For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord rescued him from the power of all his enemies, including Saul.
David wrote this song. Some of this psalm was recorded in 2 Samuel 22. Some of this song may have been used for public worship, but this theory cannot be proven. David wrote this song after he was saved from Saul. Saul attempted to kill David several times, but he was unable to do so, because David carried the messianic seed. David was immortal until he gave birth to a son who would carry the messianic seed.
18:1 He said: “I love you, Lord, my source of strength!
David loved Jehovah, because he received his strength from Jehovah.
18:2 The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer. My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter, my shield, the horn that saves me, and my refuge.
The high ridge was the high ground which gave a military advantage to armies. The stronghold was the castle. The deliverer is the mighty warrior who rescues the city from destruction. The rocky summit was the high rocky mountain which was difficult for an army to climb. The shelter was the walled city on top of the rocky mountain. The shield protected the soldier from the weapons of the enemy. The refuge was the safe haven of the soldier. David used military terms to describe the protection which he received from Jehovah.
18:3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was delivered from my enemies.
David called to Jehovah and he was delivered from his enemies. Therefore, Jehovah is worthy to be praised. Many modern churches sing this verse in their modern songs.
18:4 The waves of death engulfed me, the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.
The cords of death engulfed David. There was chaos all around him. David was about to die.
18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, the snares of death trapped me.
The ropes of Sheol were pulling David down to the grave. David was trapped by death. He was about to die.
18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried out to my God. From his heavenly temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help.
David was about to die, so he called Jehovah to save him from his enemies. Jehovah’s temple is in heaven. Jehovah lives in a literal temple in heaven, but He is also omnipresent. He lives everywhere at once. Jehovah heard David’s call for help.
18:7 The earth heaved and shook; the roots of the mountains trembled; they heaved because he was angry.
Many liberals like to spiritualize verses 7-15 and teach it as a metaphor. There is no reason to spiritualize these passages, because Jehovah is omnipotent. He could have performed every one of these miracles.
When Saul attacked David, then David was saved supernaturally by the miracles of Jehovah. Jehovah literally shook the heavens and the earth. Jehovah literally shook the mountains. Jehovah was angry at Saul, because Saul was attempting to kill the King who would carry the messianic seed.
18:8 Smoke ascended from his nose; fire devoured as it came from his mouth; he hurled down fiery coals.
Literal smoke and literal fire came from the nostrils and mouth of Jehovah. Jehovah literally threw coals from heaven. Those who were attacking David knew that he was supernaturally protected.
18:9 He made the sky sink as he descended; a thick cloud was under his feet.
When Jehovah protected David, He supernaturally sank the sky and descended from heaven with a thick cloud under His feet.
18:10 He mounted a winged angel and flew; he glided on the wings of the wind.
Jehovah mounted a winged angel and glided down to earth on the wings of the wind. Everyone who was attacking David saw this miracle and knew that he was to be the next anointed King of Israel.
18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds.
Jehovah shrouded Himself in the darkness of thick rain clouds.
18:12 From the brightness in front of him came hail and fiery coals.
Jehovah attacked David’s enemies with hail and fiery coals. The brightness may have been an appearance of the Shechinah Glory.
18:13 The Lord thundered in the sky; the sovereign One shouted.
Jehovah thundered in the sky. The One who is sovereign over all of history (including the armies of Saul) shouted so that all could hear. This shout could have been a warning to Saul’s army to leave His future anointed King alone.
18:14 He shot his arrows and scattered them, many lightning bolts and routed them.
Jehovah shot literal arrows from the heavens. He also shot lightning bolts from heaven. The arrows and lighting bolts routed Saul’s soldiers.
15 The depths of the sea were exposed; the inner regions of the world were uncovered by your battle cry, Lord, by the powerful breath from your nose.
Jehovah exposed the depths of the sea. Any navy used against David was useless. Jehovah shouted and the inner regions of the earth were uncovered. Jehovah blew a powerful breath from His nose.
18:16 He reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me from the surging water.
David was literally drowning, but Jehovah pulled him out of the water.
18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me.
David carried the messianic seed, the promise of being the next anointed king of Israel, and the future promise of the Davidic Covenant. Therefore, he possessed many enemies in the satanic world system. It seems as though Satan placed many of his satanic resources in exterminating David. All of these enemies hated David. They were too strong for David.
18:18 They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me.
All of these enemies ganged up on David, but Jehovah rescued him.
18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.
Jehovah rescued David from drowning and brought him into a wide open space. Jehovah performed these miracles, because He loved David. David’s descendants were to bring the Messiah into the world.
It is interesting to note that these patterns of miracles were also seen at the giving of the Mosaic Law at Mount Sinai. Many of these miracles were also predicted for the future Great Tribulation.
18:20 The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds; he rewarded my blameless behavior.
David had done many godly deeds. As a teenager, he had enough faith in God to face and bring down Goliath. He refused to kill King Saul, because he was the anointed King of Israel. Most kings in history were evil and ruthless, but David wanted to please God. David was not a perfect king, but he was a spiritual level above any other king in history. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband, but pagan kings committed this sin on a daily level. The difference was that this incident caused David to repent. Jehovah measured a king’s righteousness by the standard of David.
18:21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; I have not rebelled against my God.
Pagan kings were not interested in pleasing Jehovah. They wanted to please themselves and their pagan idols. David pleased God by keeping the Mosaic Law to the best of his human ability. No man could keep the Law, but David attempted to do so from a royal level. A king has many more temptations to lead him away from God than does the modern believer. It is difficult to obtain wealth, fame, and power and still follow God. David was able to follow God despite his earthly wealth.
18:22 For I am aware of all his regulations, and I do not reject his rules.
David knew Bible doctrine and did not reject it. One cannot follow the doctrines of the Bible if they do not study the entire counsel of the Word of God. David studied the Mosaic Law and applied what he learned. Christians are to follow the entire counsel of the Word of God and apply what they learn as well.
18:23 I was innocent before him, and kept myself from sinning.
David was innocent before Jehovah. King Saul was attempting to kill David so that he could remain in power. When Saul attempted these assassinations on David, he was usually demon-possessed.
18:24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; he took notice of my blameless behavior.
Jehovah noticed that David was actually a righteous king who attempted to please Jehovah.
18:25 You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent.
Jehovah is loyal and trustworthy to those who are faithful and innocent.
18:26 You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse.
Those who are blameless are those who trust in Jehovah. Jehovah is reliable and will protect His own. Jehovah will allow evil men to become deceived, so that they will reveal their perverseness.
18:27 For you deliver oppressed people, but you bring down those who have a proud look.
Jehovah delivers those who are oppressed. He brings down those who are arrogant.
18:28 Indeed, you are my lamp, Lord. My God illuminates the darkness around me.
David was living in the darkness of the satanic world system. However, Jehovah was his lamp. Jehovah illuminates the darkness around David. Jehovah was the flashlight who helped David follow the correct path of life.
18:29 Indeed, with your help I can charge against an army; by my God’s power I can jump over a wall.
With God’s help, David could charge an army or jump over a wall.
18:30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the Lord’s promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.
The satanic world system wanted to take out David, but Jehovah was his shield.
18:31 Indeed, who is God besides the Lord? Who is a protector besides our God?
Jehovah is the only true God. He is the only one who can protect a man from the attacks of Satan.
18:32 The one true God gives me strength; he removes the obstacles in my way.
In verses 32-45, David explains how he became king. It was God who gave him the strength to become king. It was God who removed all of the obstacles out of David’s way.
18:33 He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.
God gave David the agility to escape his enemies, even when the physical and immaterial terrain was rough.
18:34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend even the strongest bow.
Jehovah trained David’s hands for battle. David was given supernatural strength to bend the strongest bow. A strong and expert archer was a deadly soldier in ancient warfare.
35 You give me your protective shield; your right hand supports me; your willingness to help enables me to prevail.
Jehovah was David’s protective shield. The right hand of God was supporting David. It was the sovereign will of God to protect David and empower him to win over his enemies.
18:36 You widen my path; my feet do not slip.
Jehovah widened the path of David so that he could accomplish success. He made the roads dry, so that David would not slip.
18:37 I chase my enemies and catch them; I do not turn back until I wipe them out.
David chased his enemies until he caught them. When he captured them, then he exterminated them. In Biblical warfare, when one attacked Israel or the messianic seed, then the price was extinction.
18:38 I beat them to death; they fall at my feet.
When Israel was attacked, then David killed everyone of his enemies.
18:39 You give me strength for battle; you make my foes kneel before me.
Jehovah gave David strength for battle. Jehovah forced the enemies of David to kneel before him. David never lost a battle, because he always searched the will of God.
18:40 You make my enemies retreat; I destroy those who hate me.
Jehovah forced David’s enemies to retreat. David then chased them and destroyed them. Those who violate the Abrahamic Covenant will receive a kind-for-kind judgment.
41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; they cry out to the Lord, but he does not answer them.
The enemies of David are also enemies of Jehovah. The enemies cry out to their gods, but they received no answer. They cried out to Jehovah, but He does not answer them.
18:42 I grind them as fine windblown dust; I beat them underfoot like clay in the streets.
David grinds the enemy like dust which is blown away by the wind. David beats them like clay in the streets.
18:43 You rescue me from a hostile army; you make me a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects.
Jehovah rescued David from hostile pagan armies. He made David the King of Israel. During David’s reign, Israel was the most powerful nation in the world. During David’s reign, there were many foreign nations who were paying tribute to Israel.
18:44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. Foreigners are powerless before me;
David’s military was so strong, that other nations submitted to him without a fight. It is unbiblical and foolish for nations to strip away their defenses in order to be equal with evil nations.
18:45 foreigners lose their courage; they shake with fear as they leave their strongholds.
It is biblical to build up a military so strong that evil nations will not have the courage to attack.
18:46 The Lord is alive! My protector is praiseworthy! The God who delivers me is exalted as king!
God is not dead. He is alive. He protects Israel. He is worthy to be praised. He delivers Israel. He is the exalted King of the universe.
18:47 The one true God completely vindicates me; he makes nations submit to me.
Jehovah is the one true God. He vindicates David. He makes nations submit to David.
18:48 He delivers me from my enemies; you snatch me away from those who attack me; you rescue me from violent men.
Jehovah delivers David from his enemies. He snatches David away from those assassins and armies who wanted to dethrone the anointed King of Israel. Jehovah rescues David from violent men of the satanic world system who wished to destroy him.
Satan would like to kill Christians, but God protects His children from this evil created angel. Therefore, Satan attempts to destroy believers by leading them into immoral sin.
18:49 So I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord! I will sing praises to you!
David will give Jehovah thanks before all of the other nations. David sang praises to Jehovah by the 73 psalms which he wrote.
How many political leaders knew and applied Bible doctrine as well as David? How many political leaders wrote 73 songs which give praise to Jehovah? How many of these songs ended up as part of the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God?
David is one of the few politicians in history who possessed and applied strong Bible doctrine.
18:50 He gives his chosen king magnificent victories; he is faithful to his chosen ruler, to David and his descendants forever.”
David was the chosen, anointed King of Israel. Jehovah preserved David’s throne from the satanic world system by giving him magnificent victories. Jehovah is faithful to David and his descendants. The Lord Jesus Christ was a descendant of David. The Lord Jesus Christ will appoint David to rule over Israel during the Millennial Kingdom.