Psalms 18
PATmyself happy that I can approach into thy presence, and, with a good conscience, wait for thy favour; nothing doubting, but when thou shalt shew thyself in thy. majesty and power, it will be abundantly to. my satisfaction. of it were discovered through the breaches that were made; when thou, O Lord, in great indignation didst rebuke my enemies. my greatest straits, and in the most uneven and difficult ways I never stumbled: Ver." 37. I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.’] But having routed my enemies, I pursued them so closely, that I overtook them in their flight, and did not return to my camp till I had destroyed them.
Psalms 18:16
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.* Nothing but such a power from above could have preserved me, which the Lord was pleased graciously to extend to mo: he laid hold on me, and kept me from sinking; he snatched me out of many and great dangers, which, like a deluge, were ready to overwhelm me.
Psalms 18:17
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. He delivered me first from that mighty giant Goliath, and then from Saul, whose power I was not able to withstand; and afterward from the Philistines and Syrians, and many other nations, whose forces were far superior unto mine, and whose, hatred instigated them to do all they could to destroy me..
Psalms 18:18
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay J. When I was weak and unable to resist, they suddenly invaded me; but the Lord would not suffer them to overthrow me: (1 Sam. xxiii.xxiv. &c.)
Psalms 18:19
He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. But brought me out of those straits into a state of perfect liberty. He delivered me (when they thought they had pent me up so close that I could not escape them) because he had a kindness for me..,
Psalms 18:20
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. He knew also that I was unjustly persecuted; and therefore rewarded me according to the integrity of my heart, and the purity of my actions; which were never guilty of that whereof they accused me.
Psalms 18:21
For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For I never took any unlawful courses for my deliverance; but when Saul fell into my hands, I would not kill him, because he was the Lord’s anointed, (1 Sam. xxiv. 10.)
Psalms 18:22
For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. For I laid his precepts before me, as the rule of my actions; and did not bid them stand aside, when it seemed to be my interest not to observe them:
Psalms 18:23
Iwas also tipright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. But chose rather to suffer any thing than lose my integrity: and how unjustly soever my enemies dealt with me, I would not imitate them; but, though I could not hinder theirs, kept myself from mine iniquity.
Psalms 18:24
Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eye-sight. And therefore hath the Lord, who administers all things with the cxactest justice, and the greatest goodness, heard my prayer: (1 Sam. xxvi. 23.) and dealt with me according to my innocent intentions, which would not let me defile my hands with the blood of Saul, when it was in my power to be revenged of him.
Psalms 18:25
With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful; with an tipright man thou tvilt shexv thyself upright. Such is the gracious method of thy providence, O Lord, who wilt do good to those who do good to others, and do them justice also (against their oppressors and calumniators) who preserve their integrity.
Psalms 18:26
With the pure thou \4lt shew thyself pure; and with thefroward thou wilt shew thyself froward. And keep thy promises faithfully with those whose piety is unfeigned, and who immoveably keep their fidelity to thee. But if any will take crooked ways to obtain their ends, thou wilt ensnare them in their own devices; and, by such means as they least think of, lead them to destruction.
Psalms 18:27
For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. For thou art wont to deliver those who are poor and miserable, when they humbly wait on thee; and to lay those low, who (proud of their power) insolently oppress them.
Psalms 18:28
For thou tvilt light my candle; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. I myself am an instance of it, who owe all my prosperity and joy to thee; by whom (when my hopes were ready to expire, 1 Sam, xxvii. 1.) I was brought out of a calamitous estate into this splendour and royal greatness which now I enjoy.:
Psalms 18:29
For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. For the strongest and most numerous enemies were not able to stand before me: I easily scaled the highest walls, wherein they thought themselves most securely defended against me, (2 Sam. v. 7, &c.)
Psalms 18:30
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried; he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. God is not like to men, for he never deserts his servants (as men arc wont to do those that depend upon them) in difficult and dangerous affairs: his promises are freer from deceit, than the most refined gold from dross; and none shall be able to hurt those that rely upon them..
Psalms 18:31
For who is God save the Lord?- or who is a rock save our God?. For who is there that can frustrate his intentions, or resist his will? What power is there above or equal to his whom we worship, that can injure those whom he will protect, or defend those whom he will destroy?
Psalms 18:32
It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way.perfect?. It was this mighty Lord that inspired me with courage, and removed all obstacles out of ™y. ^ a y> to the completing my conquests, (2 Sam. v. 10.)
Psalms 18:33
He maketh my feet like hinds feet, and setteth me upon my high places. If swiftness was necessary; he made me as nimble as a hind, to pursue mine enemies even into those places, which, for their height and craggincss, were thought inaccessible.
Psalms 18:34
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. If there was need of dexterity or strength, he bestowed it on me to such a degree, that I was able to wrest the strongest bow out of my enemy’s hand, and break it in pieces.
Psalms 18:35
Tfiou hast given me the shield of thy salvation; and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. If at any time I fell into the thickest troops of thein, I was safely protected by thee and delivered. Thy mighty power upheld me from being oppressed by their numbers; and by thy goodness, with a handful of men, I got great victories.
Psalms 18:36
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. Thou didst open a wide passage to me in
Psalms 18:38
I have wounded them, that they werenot able to rise: tliey are fallen under my feet. I gave them such a blow, that they were not able to renew the fight; but weTe so perfectly subdued, that they lay at my feet.
Psalms 18:39
For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Which is all to be* ascribed to thy mighty power, O God; who gavest me both the courage to fight, and success in the encounter, with such numerous enemies as hoped to destroy me.
Psalms 18:40
Thou hast also given me the necks of mine ene-. tines, tltat I might destroy them that hate me. To thy praise I again mention it (not to magnify my own prowess), that they who hated me submitted their very necks to me, that I might kill them, or impose what yoke I pleased on them.
Psalms 18:41
Tliey cried, but there was none to save them; even unto the Lord, but he answered them not J. They sought for help of their allies and confederates; but it was beyond their power to deliver them: for they were deserted by the Lord, who regarded not their cries unto him;
Psalms 18:42
Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. But left them to be beaten and dispersed by me, till they were as weak as the small dust, which is tossed up and down with every wind; and as contemptible as the dirt in the street, which every body tramples under foot.
Psalms 18:43
Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. Thus hast thou continued thy kindness to me, till thou seatedst me on the throne, both of Israel and Judah; whose contentions arc ceased, and both united in me. (2 Sam. v. 1.) And, since that time, thou hast not only delivered me from those dangerous rebellions, (2 Sam. xviii.) and seditious motions, (2 Sam. xx.) which have been raised among my own people to dethrone me; but made foreign nations subject to me, and people whom I had no knowledge of to become my tributaries.
Psalms 18:44
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The very report of me and of my victories made some of them heartily submit themselves to rac; and others dissemble their hostility, and offer mc their service.
Psalms 18:45
The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. They trembled and fell, like withered leaves, at the sound of my name; and, distrusting their strong holds, came creeping out with fear, to surrender them into my hands. Ver. 4G. The Lord liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.] Blessed be the Lord (to whose eternal glory and honour I speak all this): let him be everlastingly praised, who hath preserved me in so many dangers: let him, who not only preserved but exalted me, be magnified and exalted with the highest praises. Ver; 47. It is God that avengelh me, and subdueth the vol. in. people under me.] For he is that mighty God (I can nevcT say it often enough), who hath many and many a time executed vengeance for me on those who were injurious to me; and hath brought many nations under my empire.
Psalms 18:48
He delivereth me from miue enemies; yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me; thou hast delivered me from the violent man. It is he to whom I owe my life (which my enemies, if he had not rescued me, would have taken from me): and, which is more, thou hast made me superior to them all, and set me on a throne, in spite of the fierce and violent persecution of Saul; from which thou didst mercifully deliver me..
Psalms 18:49
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. And therefore I will every where make my thankful acknowledgments unto thee, O Lord: those strange nations shall know that I ascribe my victories unto thee; in honour of whose great name I will sing this perpetual song.
Psalms 18:50
Great deliverance giveth he to his king: and shetveth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. The Lord hath granted wonderful and manifold deliverances to me; who reign not by usurpation, but by his special appointment; and the same mercy, by which alone I was advanced to this dignity, shall be continued to me, and to my posterity, till the coming of that great King, whose kingdom shall have no end. it