His justice and judgment. Be careful, though, how you view metaphorical representations of things that happened on earth. Read the background text about David’s struggle against Saul to see what David saw, which he represented here framing God’s power in words that spoke to David.

 

Now, if you want to take that literally word-for-word as a picture of what happened in reality, consider that you would have God, perhaps in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ, descending to earth riding on a winged creature breathing fire and shooting arrows.

 

Prophetically, I’d like to start with the phrase worthy to be praised in verse 3 which merits a special mention. There are passages in the Old and New Testament that for those who speak the American version of English are perplexing.

 

2Samuel 1:23  Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

 

Song of Solomon 5:16  His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

 

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

In English-English the word lovely can mean worthy to be praised. I just thought that was interesting considering our American understanding of it always meaning something or someone physically attractive.

 

Again, looking forward see how Jonah explained how God had saved him from impending doom comparing this to David’s thoughts.

 

Jonah 2:2  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 3  For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 4  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 5  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 6  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. 7  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

 

Notice what is said about Christ Himself and then compare it to David’s prayers;

 

Matthew 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

 

Hebrews 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared…

 

From a personal perspective look at verse 2;

 

2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

 

 And compare it to Proverbs 18:10;

 

Proverbs 18:10 ¶  The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

 

Also, compare it to Psalm 46, a psalm which I leaned on in a time of great danger and trouble decades ago;

 

Psalm 46:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.» God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

 

Just think about the spiritual warfare we face and the attacks of spiritual beings on us each day. Again, though, we have enemies and those who oppose us for our faith but we can depend on the Lord God for our salvation both temporally and eternally.

 

Psalm 18:20 ¶  The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 21  For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 22  For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. 23  I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. 24  Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. 25  With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26  With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. 27  For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. 28  For

thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

 

Here is presented a fundamental difference between David’s dispensation, the era is in which God dealt with the Israelites, and ours. David claims that God rewards him because David is righteous. Well, perhaps when he was running from Saul there was no taint on his hands as he would have later. But we are rewarded because of Christ’s righteousness not our own. It is important for a Christian to understand that.

 

David feels that God has helped him because David is righteous, his hands are clean, and he has not departed from God. Examine his claims and consider when this Psalm was spoken in his life. The question for us, regarding David, is when did he write this? Again, I refer you to David’s song in 2Samuel 22.

 

Prophetically, let’s look forward to Christ. While Christ from a human perspective was without sin and perfectly and completely righteous yet He did suffer. This, to me, is a profound truth in that he suffered in His righteousness for our sin. I think we should consider this truth. While David claimed God’s mercy based on his own righteousness, Christ received the penalty for our sin, death, in spite of His own righteousness. It does present a contrast, but one that should give us hope in times of distress.

 

From a personal point of view, though, when we do right usually things work out well for us. God’s standards of morality and righteousness are a lot alike laws of physics. You may not break your leg if you jump off the roof but most likely you will. If you do wrong, are immoral, or dishonest you will face problems in this life almost for sure but if you follow God’s path of righteousness then you normally will have a better time of it. While the book of Job teaches us that bad things can happen to righteous people clearly they often do not, or at least do not based on the behavior of a person. I know in my own life that 90% of the bad things that have happened can be directly linked to my sin while I can see how God has blessed me with good things when I’ve followed the path of doing right and serving Him. In reality, it appears that God does reward the righteous in this life, exceptions notwithstanding.

 

Finally, let’s examine the word froward in verse 26, used as the opposite of pure. A froward person is a wicked person.

 

Psalm 101:4  A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

 

A froward person is linked to several other bad character traits. Notice the definition of evil in this context after the colon after the word evil.

 

Proverbs 8:13  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

 

Psalm 18:29 ¶  For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30  As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. 31  For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? 32  It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 33  He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. 34  He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 35  Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 36  Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. 37  I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 38  I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. 39  For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. 40  Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. 41  They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 42  Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. 43  Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44  As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. 45  The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. 46  The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 47  It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. 48  He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 49  Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. 50  Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

 

A similar giving of credit for one’s martial strength is given elsewhere in Psalms.

 

Psalm 44:6  For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. 7  But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

 

Psalm 144:1 ¶  «A Psalm of David.» Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:…10  It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.

 

This is a great sentiment from David that God’s way is perfect, His word has been tried or proved, and He is a shield to those that trust in Him. This reinforces verse 2 from earlier in this Psalm.

 

In verse 31 David uses an important comparison that is used by others like Moses in his narrative and Paul in his letters calling God a rock but capitalizing Rock as a reference to God the Father and Christ.

 

Deuteronomy 32:4  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

 

1Corinthians 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

 

It is interesting that David as a man of war surrounded by men of war gives full credit to God for his success.

 

Prophetically speaking, notice how this passage begins and compare it to the following in Joel about this scorched earth assault. I think the phrasing is interestingly similar in verse 7 of the following;

 

Joel 2:1 ¶  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

2  A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 3  A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. 4  The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 5  Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. 6  Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 7  They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: 8  Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. 9  They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. 10  The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: 11  And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

 

From a personal perspective this is a great prayer of confidence in the Lord God and we can pray it having confidence that enemies both physical and spiritual cannot contend with Him. We must always remember that our greatest enemies, those that are constantly engaged in attempting to destroy us, are spiritual.