PSALM XVIII.

To the chief Musician. A Psalm of DAVID, the servant of the Lord, who 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 Saul: And he said.

In this psalm of thanksgiving for manifold deliverances, observe (1) David's ardent love to God in Christ, whom he believed to be HIS OWN, in every gracious and saving relation; and whom he had experienced his merciful, almighty and seasonable deliverer, from depths of trouble, ver. 1-19. (2) His comfortable reflections on the integrity, which the Lord had enabled him to maintain, and on the gracious kindness of God consequential thereupon, ver. 20-28. (3) His thankful ascription of all the glory of his noted exploits to God as his director and strengthener, ver. 29-42. (4) His triumphant faith and hope of further assistance and favour from God, to himself and to his seed for evermore, ver. 43--50.

But let me not forget Jesus, to whom JEHOVAH is so closely, so marvellously, so sweetly related: JESUS, who so ardently loveth his eternal Father, and for ever returns the grateful remembrance of his kindness to him, and to his chosen seed, in delivering him from distress, in raising him from the dead; in rewarding his obcdience unto death, in giving him glory at his own right hand, and in rendering all nations his obedient subjects. Let me sing this new song in the full assurance of faith, that God in Christ is my ALL and IN ALL; and with an heart ravished with the consolations of Christ, and in the sweet reviews of what he hath done, what he doth, and what he will for ever do, for my soul.

HEE will I love, O Lord, my strength. 2 My fortress is the Lord;

T"

My rock, and him that doth to me,

deliverance afford:

E

My God, my strength, whom I will trust,

a buckler unto me,

The horn of my salvation,
and my high tow'r is he.

3 Upon the Lord, who worthy is
of praises, will I cry :
And then shall I preserved be
safe from mine enemy.

4 Floods of ill men affrighted me,
death's pangs about me went.
5 Hell's sorrows me environed :

death's snares did me prevent. 6 In my distress I call'd on God, cry to my God did I:

He from his temple heard my voice,

to his ears came my cry.

7 Th' earth, as affrighted, then did shakę, trembling upon it seiz'd;

The hills' foundations moved were,
because he was displeas'd.

8 Up from his nostrils came a smoke,
and from his mouth there came
Devouring fire, and coals by it
were turned into flame.

9 He also bowed down the heav'ns,
and thence he did descend :

And thickest clouds of darkness did
under his feet attend.

40 And he upon a cherub rode,
and thereon he did fly:

Yea, on the swift wings of the wind
his flight was from on high.

11 He darkness made his secret place:
about him for his tent

Dark waters were and thickest clouds
of the airy firmament.

12 And at the brightness of that light
which was before his eye,

His thick clouds pass'd away, hail-stones. and coals of fire did fly.

13 The Lord God also in the heavens
did thunder in his ire;

And there the highest gave his voice,
hail-stones and coals of fire.

14 Yea, he his arrows sent abroad,
and them he scattered;

His lightnings also he shot out,
and them discomfited.

15 The waters' channels then were seen,
the world's foundations vast

At thy rebuke discover'd were,
and at thy nostrils' blast.

16. And from above the Lord sent down,
and took me from below;
From many waters he me drew,
which would me overflow.

17 He me reliev'd from my strong foes,
and such as did me hate:

Because he saw that they for me,
too strong were and too great.

18 They me prevented in the day
of my calamity;

But, even then, the Lord himself
a stay was unto me.

19 He to a place where liberty

and room was, hath me brought
Because he took delight in me,
he my deliverance wrought.

20 According to my righteousness,
he did me recompense;
He me repaid according to
my hands' pure innocence.
21 For I God's ways kept, from my God
did not turn wickedly.

22 His judgments were before me, I
his laws put not from me.

23 Sincere before him was my heart,
with him upright was I,

And watchfully I kept myself
from mine iniquity.

24 After my righteousness the Lord
hath recompensed me,

After the cleanness of my hands
appearing in his eye.

25 Thou gracious to the gracious art,
to upright men upright.

26 Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth'st unto the froward wight.

27 For thou wilt the afflicted save,
in grief that low do lie:

But will bring down the countenance
of them whose looks are high.

28 The Lord will light my candle so,
that it shall shine full bright:
The Lord my God will also make
my darkness to be light.

29 By thee through troops of men I break,. and them discomfit all:

And, by my God assisting me,

I overleap a wall.

30 As for God, perfect is his way: the Lord his word is try'd:

He is a buckler to all those

who do in him confide.

31 Who but the Lord is God? but he who is a rock and stay?

32 'Tis God that girdeth me with strength, and perfect makes my way.

33 He made my feet swift as the hind's, set me on my high places.

34 Mine hands to war he taught, mine arms, brake bows of steel in pieces.

35 The shield of my salvation

Thou didst on me bestow :

Thy right hand held me up, and great
thy kindness made me grow.

36 And in my way my steps thou hast
enlarged under me;

That I go safely, and my feet
are kept from sliding free.

87 mine en'mies I pursued have,

and did them overtake :

Nor did I turn again, till I

an end of them did make.

38 I wounded them, they could not rise; they at my feet did fall.

39 Thou girdest me with strength for war: my foes thou brought'st down all.

40 And thou hast given to me the necks
of all mine enemies :

That I might them destroy and slay
who did against me rise.

41 They cried out, but there was none
that would or could them save:
Yea, they did cry unto the Lord,
but he no answer gave.

E e