What does Psalm 18:46 mean?
ESV: The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation —
NIV: The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!
NASB: The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation,
CSB: The Lord lives—blessed be my rock! The God of my salvation is exalted.
NLT: The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted!
KJV: The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
NKJV: The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
Verse Commentary:
Pagans worship false gods. Then, as now, those imaginary beings were lifeless. Jeremiah describes them as idols that "are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk" (Jeremiah 10:5). Then he describes the true God. "There is none like you, O LORD; you are great in might" (Jeremiah 10:6). He further describes the Lord as "the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King" (Jeremiah 10:10).
David worshiped this living God and proclaimed Him as his "rock." He exalted the Lord as the God of his salvation (Psalm 18:46). David knew by experience that the God of the Bible is real and powerful; it was this God who rescued David from all his enemies (2 Samuel 22:1). David also knew that the Lord was the source of his safety and security.
This same living God is the believer's God. Through Jesus Christ, His Son, God delivers the believer from sin and eternal death and keeps him safe from the Devil's clutches (Colossians 1:13–14; 2 Timothy 4:18). As believers, we ought to exalt Him as the God of our salvation!
Verse Context:
Psalm 18:46–50 is the closing section of this song of praise. Here, David raises a crescendo of acclaim to the Lord. He addresses the Lord as his rock and the God of his salvation. Then he rehearses what the Lord did for him. Second Samuel 22:47–51 is a parallel passage. These words of praise were written when the Lord delivered David from his enemies and from Saul (2 Samuel 22:1). Romans 15:9–12 refers to praise to the Lord, and verse 9 quotes Psalm 18:49.
Chapter Summary:
In 2 Samuel chapter 22, David expresses praise for all the times in his life where God gave him victory. That prayer or song is copied almost identically here. Psalm 18, itself, might have been adapted for use in public worship. David remembers dire situations where God rescued him. He dramatically recounts how God provided rescue and power. David also credits God with rewarding his obedience by making him a powerful and successful military leader. For these reasons, David commits himself to the praise and worship of the Lord.
Chapter Context:
This psalm is David's prayer to the Lord in which David praises the Lord for making him victorious over his enemies. Second Samuel 5, 8, and 10 are companion chapters, and 2 Samuel 22 provides another version of this psalm. Second Samuel 22:1 tells us David composed Psalm 18 on the day the Lord delivered him from his enemies and Saul. Second Samuel 19 reports David's victorious return to Jerusalem after David vanquished his enemies.
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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Text from ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB, NLT, KJV, NKJV © Copyright respective owners, used by permission.
