Psalms 18:1

PSALM 18

PRAISE OF GOD FOR DAVID'S VICTORY AGAINST SAUL

(For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of Jehovah, who spake unto Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: and he said):

Of all the Psalms accredited to David, "This is the one that can be assigned to him with the greatest confidence."[1] There is another record of this same Psalm, with only insignificant variations, in 2 Samuel 22.

The outdated, extravagant, and disproved allegations of radical critics which were popular in some schools of thought during the 19th and early twentieth centuries are no longer considered to have any importance whatever by thoughtful scholars. We shall here cite the efforts of Addis to deny this psalm to David, as examples of the type of radical criticism to which we refer.

He seized upon the word "temple" in Psalms 18:6, applied it to Solomon's temple (to which it has no reference whatever); and, as Solomon's temple was not built till after David died, (1) therefore David could not have written it! Any university sophomore today would be able to cite Psalms 11:4 in which the Hebrew parallelism makes it crystal clear that the word "temple" as used in the psalms is a reference, not to any earthly temple at all, but to "God's residence in heaven."

Jehovah is in his holy temple;

Jehovah, his throne is in heaven.

After the manner of Hebrew poetry, the second line here repeats the meaning of the first, so one may forget about when Solomon's temple was built. It doesn't make any difference. Dozens of the most dependable scholars confirm this usage of "temple" in the psalms.

Regarding the use of the word in Psalms 18:6, Dummelow stated that it means "in heaven."[2] "It may refer to `tabernacle,' or to `heaven.' "[3] "It refers either to heaven or to the tabernacle."[4] "In 1Sam. 1:9,1 Samuel 3:3, the same word translated `temple' here refers to the tabernacle."[5] Furthermore, Jacob referred to a place in an open field where he had that vision at Bethel, saying, "This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." (Genesis 28:17). The word house in the Old Testament is the same as the word temple.

Also Addis founded his rejection of the Davidic authorship of this psalm upon the fact that, "Such language presupposes familiarity with the Pentateuch!"[6] Of course, Addis denied the early existence of the Pentateuch and thought that the evident shadow of the Pentateuch which falls upon every page of the Old Testament was proof of a post-Davidic date for this psalm. Ridiculous. The Pentateuch was written during the Mid-Second Millennium Before Christ, as we proved beyond any shadow of doubt in our Commentary on Genesis. There are statements in Genesis which could not possibly have been written later than 1300 B.C.

We have spent many years studying the Bible; and we now know and are absolutely certain that the Pentateuch preceded every other book in the Old Testament. Both the Minor Prophets and the Major Prophets are absolutely filled with references to the Book of Moses, the Pentateuch. We have cited, in our writings, literally hundreds of such references.

Addis also gave as a third reason for his rejection of the Davidic authorship of this psalm its emphasis upon monotheism. Radical critics cannot seem to rise above their foolish notion that the Jews invented monotheism at some relatively late date. Noah, Melchizedek, Job, Abraham, Jonah and others were monotheists; and the notion that David could not have been a monotheist is impossible of acceptance.

Perhaps we have devoted a little more space to this phase of our study of this psalm than it deserves; but we have done so for the sake of young students who might be tempted by some of the old radical critics.

As John Calvin said, "Much of this psalm agrees better with Jesus Christ than with David";[7] and Paul's application of verse 49 to the calling of the Gentiles by Jesus Christ also proves that there is a strong Messianic application for at least part of it.

As Leupold said, "There is every reason for accepting the heading and superscription of this psalm as accurate,"[8] no matter when or by whom they were attached to it.

Psalms 18:1-3

"I love thee, O Jehovah, my strength.

Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

My God, my rock, in whom I will take refuge;

My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

I will call upon Jehovah who is worthy to be praised:

So shall I be saved from mine enemies."

Eight metaphors here praise God's sufficiency as fulfilling every need for those who love him. "Strength, Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, Refuge, Shield, Horn, High Tower, etc., such graphic titles as these are all suggestive of impregnability."[9]

Regarding the superscription in which Leupold manifested such confidence, McCaw likewise noted that the title there assigned to David, "The Servant of the Lord" is a highly honorable one; and that "Apart from two references to Joshua, it is almost always applied to Moses, or used prophetically of the Messiah."[10] This is another element entering into the impression that the psalm has Messianic implications.

"I love you, O Jehovah, my strength." "Nowhere else in scripture is the form of the word employed which is used here for `love.' It has special depth and tenderness."[11]

Watkinson has an interesting outline here on the subject of "Love."

True Love:

I. The object of it was right.

A. Love of God, not nature.

B. Not humanity.

C. Not self.

D. Not the world.

II. The measure of it was right.

A. It was boundless.

B. It was everlasting.

III. The inspiration of it was right.

A. God is our strength.

B. Loving God assures victory.

C. He first loved us.

D. In Him is Life eternal.[12]

"Horn of my salvation" (Psalms 18:2). This is an ancient expression referring to strength, power, and ability. It may probably be derived from the utility of a bull's horn.