Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Psalms Ch.18 / 150 Ch.s
PS:18
* David rejoices in the deliverances God wrought for him. (1-19)
He takes the comfort of his integrity, which God had cleared up.
(20-28) He gives to God the glory of all his mighty deeds.
(29-50)
#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, ver. #7-15|. Little appeared of man, but much of God,
in these deliverances. It is not possible to apply to the
history of the son of Jesse those awful, majestic, and
stupendous words which are used through this description of the
Divine manifestation. Every part of so solemn a scene of terrors
tells us, a greater than David is here. God will not only
deliver his people out of their troubles in due time, but he
will bear them up under their troubles in the mean time. Can we
meditate on ver. 18, without directing one thought to Gethsemane
and Calvary? Can we forget that it was in the hour of Christ's
deepest calamity, when Judas betrayed, when his friends forsook,
when the multitude derided him, and the smiles of his Father's
love were withheld, that the powers of darkness prevented him?
The sorrows of death surrounded him, in his distress he prayed,
#Heb 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.
#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, #Le 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.
#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.