17 He delivereth me from my strong enemy, And from those hating me, For they have been stronger than I. 18 They go before me in a day of my calamity And Jehovah is for a support to me. 19 And He bringeth me forth to a large place, He draweth me out, because He delighted in me.
20 Jehovah doth recompense me According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me. 21 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God. 22 For all His judgments 'are' before me, And His statutes I turn not from me. 23 And I am perfect with him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity. 24 And Jehovah doth return to me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, Over-against his eyes. 25 With the kind Thou showest Thyself kind, With a perfect man showest Thyself perfect. 26 With the pure Thou showest Thyself pure, And with the perverse showest Thyself a wrestler, 27 For Thou a poor people savest, And the eyes of the high causest to fall. 28 For Thou—Thou lightest my lamp, Jehovah my God enlighteneth my darkness.
29 For by Thee I run—a troop! And by my God I leap a wall. 30 God! perfect 'is' His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield 'is' He to all those trusting in Him. 31 For who 'is' God besides Jehovah? And who 'is' a rock save our God? 32 God! who is girding me 'with' strength, And He maketh perfect my way. 33 Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand. 34 Teaching my hands for battle, And a bow of brass was brought down by my arms. 35 And Thou givest to me the shield of Thy salvation, And Thy right hand doth support me, And Thy lowliness maketh me great. 36 Thou enlargest my step under me, And mine ankles have not slidden. 37 I pursue mine enemies, and overtake them, And turn back not till they are consumed. 38 I smite them, and they are not able to rise, They fall under my feet,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 18:17-38
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.
Commentary on Psalm 18:20-28
(Read Psalm 18:20-28)
Those that forsake the ways of the Lord, depart from their God. But though conscious to ourselves of many a false step, let there not be a wicked departure from our God. David kept his eye upon the rule of God's commands. Constant care to keep from that sin, whatever it be, which most easily besets us, proves that we are upright before God. Those who show mercy to others, even they need mercy. Those who are faithful to God, shall find him all that to them which he has promised to be. The words of the Lord are pure words, very sure to be depended on, and very sweet to be delighted in. Those who resist God, and walk contrary to him, shall find that he will walk contrary to them, Leviticus 26:21-24. The gracious recompence of which David spoke, may generally be expected by those who act from right motives. Hence he speaks comfort to the humble, and terror to the proud; "Thou wilt bring down high looks." And he speaks encouragement to himself; "Thou wilt light my candle:" thou wilt revive and comfort my sorrowful spirit; thou wilt guide my way, that I may avoid the snares laid for me. Thou wilt light my candle to work by, and give me an opportunity of serving thee. Let those that walk in darkness, and labour under discouragements, take courage; God himself will be a Light to them.
Commentary on Psalm 18:29-50
(Read Psalm 18:29-50)
When we praise for one mercy, we must observe the many more, with which we have been compassed all our days. Many things had contributed to David's advancement, and he owns the hand of God in them all, to teach us to do likewise. In verse 32, and the following verses, are the gifts of God to the spiritual warrior, whereby he is prepared for the contest, after the example of his victorious Leader. Learn that we must seek release being made through Christ, shall be rejected. In David the type, we behold out of trouble through Christ. The prayer put up, without reconciliation Jesus our Redeemer, conflicting with enemies, compassed with sorrows and with floods of ungodly men, enduring not only the pains of death, but the wrath of God for us; yet calling upon the Father with strong cries and tears; rescued from the grave; proceeding to reconcile, or to put under his feet all other enemies, till death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed. We should love the Lord, our Strength, and our Salvation; we should call on him in every trouble, and praise him for every deliverance; we should aim to walk with him in all righteousness and true holiness, keeping from sin. If we belong to him, he conquers and reigns for us, and we shall conquer and reign through him, and partake of the mercy of our anointed King, which is promised to all his seed for evermore. Amen.