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Psalms 18

1 This Psalme is the first beginning of his gratulacion, and thanksgiving in the entering into his kingdom, wherein he extolleth and praiseth most highly the marvelous mercies and grace of God, who hath thus preserved and defended him, 32 Also he setteth forth the image of Christ's kingdom, that the faithful may be assured that Christ shal always conquer and overcome by the unspeakable power of his Father, though all the whole world should strive there against.
To him that excelleth. A Psalme of David the servant of the Lord, which 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 Saúl) and said,
1.I *wil love thee derely, ô Lord my strength.
2.aThe Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and he that delivereth me, my God and my strength: in him wil I trust, my shield, the horn also of my salvation, and my refuge.
3.I wil call upon the Lord, which is worthie to be bpraised: so shal I be safe from mine enemies.
4.The csorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of wickedness made me afraid.
5.The ^sorrows of the grave have compassed me about: the snares of death overtook me.
6.But in my trouble did I call upon the Lord, and cryed unto my God: he heard my voyce out of his Temple, and my crye did come before him, even into his ears.
7.dThen the earth trembled, and quaked: the foundations also of the mountains moved and shook, because he was angry.
8.Smoke went out at his nostrils, and a econsuming fire out of his mouth: coles were kindled thereat.
9.He bowed the heavens also and came down, and fdarkness was under his feet.
10.And he rode upon gCherúb and did fly, and he came flying upon the wings of the wind.
11.He made darkness his hsecret place, and his pavilion round about him, even darkness of waters, and clouds of the air.
12.At the brightnes of his presence his clouds passed, hailstones and coles of fire.
13.The Lord also thundred in the heaven, and the Highest gave ihis voice, hailstones and coles of fire.
14.Then he sent out khis arrows and scattered them, and he increased lightenings and destroyed them.
15.And the channels of waters were seen, and the lfoundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuking, ô Lord, at the blasting of the breath of thy nostrils.
16.He hath sent down from above and taken me: he hath drawen me out of many mwaters.
17.He hath delivered me from my nstrong enemy, and from them which hate me: for they were otoo strong for me.
18.They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.
19.He brought me forth also into a large place; phe delivered me because he favoured me.
20.The Lord rewarded me according to my qrighteousness: according to the pureness of mine hands he recompensed me:
21.Because I kept the ways of the Lord, and did not wickedly against my God.
22.For all his Laws were before me, and I did not cast away his rcommandments from me.
23.I was upright also with him, and have kept me from my swickedness.
24.Therefore the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, and according to the pureness of mine hands in his sight.
25.With the tgodlie thou wilt shewe thy self godlie: with the upright man thou wilt shewe thy self upright.
26.With the pure thou wilt shewe thy self pure, and with the forward thou wilt shewe thy self forward.
27.Thus thou wilt save the poor people, and wilt ucast down the proud looks.
28.Surely thou wilt light my candel: the Lord my God wil lighten my darkness.
29.For by thee I have xbroken through an host, and by my God I have leaped over a wall.
30.The way of God is uncorrupt: the yword of the Lord is tryed in the fire: he is a shield to all that trust in him.
31.For who is God besides the Lord? and who is mighty save our God?
32.God girdeth me with strength, and maketh my zway upright.
33.He maketh my feet like hinds's feet, and setteth me upon mine ahigh places.
34.He teacheth mine hands to fight: so that a bow of ^brass is broken with mine arms.
35.Thou hast also given me the bshield of thy salvation, and thy right hand hath stayed me, and thy cloving kindness hath caused me to increase.
36.Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, and mine heels have not slid.
37.dI have pursued mine enemies, and taken them, and have not turned again til I had consumed them.
38.I have wounded them, that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39.For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them, that rose against me, thou hast subdued under me.
40.And thou hast egiven me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
41.They fcryed, but there was none to save them, even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.
42.Then I did beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did tread them flat as the clay in the streets.
43.Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people: thou hast made me the head of the gheathen: a people, whom I have not hknowen, shal serve me.
44.As soon as they hear, they shal obey me: the strangers shal ibe in subjection to me.
45.Strangers shal kshrink away, & fear in their privie chambers.
46.Let the Lord live, and blessed be my strength, and the God of my salvation be exalted.
47.It is God that giveth me power to avenge me, and subdueth the people under me.
48.O my deliverer from mine enemies, even thou hast set me up from them, that rose against me: thou hast delivered me from the lcruel man.
49.Therefore mI wil praise thee, ô Lord, among the nations, and wil sing unto thy Name.
50.Great deliverances giveth he unto his King, and sheweth mercie to his anointed, even to David, and to his nseed for ever.

Notes

1-*.
2 Sam. 22.1.
2-a.
He uses this diversity of names, to show that as the wicked have many means to hurt, so God has many ways to help.
3-b.
For none can obtain their requests of God, that join not his glory with their petition.
4-c.
He speaks of the dangers and malice of his enemies, from the which God had delivered him.
5-^.
Or, cords, or cables.
7-d.
A description of the wrath of God against his enemies after he had heard his prayers.
8-e.
He shows how horrible God's judgments shall be to the wicked.
9-f.
Darkness signifies the wrath of God, as the clear light signifies God's favour.
10-g.
This is described at large, Ps. 104.
11-h.
As a King angry with the people, will not show himself unto them.
13-i.
Thundered, lightened, and hailed.
14-k.
His lightenings.
15-l.
That is, the deep bottoms were seen, when the red Sea was divided.
16-m.
Out of sundry, and great dangers.
17-n.
To wit, Saul.
17-o.
Therefore God sent me succour.
19-p.
The cause of God's deliverance is his only favour and love to us.
20-q.
David was sure of his righteous cause and good behaviour toward Saul and his enemies, and therefore was assured of God's favour and deliverance.
22-r.
For all his dangers he exercised himself in the Law of God.
23-s.
I neither gave place to their wicked tentations, nor to my own affections.
25-t.
Here he speaks of God according to our capacity, who shows mercy to his and punishes the wicked, as is said also, Lev. 26.21.
27-u.
When their sin is come to the full measure.
29-x.
He attributes it to God that he both got the victory in the field, and also destroyed the cities of his enemies.
30-y.
Be the dangers never so many or great, yet God's promise must take effect.
32-z.
He gives good success to all my enterprises.
33-a.
As towers and forts, which he took out of the hands of God's enemies.
34-^.
Or, steel.
35-b.
To defend me from dangers.
35-c.
He attributes the beginning, continuance and increase in well doing only to God's favour.
37-d.
David declares that he did nothing, besides his vocation, but was stirred up by God's Spirit to execute his judgments.
40-e.
You have given them into my hands to be slain.
41-f.
They that reject the cry of the afflicted, God will also reject them, when they cry for help: for either pain or fear cause those hypocrites to cry.
43-g.
Which dwell round about me.
43-h.
The kingdom of Christ is in David's kingdom prefigured: who by the preaching of his word brings all to his subjection.
44-i.
Or, lie: signifying a subjection constrained and not voluntary.
45-k.
Fear shall cause them to be afraid and come forth of their secret holes and holdes to seek pardon.
48-l.
That is, Saul, who of malice persecuted him.
49-m.
This prophecy appertains to the kingdom of Christ, and vocation of the Gentiles, as Rom. 15.9.
50-n.
This did not properly appertain to Solomon, but to Jesus Christ.