13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.
13 Then God thundered out of heaven; the High God gave a great shout, spraying hailstones and fireballs.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals.
6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
6 Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them.
6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!
6 Hurl your lightnings in every direction; shoot your arrows this way and that.
6 Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
6 Hurl your lightning bolts and scatter your enemies! Shoot your arrows and confuse them!
(Read Psalm 144:1-8)
When men become eminent for things as to which they have had few advantages, they should be more deeply sensible that God has been their Teacher. Happy those to whom the Lord gives that noblest victory, conquest and dominion over their own spirits. A prayer for further mercy is fitly begun with a thanksgiving for former mercy. There was a special power of God, inclining the people of Israel to be subject to David; it was typical of the bringing souls into subjection to the Lord Jesus. Man's days have little substance, considering how many thoughts and cares of a never-dying soul are employed about a poor dying body. Man's life is as a shadow that passes away. In their highest earthly exaltation, believers will recollect how mean, sinful, and vile they are in themselves; thus they will be preserved from self-importance and presumption. God's time to help his people is, when they are sinking, and all other helps fail.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 18:13
Commentary on Psalm 18:1-19
(Read Psalm 18:1-19)
The first words, "I will love thee, O Lord, my strength," are the scope and contents of the psalm. Those that truly love God, may triumph in him as their Rock and Refuge, and may with confidence call upon him. It is good for us to observe all the circumstances of a mercy which magnify the power of God and his goodness to us in it. David was a praying man, and God was found a prayer-hearing God. If we pray as he did, we shall speed as he did. God's manifestation of his presence is very fully described, Hebrews 5:7. God made the earth to shake and tremble, and the rocks to cleave, and brought him out, in his resurrection, because he delighted in him and in his undertaking.