Psalm 18- Bruce McGee
This is a long Psalm; there are only three Psalms longer in the entire collection (78, 89, and 119). Its length is
well suited to its theme, as described in the title. The title itself is long, with only one longer in the Psalms
(Psalm 60): For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the
words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the
hand of Saul. He said:
This Psalm is virtually the same as the Psalm sung by David at the very end of his life, as recorded in 2
Samuel 22. It is likely that David composed this song as a younger man; yet in his old age David could look
back with great gratitude and sing this song again, looking at his whole life.
Lesson Title: Great Praise From A Place of Great Victory!
A. God's past deliverance for David.
1. (verses 1-3) David praises the God of his deliverance.
1

I love you Lord, my strength: This was a triumphant declaration made in a season of
great triumph. It is true that David decided to love the LORD; but even more true that he
simply felt compelled to love the LORD who delivered him so wonderfully.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer: David knew this to be true
before, but he knew it by faith. Now David sang from a perspective that knew this by
experience in a greater way than ever before.
o When David said, "The LORD is my rock" he likely meant it in more than one
sense. A rock was of help to the ancient Judean in several ways.
 It could provide essential shade, always needed in the merciless sun and
heat of the desert (as in Isaiah 32:2).
 It could provide shelter and protection in its cracks and crevasses (as in
Exodus 33:22 and Proverbs 30:26).
 It could provide a firm place to stand and fight, as opposed to sinking
sand (as in Psalm 40:2).

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold: As David piles honoring
name for God upon honoring name (we can count nine just in these first few verses), we
get the feeling of a flood of praise and emotion from David. He can't say enough about
who God is and the great things He has done for David.
o In these nine titles, we see what God was for David:
 His strength; the one that empowered him to survive against & defeat his
enemies.
 His rock; which indicates a place of shelter, safety, and a secure standing.
 His fortress; a place of strength and safety.
 His deliverer; the one who made a way of escape for him.
 His God; "my strong God, not only the object of my adoration, but he who
puts strength in my soul."
 His strength; but this uses a different Hebrew word than in Psalm 18:1.
The idea behind this word is fountain, source, origin.
 His shield, who defends both his head and his heart.
 His horn, meaning his strength and defense.
 His stronghold, his high tower of refuge where he could see an enemy
from a great distance and be protected from the adversary.
2. (verses 4-6) The danger that made David cry out to the LORD.
Psalm 18- Bruce McGee

The cords of death entangle me; the torrents of destruction overwhelm me: David
described two threats. First the threat of death, and second the torrents of
destruction. The overwhelming presence of ungodliness was a significant trial to
David.

The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me: This
was another way of saying that David was threatened with death. Your translation
might use the word, Sheol. Sheol is another word for the grave or death.
3. (verses 7-15) The majestic deliverance God brought to David.

The earth trembled and quaked: David describes the dramatic deliverance God
brought to him. It was marked by earthquakes, the indignation of God (God was
angry), smoke and fire, and the personal intervention of God (He rode upon a
cherub, and flew).
o This terminology of David emphasizes the judgment of God; but since the
judgment is directed against David's enemies, it means deliverance for David.
God won this victory against David's strong enemy, against those who hated
David (Psalm 18:16-17).

The LORD thundered from heaven: David set phrase upon phrase in describing the
great work of God on his behalf. According to David's description God moved heaven,
sky, earth, and sea to deliver David.
4. (verses 16-19) David set in safety.

He reached down and took hold of me and drew me out of deep waters; He
rescued me from my powerful enemy: David felt that he was drowning when the
strong hand of God picked him out of deep waters. Like a man under a flood, David
knew that his enemies were too strong for him, but that God could deliver him.

He rescued me because He delighted in me: We can say that David meant this in two
ways.
o First he delighted in David in the sense that He chose him, anointed him, and set
His marvelous lovingkindness (Psalm 17:7) upon David.
o Second he delighted in David because he lived a righteous life, as explained in
the following verses.
5. (verses 20-24) God delivered David because of his righteousness.

2
The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness: During his long season of
affliction under Saul, David was challenged to respond in unrighteous ways. He had
many opportunities to strike against Saul as a matter of self-defense. Yet David
consistently conducted himself in righteousness, and knew that God rewarded him
because of it.
Psalm 18- Bruce McGee

I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God. I have
been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. This was not a claim of
sinless perfection on David's part. In fact, the year or so before the death of King Saul
was spent in some significant measure of spiritual and moral compromise (1 Samuel
27; 29-30). Yet through it all David kept a core of integrity towards God, was
correctable despite his failings, and most importantly did not fail in the greatest test: to
gain the throne through killing or undermining Saul.

I have been blameless and have kept myself from sin. Some think this is arrogance
or pride on David's part. Yet we know there is certainly a sense in which we must keep
ourselves from sin, even as Paul spoke of a man cleansing himself for God's glory and
for greater service (2 Timothy 2:21).

The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness: David resisted the
remarkably strong temptation to depose Saul and take the throne promised to him by
either violence or intrigue. This was the consistent expression of righteousness that
the LORD rewarded by giving David a throne that could not be taken from him.
6. (verses 25-27) An abiding principle of God's dealing with man.

To the faithful you show yourself faithful: David understood a basic principle of
God's dealing with men; that God often treats a man in the same way that man treats
others.
o Jesus explained this principle in the Sermon on the Mount: For with what
judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be
measured back to you (Matthew 7:2). Human nature wants to use a small
measure of mercy with others, but expect a large measure of mercy from God.
Jesus told us to expect the same measure from God that we give to others.
o Leviticus 26:23-24 promises such a thing: And if by these things you are not
reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and
I will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
B. God's present and future power for David.
1. (verses 28-30) God gives His light and word to empower David.
3

You, Lord, Keep my lamp burning: David now moves from joyful thanks for the past
to confidence for the future. The same God who brought him to the throne would give
him the light he needed to rule, and enlighten his darkness.

With your help I can advance against a troop and scale a wall: This gives thanks for
past victories, and thanks God for present strength. One might think that after the 20some years of living as a fugitive from Saul, David would simply be exhausted. This was
not the case; God empowering him, he felt strong enough to accomplish superhuman
feats.
Psalm 18- Bruce McGee

As for God, his way is perfect; The Lord’s word is flawless: David spoke of the great
things he could do as empowered by God, but he came back to the thought of the
greatness of God. He considered the perfection of His way, and the proven character of
His word.
2. (verses 31-36) God gives David strength and skill.
4

For who is God, besides the Lord? David here celebrated the reality of the God of
Israel against the illusions of the gods of the nations. The Philistines, the Moabites, the
Edomites, and all the rest had their gods; but only Yahweh (the LORD) is God.

It is God who arms me with strength … He makes my feet like the feet of deer:
David knew by experience the strength of God given to him, and also the skill to use
such strength. This skill was like the skill that deer have, who can run effortlessly upon
the high places.

Your right hand sustains me; Your help (some translations- gentleness) has made
me great: David was held by the strength and skill of God's right hand, and made great
by the gentleness of God.
o In many ways God had shown His gentleness to David, and there were even
more ways after his victory over Saul and taking of the throne.
 God gentleness was great to David when he was a despised member of his
family, neglected, ignored, tending the sheep in solitude.
 God's gentleness was great to David when Saul began to envy and hate
him; consoling the soul of David who was rejected by the king.
 God's gentleness was great to David by giving him a friend like Jonathan.
 God's gentleness was great to David by allowing him to have the holy
bread at the tabernacle when fleeing from Saul.
 God's gentleness was great to David through Abigail, who kept him from
slaughtering a foolish man and his family.
 God's gentleness was great to David by granting him the self-control to
spare Saul's life - twice.
 God's gentleness was great to David even when he was foolish, such as
when he acted like a madman in the court of a Philistine ruler.
 God's gentleness was great to David to gently prevent him fighting on
behalf of the Philistines against Saul and Israel.
 God's gentleness was great to David when he lost all at Ziklag; where
David encouraged himself in the Lord and recovered all.
Psalm 18- Bruce McGee
o We notice also what this gentleness of God did: it made David great. We can say
that the gentleness of God makes every believer great also, more than they
often consider.
 Some people are great because of their royal birth; who has a greater
claim to royal birth than the son or daughter of the King of Kings?
 Some people are great because of their election; what greater election is
there than to be the elect of God?
 Some people are great because of their wealth; who has greater riches
than the children and heirs of the God who owns all?
 Some people are great because of their victories; who has achieved
greater victory than the one who is in unity with Jesus Christ, the greatest
champion of all?
 Some people are great because of their influence; who has greater
influence than the child of God who can move the hand of God with their
faithful and righteous prayers?
 Some people are great because of their discoveries; who has discovered
anything greater than the nature of the infinite and eternal God?
 Some people are great because of their history; who has a greater
heritage than a member of the body of Christ as it spans through the ages
and generations?
 Some people are great because of their destiny; who has a more glorious
and amazing destiny than the heirs of His glory; those who are His own
inheritance?
3. (verses 37-42) God gives David victory over his enemies.

I pursued my enemies and overtook them: Here David had in mind those other than
Saul, whom he did not describe (in any specific sense) as his enemy. David knew that as
King of Israel he would have to face enemies from surrounding nations, and here he
celebrated the past victories God gave him against his enemies.

I did not turn back until they were destroyed … they fell beneath my feet: David
fought as a true warrior, and sought to utterly defeat the enemies of Israel on the field
of battle. He properly believed that God gave him the victory over these enemies.
4. (verses 43-49) God establishes David's throne.
5

You have delivered me from the attacks of the people: David knew that taking the
throne of Israel was more than just a matter of removing Saul. There were also the
attacks of the people, of those who did not immediately support David as king over a
united Israel (2 Samuel 2-5).

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the nations (Gentiles), and
sing praises to Your name: On one level, this was David praising God for his
deliverance and safety among his neighboring kingdoms. On a second level, Paul quotes
this in Romans 15:8-12 as the first of four Old Testament prophesies demonstrating
that the work of Jesus Christ was not only for the Jewish people, but for the Gentiles
also.
Psalm 18- Bruce McGee
o Knowing this, at this point we are encouraged to look back over the entire psalm
for messianic meanings." We can then see many pictures of Jesus and His work
in this Psalm:
 Psalm 18:1-6 suggests His death (the cords of death entangle me…the
cords of the grave coiled around me)
 Psalm 18:7-18 suggests His resurrection (The earth trembled and
quaked, the foundations of the mountains shook; He reached down from
on high and took hold of me, he drew me out of deep waters).
 Psalm 18:19-27 suggests His exaltation (I have kept the ways of the Lord,
I am blameless before him…the Lord has rewarded me according to my
righteousness).
 Psalm 18:28-42 suggests His victory (With your help I can advance
against a troop). Jesus was strong enough to run against a troop and be
victorious; the enemies against us were strong and disciplined; yet Jesus
confronted them and defeated them. Jesus was great enough to jump over
a wall; the wall of God's holy law that separated us from Him. He didn't
destroy the wall; instead with His holy life He jumped over it and fulfilled
the law on our behalf.
 Psalm 18:43-50 suggests His kingdom (You have made me head of
nations…the people I did not know now serve me, you life me up above
those who rise against me).
5. (verse 50) God blesses His anointed king.


6
He gives his king great victories: David could say this with confidence; not only that
God would give him deliverance, but also more importantly that he was His king.
David knew this because he did all that he could to make sure that he did not seize or
assume the throne, but let God give it to him in time. David therefore had the blessed
benefit of knowing that he was God's king, and not one of his own making.
To David and his descendants forevermore: Here David understood something by
either intuition or by faith; something that would not be specifically promised to him
until later. The promise was that David (and not Saul) would begin a generational
monarchy in Israel, and that his descendants would also sit on the throne of Israel.
This was the promise to build a house for David that God explicitly made in 2 Samuel
7:1-17.