Psalms 18

Psalms 18:1

No answer - To Job’s arguments as to the main cause. Condemned - As a bad man.

Psalms 18:2

‘Till Job - And his three friends.

Psalms 18:4

Afraid - Of being thought forward and presumptuous.

Psalms 18:6

Spirit - The spirit of God. Giveth - To whom he pleaseth.

Psalms 18:7

Judgment - What is just and right.

Psalms 18:10

Convinced - By solid and satisfactory answers.

Psalms 18:11

Left - God thus left you to your own weakness, lest you should ascribe the conquering or silencing of Job to your own wisdom. God - This is alleged by Elihu, in the person of Job’s three friends; the sense is, the judgments which are upon Job, have not been brought upon him by man originally, but by the hand of God, for his gross, though secret sins: but, saith Elihu, this argument doth not satisfy me, and therefore bear with me if I seek for better.

Psalms 18:17

Bottles - Bottles of new wine.

Psalms 18:20

I know not - The more closely we eye the majesty of God as our maker, the more we dread his wrath and justice, the less danger shall we be in of a sinful fearing or flattering of men.

Psalms 18:22

I know not - The more closely we eye the majesty of God as our maker, the more we dread his wrath and justice, the less danger shall we be in of a sinful fearing or flattering of men.

Psalms 18:23

I know not - The more closely we eye the majesty of God as our maker, the more we dread his wrath and justice, the less danger shall we be in of a sinful fearing or flattering of men.

Psalms 18:24

My words - I will not speak passionately or partially, but from a sincere desire to do thee good. Clearly - What I speak will be plain, not hard to be understood.

Psalms 18:25

Life - I am thy fellow creature, and am ready to discourse with thee upon even terms, according to thy desire.

Psalms 18:27

Behold - I will plead with thee in God’s name and stead, which thou hast often wished, and I am God’s creature like thyself.

Psalms 18:30

Clean - Not absolutely, for he often confesses himself to be a sinner, but no such transgression, as might give God just occasion to punish him so severely, as is implied, where he blames God for finding occasions against him, implying that he had given him none by his sins. And thus far Elihu’s charge was just, and herein it differs from the charge of Job’s three friends, who often accuse him, for asserting his own innocency; although they did it, because they thought him an hypocrite, whereas Elihu does it upon other grounds, even because Job’s justification of himself was accompanied with reflections upon God.

Psalms 18:32

Marketh - He narrowly prys into all my actions, that he may find matter against me.

Psalms 18:33

Not just - Thou art in the wrong. Greater - Not only in power and majesty, but also in justice, and wisdom, and goodness, and therefore thou dost foolishly, in censuring his judgments, thou castest off that awe and reverence which thou shouldest constantly maintain towards thy sovereign Lord.

Psalms 18:34

He - Useth not to give an account to his creatures of the grounds and reasons of his judgments or dispensations as being the supreme governor of all persons and things, in whose will it becometh all men to acquiesce.

Psalms 18:35

Yet - Although he doth not give men an account of his matters, yet he doth that which is sufficient for them. Twice - When once speaking doth not awaken men, God is graciously pleased to give them another admonition: though he will not gratify men’s curiosity in enquiring into his hidden judgments, yet he will acquaint them with their duty. God speaks to us by conscience, by providence, and by ministers, of all which Elihu here treats at large, to shew Job, that God was now telling him his mind, and endeavouring to do him good. He shews first, how God admonishes men by their own consciences.

Psalms 18:37

Sealeth - He imprints those instructions upon their minds.

Psalms 18:38

Pride - And God by this means is said to hide pride from man, because by these glorious representations of his Divine majesty to man, he takes him off from the admiration of his own excellency, and brings him to a sight of his own weakness, and to an humble and ready submission to his will.

Psalms 18:39

Keepeth - By his gracious admonitions whereby he leads him to repentance.

Psalms 18:40

Pain - The second way whereby God instructs men and excites them to repentance.

Psalms 18:43

The destroyers - The pangs of death, here called the destroyers, are just ready to seize him.

Psalms 18:44

A messenger - A prophet or teacher. To expound the providence, and point out the design of God therein. One, &c. - A person rightly qualified for this great and hard work, such as there are but very few. To shew - To direct him to the right way how he may please God, and procure that mercy which he thirsts after; which is not by quarrelling with God, but by an humble confession. and supplication for mercy through Christ the redeemer.

Psalms 18:45

He - God. A ransom - Although I might justly destroy him, yet I will spare him, for I have found out a way of ransoming sinners from death, which is the death of my son, the redeemer of the world, and with respect to which I will pardon them that repent and sue for mercy. Observe how God glories in the invention! I have found, I have found a ransom; a ransom for poor, undone sinners! I, even I am he that hath done it.

Psalms 18:47

Render - He will deal with him as with one reconciled to him through the mediator, and turning from sin to righteousness.

Psalms 18:49

Life - His life which was endangered, shall be restored and continued. Yea, farther, God shall Deliver his soul from going into the pit of hell: and his life shall see the light, all good, in the vision and fruition of God.

Psalms 18:50

Lo - All these ways God uses to convince, and save sinners.