Psa 18:43-46 | KingComments | STEP | In we see Christ in the picture of David, the risen and glorified Lord, equipped by God for the battle. In the verses which now come before our attention, we see in the picture of David that Christ completely defeats and destroys His enemies ( ). He then establishes His kingdom on earth and reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords ( ; ; ). He is Head of His people and of all the nations. All the nations submit to His rule, even if by many this is done only feignedly, insincerely, hypocritically. Through the exercise of battle, the sustaining power of God and a broad place for His feet, David is ready to sing of the victory over his enemies. With great speed and power he had pursued and overtaken his enemies ( ). He did not turn back until he had destroyed all his enemies. There was no doubt about the outcome of the battle. No enemy remained who had any strength left to resist, let alone defeat him, for he “shattered them, so that they were not able to rise” ( ). They fell under his feet, which means that he completely submitted them to him. It was a complete victory. He owed that total victory to God. He says so in . God had girded him with strength for battle ( ). We are told to fight the good fight of faith ( ). We can also achieve victories in the spiritual fight only if we strengthen ourselves in the power of His strength ( ; cf. ). God has subdued under David those who rose up against him. He had forced the enemy to surrender. He had caused his enemies to flee from him ( ). A footnote in the Dutch Bible Translation says that of God’s dealings with the enemies it literally says “gave for me the neck” of the enemy. The translators have interpreted that as ‘showing the neck’ or fleeing. But the translation ‘giving of the neck’ seems to render the meaning better. It means that David could put his foot on the neck of his opponents as proof that he had completely subdued them (cf. ; ). David completely subdued his enemies. He did not kill everyone on whom he had set his foot. He distinguished between leaders and followers. The leaders were those who hated him. Them he destroyed and thus ended their power and the possibility of organizing another rebellion against him. In , David expresses the total helplessness and hopelessness of the defeated enemies. They cried for help, for mercy, to be allowed to live. But there was no one to help them so that their lives might be spared. Even when finally, as a last straw for salvation, they cried to the LORD, they received no answer from Him. God knows that had He saved them, they would reject Him again. There was no sincerity in their cry. He always answers and saves one who is in need and cries to Him sincerely. We see this with David, whom He answered and saved. God did not answer these enemies because they only wanted to be spared from the sword. They wanted to stay alive. They did not cry to God because of their sinful deeds with the acknowledgment that they did not deserve to stay alive. People who give up their right to life, while acknowledging that they deserve death, find life. David’s enemies got what they deserved. He “beat them fine as the dust before the wind” ( ; cf. ). His enemies were made into grit, powerless, like dust blown away by the wind in all directions. As powerless as they were, so worthless and vile they were also. He “emptied them out as the mire of the streets”. Mire is something that you clear away. It makes you dirty and you take it with you, thereby defiling others and leaving a trail of defilement behind you. That is why you clean away mire. Mire also doesn’t offer any grip. David treated his enemies like mire (cf. ). David was also “delivered” by the LORD “from the contentions of the people” ( ). Apart from the fact that his enemies actually fought him, they also tried to indict him. Indictments are a powerful means of demolishing a person’s spiritual strength. God did not allow this to happen. He stripped the denunciations of their power by giving David His unconditional support. If God is for someone, who will be against him and be able to bring accusations against him ( )? Instead of letting the contentions do their pernicious work, God “placed” David “as head of the nations”. God had not only confirmed him in his kingship over Israel, but also given the nations around Israel under his authority ( ). It is prophetically the fulfillment of what is written in Psalm 2 ( ). His name and fame extended far beyond the borders of Israel as a result, and every single nation with which he had not been in contact before served him. The terror for him was so great (cf. ), that there was immediate obedience among those nations as soon as their ear heard of him ( ). There was no thought of opposition to him. They were seeking his favor. The “foreigners”, those who were not among God’s people, feigned submission to David. They bowed with their heads, but not with their hearts. It was a calculated, hypocritical submission. They shuddered at his strength and power. It was honoring out of self-preservation, out of self-love, and not out of love for David. David accepted it, although he knew their hypocrisy. He did not let himself be deceived. In the prophetic application we see here an indication that not all people who enter the realm of peace are also born again. Many will only submit outwardly to the government of the Lord Jesus (cf. ). These strangers will eventually be exposed ( ). They may persist in hypocrisy for a long time, but the hour of truth will come. They will succumb to the pressure of the truth and come “trembling out of their fortresses”, the places of their own pursuits and security. Because there is no relationship of love with David, they will not have a lasting relationship with him and will miss the ultimate blessing.

‏ Psalms 18:43-46

God Gives the Victory

In Psa 18:32-36 we see Christ in the picture of David, the risen and glorified Lord, equipped by God for the battle. In the verses which now come before our attention, we see in the picture of David that Christ completely defeats and destroys His enemies (Psa 18:37-42). He then establishes His kingdom on earth and reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords (Psa 18:43-46; 1Cor 15:25; Rev 19:11-16 ; Rev 20:7-10). He is Head of His people and of all the nations. All the nations submit to His rule, even if by many this is done only feignedly, insincerely, hypocritically.

Through the exercise of battle, the sustaining power of God and a broad place for His feet, David is ready to sing of the victory over his enemies. With great speed and power he had pursued and overtaken his enemies (Psa 18:37). He did not turn back until he had destroyed all his enemies. There was no doubt about the outcome of the battle. No enemy remained who had any strength left to resist, let alone defeat him, for he “shattered them, so that they were not able to rise” (Psa 18:38). They fell under his feet, which means that he completely submitted them to him. It was a complete victory.

He owed that total victory to God. He says so in Psa 18:39-40. God had girded him with strength for battle (Psa 18:39). We are told to fight the good fight of faith (1Tim 6:12). We can also achieve victories in the spiritual fight only if we strengthen ourselves in the power of His strength (Eph 6:10; cf. 2Tim 2:1).

God has subdued under David those who rose up against him. He had forced the enemy to surrender. He had caused his enemies to flee from him (Psa 18:40). A footnote in the Dutch Bible Translation says that of God’s dealings with the enemies it literally says “gave for me the neck” of the enemy. The translators have interpreted that as ‘showing the neck’ or fleeing. But the translation ‘giving of the neck’ seems to render the meaning better. It means that David could put his foot on the neck of his opponents as proof that he had completely subdued them (cf. Jos 10:24; Gen 49:8).

David completely subdued his enemies. He did not kill everyone on whom he had set his foot. He distinguished between leaders and followers. The leaders were those who hated him. Them he destroyed and thus ended their power and the possibility of organizing another rebellion against him.

In Psa 18:41, David expresses the total helplessness and hopelessness of the defeated enemies. They cried for help, for mercy, to be allowed to live. But there was no one to help them so that their lives might be spared. Even when finally, as a last straw for salvation, they cried to the LORD, they received no answer from Him. God knows that had He saved them, they would reject Him again. There was no sincerity in their cry.

He always answers and saves one who is in need and cries to Him sincerely. We see this with David, whom He answered and saved. God did not answer these enemies because they only wanted to be spared from the sword. They wanted to stay alive. They did not cry to God because of their sinful deeds with the acknowledgment that they did not deserve to stay alive. People who give up their right to life, while acknowledging that they deserve death, find life.

David’s enemies got what they deserved. He “beat them fine as the dust before the wind” (Psa 18:42; cf. Dan 2:35 ; 44). His enemies were made into grit, powerless, like dust blown away by the wind in all directions. As powerless as they were, so worthless and vile they were also. He “emptied them out as the mire of the streets”. Mire is something that you clear away. It makes you dirty and you take it with you, thereby defiling others and leaving a trail of defilement behind you. That is why you clean away mire. Mire also doesn’t offer any grip. David treated his enemies like mire (cf. Isa 10:6).

David was also “delivered” by the LORD “from the contentions of the people” (Psa 18:43). Apart from the fact that his enemies actually fought him, they also tried to indict him. Indictments are a powerful means of demolishing a person’s spiritual strength. God did not allow this to happen. He stripped the denunciations of their power by giving David His unconditional support. If God is for someone, who will be against him and be able to bring accusations against him (Rom 8:31 ; 33)?

Instead of letting the contentions do their pernicious work, God “placed” David “as head of the nations”. God had not only confirmed him in his kingship over Israel, but also given the nations around Israel under his authority (2Sam 8:1-14). It is prophetically the fulfillment of what is written in Psalm 2 (Psa 2:8). His name and fame extended far beyond the borders of Israel as a result, and every single nation with which he had not been in contact before served him.

The terror for him was so great (cf. Psa 2:8-10), that there was immediate obedience among those nations as soon as their ear heard of him (Psa 18:44). There was no thought of opposition to him. They were seeking his favor. The “foreigners”, those who were not among God’s people, feigned submission to David. They bowed with their heads, but not with their hearts. It was a calculated, hypocritical submission. They shuddered at his strength and power. It was honoring out of self-preservation, out of self-love, and not out of love for David. David accepted it, although he knew their hypocrisy. He did not let himself be deceived.

In the prophetic application we see here an indication that not all people who enter the realm of peace are also born again. Many will only submit outwardly to the government of the Lord Jesus (cf. Psa 66:3).

These strangers will eventually be exposed (Psa 18:45). They may persist in hypocrisy for a long time, but the hour of truth will come. They will succumb to the pressure of the truth and come “trembling out of their fortresses”, the places of their own pursuits and security. Because there is no relationship of love with David, they will not have a lasting relationship with him and will miss the ultimate blessing.

Giving Thanks to God

David concludes his song with a giving of thanks to God. Because God has given Him the strength for the victories, David gives Him all the glory for it. That “the LORD lives” (Psa 18:46), He certainly showed in all His actions in favor of David.

How wonderful it is to know, and to realize as a reality daily in our hearts, that we have a Lord Who lives! He is the living God (Deu 5:26; Jos 3:10; 2Kgs 19:4; Psa 42:2; Mt 16:16; 1Thes 1:9). This is in contrast to the dead idols of the nations. The gods of the nations were not able to help their worshipers. Of course not, because they are not alive. They don’t even exist, they are vanity, emptiness.

Once again David praises the LORD as “my rock”. With that name for God, he began his song (Psa 18:2). In the psalm, David has demonstrated that God is worthy of that name to the fullest. He therefore mentions that name again. God has rescued him from all distress, helped him defeat his enemies, and given him a high position. God has done everything as the unshakable rock. At the same time, the end result is thus unshakably fixed. No one will ever be able to change that.

By saying “blessed” or “praised” he also calls on others to praise God for being his rock. The same applies to “exalted be the God of my salvation”. Here it refers to his salvation that God has worked for him. What God has done for him and with him, is also a reason for others to praise Him. David directs his attention to the One Who has been so good to him. It is truly the case that God has done everything. Therefore He alone deserves all the glory.

In Psa 18:47 he addresses God directly as “the God who executes vengeance for me”. David never took the law into his own hands. He left vengeance, or righteous retribution, over the evil done to him to God (Deu 32:35). This principle is also held out to us New Testament believers (Rom 12:19). God has subjected nations to him. God did that by giving David the power to subdue those nations. David is well aware of that. He takes no credit for himself, but gives God all the credit.

The same goes for the deliverance of his enemies and the exalted place he takes above those who rise up against him (Psa 18:48). Instead of being dominated by them, he rules over them. He is exalted; they are humbled. A special word David devotes to “the violent man” from whom God has delivered him. It may be that David is thinking of Saul in this context. It is also possible that he is thinking of his own son Absalom. Prophetically, we can apply this to the antichrist or the king of the North, the Assyrian. Both are men of much violence.

Because of the deliverance he sang about in the previous verses, David says to the LORD in Psa 18:49: “Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord, and I will sing praises to Your name.” Paul quotes this verse to make it clear that the coming of the Lord Jesus – of Whom David in this psalm is a remarkable picture in so many ways – means blessing not only for Israel, but also for the nations (Rom 15:9).

For God, the work of His Son is so great that He cannot restrict its effects to Israel (Isa 49:6). He wants all nations to share in the mercy that has come to people through Christ and is offered to all people. The result is that God is glorified and exalted everywhere. That is exactly what this verse says and why Paul quotes it. It is about the deliverance of the remnant by God from the hand of the enemy. This deliverance is the occasion for them to confess God’s Name among the nations.

David is aware that his “great deliverance” is given to him by God and that it is the result of the “lovingkindness” shown “to His anointed” (Psa 18:50). ‘Lovingkindness’ here is again the translation of the Hebrew word Adonai which means ‘covenant faithfulness’.

From the New Testament, we understand that the LORD can give His blessing in accordance with the covenant because the Mediator of that covenant has fulfilled everything. It is not only to Him, it is also through Him. This lovingkindness will never fail because in fact it is about the Anointed, the Lord Jesus, the Christ, the Man of God’s good pleasure. In Him all the promises of God are yes and amen (2Cor 1:20).

Because of “His anointed”, Christ, God will also show lovingkindness “to David and his descendants forever”. What an awesome prospect. God’s faithfulness to His Anointed is also the basis for us that God will act in our favor. There is nothing in or of ourselves, everything is from Him and through Him. To Him be all the praise and glory for all eternity!