Psalm 18
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village Preacher
Other Works
TITLE. 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."
We have another form of this Psalm, with significant variations (2 Samuel
22), and this suggests the idea that it was sung by David at different
times when he reviewed his own remarkable history, and observed the gracious
hand of God in it all. Like Addison's hymn beginning, "When all thy
mercies, O my God," this Psalm is the song of a grateful heart overwhelmed
with a retrospect of the manifold and marvellous mercies of God. We will
call it THE GRATEFUL RETROSPECT. The title deserves attention. David,
although at this time a king, calls himself, "the servant of Jehovah," but
makes no mention of his royalty; hence we gather that he counted it a higher
honour to be the Lord's servant than to be Judah's king. Right wisely did
he judge. Being possessed of poetic genius, he served the Lord by composing
this Psalm for the use of the Lord's house; and it is no mean work to
conduct or to improve that delightful part of divine worship, the singing of
the Lord's praises. Would that more musical and poetical ability were
consecrated, and that our chief musicians were fit to be trusted with
devout and spiritual psalmody. It should be observed that the words of this
song were not composed with the view of gratifying the taste of men, but
were spoken unto Jehovah. It were well if we had a more single eye to the
honour of the Lord in our singing, and in all other hallowed exercises.
That praise is little worth which is not directed solely and heartily to the
Lord. David might well be thus direct in his gratitude, for he owed all to
his God, and in the day of his deliverance he had none to thank but the
Lord, whose right hand had preserved him. We too should feel that to God
and God alone we owe the greatest debt of honour and thanksgiving.
If it be remembered that the second and the forty-ninth verses are both
quoted in the New Testament (Hebrews 2:13; Romans 15:9) as the words of
the Lord Jesus, it will be clear that a greater than David is here. Reader,
you will not need our aid in this respect; if you know Jesus you will
readily find him in his sorrows, deliverance, and triumphs all through this
wonderful psalm.
DIVISION. The first three verses are the proem or preface in which the
resolve to bless God is declared. Delivering mercy is most poetically
extolled from verse 4 to verse 19; and then the happy songster from verse 20
to 28, protests that God had acted righteously in thus favouring him.
Filled with grateful joy he again pictures his deliverance, and anticipates
future victories from verse 29-45; and in closing speaks with evident
prophetic foresight of the glorious triumphs of the Messiah, David's seed
and the Lord's anointed.
EXPOSITION
Verse 1. "I will love thee, O Lord." With strong, hearty affection will
I cling to thee; as a child to its parent, or a spouse to her husband. The
word is intensely forcible, the love is of the deepest kind. "I will love
heartily, with my inmost bowels." Here is a fixed resolution to abide in
the nearest and most intimate union with the Most High. Our triune God
deserves the warmest love of all our hearts. Father, Son and Spirit have
each a claim upon our love. The solemn purpose never to cease loving
naturally springs from present fervour of affection. It is wrong to make
rash resolutions, but this when made in the strength of God is most wise and
fitting. "My strength." Our God is the strength of our life, our graces,
our works, our hopes, our conflicts, our victories. This verse is not found
in 2 Samuel 22, and is a most precious addition, placed above all and after
all to form the pinnacle of the temple, the apex of the pyramid. Love is
still the crowning grace.
Verse 2. "The Lord is my rock and my fortress." Dwelling among the crags
and mountain fastnesses of Judea David had escaped the malice of Saul, and
here he compares his God to such a place of concealment and security.
Believers are often hidden in their God from the strife of tongues and the
fury of the storm of trouble. The clefts of the Rock of Ages are safe
abodes. "My deliverer," interposing in my hour of peril. When almost
captured the Lord's people are rescued from the hand of the mighty by him
who is mightier still. This title of "deliverer" has many sermons in it,
and is well worthy of the study of all experienced saints. "My God;" this
is all good things in one. There is a boundless wealth in this expression;
it means, my perpetual, unchanging, infinite, eternal good. He who can say
truly "my God," may well add, "my heaven, my all." "My strength;" this
word is really "my rock," in the sense of strength and immobility. My
sure, unchanging, eternal confidence and support. Thus the word rock occurs
twice, but it is no tautology, for the first time it is a rock for
concealment, but here a rock for firmness and immutability. "In whom I
will trust." Faith must be exercised, or the preciousness of God is not
truly known; and God must be the object of faith, or faith is mere
presumption. "My buckler," warding off the blows of my enemy, shielding
me from arrow or sword. The Lord furnishes his warriors with weapons both
offensive and defensive. Our armoury is completely stored so that none need
go to battle unarmed. "The horn of my salvation," enabling me to push
down my foes, and to triumph over them with holy exultation. "My high
tower," a citadel high planted on a rocky eminence beyond the reach of my
enemies, from the heights of which I look down upon their fury without
alarm, and survey a wide landscape of mercy reaching even unto the goodly
land beyond Jordan. Here are many words, but none too many; we might
profitably examine each one of them had we leisure, but summing up the
whole, we may conclude with Calvin, that David here equips the faithful from
head to foot.
Verse 3. In this verse the happy poet resolves to invoke the Lord in
joyful song, believing that in all future conflicts his God would deal as
well with him as in the past. It is well to pray to God as to one who
deserves to be praised, for then we plead in a happy and confident manner.
If I feel that I can and do bless the Lord for all his past goodness, I am
bold to ask great things of him. That word So has much in it. To be
saved singing is to be saved indeed. Many are saved mourning and doubting;
but David had such faith that he could fight singing, and win the battle
with a song still upon his lips. How happy a thing to receive fresh mercy
with a heart already sensible of mercy enjoyed, and to anticipate new trials
with a confidence based upon past experiences of divine love!
"No fearing or doubting with Christ on our side,
We hope to die shouting, 'The Lord will provide.'"
Verses 4-19. In most poetical language the Psalmist now describes his
experience of Jehovah's delivering power. Poesy has in all her treasures no
gem more lustrous than the sonnet of the following verses; the sorrow, the
cry, the descent of the Divine One, and the rescue of the afflicted, are
here set to a music worthy of the golden harps. The Messiah our Saviour is
evidently, over and beyond David or any other believer, the main and chief
subject of this song; and while studying it we have grown more and more sure
that every line here has its deepest and profoundest fulfilment in Him; but
as we are desirous not to extend our comment beyond moderate bounds, we must
leave it with the devout reader to make the very easy application of the
passage to our once distressed but now triumphant Lord.
Verse 4. "The sorrows of death compassed me." Death like a cruel
conqueror seemed to twist round about him the cords of pain. He was
environed and hemmed in with threatening deaths of the most appalling sort.
He was like a mariner broken by the storm and driven upon the rocks by
dreadful breakers, white as the teeth of death. Sad plight for the man
after God's own heart, but thus it is that Jehovah dealeth with his sons.
"The floods of ungodly men made me afraid." Torrents of ungodliness
threatened to swamp all religion, and to hurry away the godly man's hope as
a thing to be scorned and despised; so far was this threat fulfilled, that
even the hero who slew Goliath began to be afraid. The most seaworthy bark
is sometimes hard put to it when the storm fiend is abroad. The most
courageous man, who as a rule hopes for the best, may sometimes fear the
worst. Beloved reader, he who pens these lines has known better than most
men what this verse means, and feels inclined to weep, and yet to sing,
while he writes upon a text so descriptive of his own experience. On the
night of the lamentable accident at the Surrey Music Hall, the floods of
Belial were let loose, and the subsequent remarks of a large portion of the
press were exceedingly malicious and wicked; our soul was afraid as we stood
encompassed with the sorrows of death and the blasphemies of the cruel. But
oh, what mercy was there in it all, and what honey of goodness was extracted
by our Lord out of this lion of affliction! Surely God hath heard me! Art
thou in an ill plight? Dear friend, learn thou from our experience to trust
in the Lord Jehovah, who forsaketh not his chosen.
Verse 5. "The sorrows of hell compassed me about." From all sides the
hell-hounds barked furiously. A cordon of devils hemmed in the hunted man
of God; every way of escape was closed up. Satan knows how to blockade our
coasts with the iron war-ships of sorrow, but, blessed be God, the port of
all prayer is still open, and grace can run the blockade bearing messages
from earth to heaven, and blessings in return from heaven to earth. "The
snares of death prevented me." The old enemy hunts for his prey, not only
with the dogs of the infernal kennel, but also with the snares of deadly
craft. The nets were drawn closer and closer until the contracted circle
completely prevented the escape of the captive:
"About me the cords of hell were wound,
And snares of death my footsteps bound."
Thus hopeless was the case of this good man, as hopeless as a case could be,
so utterly desperate that none but an almighty arm could be of any service.
According to the four metaphors which he employs, he was bound like a
malefactor for execution; overwhelmed like a shipwrecked mariner; surrounded
and standing at bay like a hunted stag; and captured in a net like a
trembling bird. What more of terror and distress could meet upon one poor
defenseless head?
Verse 6. "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God."
Prayer is that postern gate which is left open even when the city is
straitly besieged by the enemy; it is that way upward from the pit of
despair to which the spiritual miner flies at once when the floods from
beneath break forth upon him. Observe that he calls, and then cries;
prayer grows in vehemence as it proceeds. Note also that he first invokes
his God under the name of Jehovah, and then advances to a more familiar
name, "my God;" thus faith increases by exercise, and he whom we at first
viewed as Lord is soon seen to be our God in covenant. It is never an ill
time to pray; no distress should prevent us from using the divine remedy of
supplication. Above the noise of the raging billows of death, or the
barking dogs of hell, the feeblest cry of a true believer will be heard in
heaven. "He heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him,
even into his ears." Far up within the bejewelled walls, and through the
gates of pearl, the cry of the suffering suppliant was heard. Music of
angels and harmony of seraphs availed not to drown or even to impair the
voice of that humble call. The king heard it in his palace of light
unsufferable, and lent a willing ear to the cry of his own beloved child. O
honoured prayer, to be able thus through Jesus' blood to penetrate the very
ears and heart of Deity. The voice and the cry are themselves heard
directly by the Lord, and not made to pass through the medium of saints and
intercessors; "My cry came before Him;" the operation of prayer with God
is immediate and personal. We may cry with confident and familiar