Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 18:17
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
17. Figures are dropped, and David refers explicitly to his deliverance from his ‘strong’ or ‘fierce’ enemy Saul, and Saul’s partisans who hated him, from whom but for this Divine intervention he could not have escaped, for they were too mighty for him.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He delivered me from my strong enemy – The enemy that had more power than I had, and that was likely to overcome me. It is probable that the allusion here in the mind of the psalmist would be particularly to Saul.
And from them which hated me – From all who hated and persecuted me, in the time of Saul, and ever onward during my life.
For they were too strong for me – I had no power to resist them, and when I was about to sink under their opposition and malice, God interposed and rescued me. David, valiant and bold as he was as a warrior, was not ashamed, in the review of his life, to admit that he owed his preservation not to his own courage and skill in war, but to God; that his enemies were superior to himself in power; and that if God had not interposed he would have been crushed and destroyed. No man dishonors himself by acknowledging that he owes his success in the world to the divine interposition.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. He delivered me from my strong enemy] Does not this refer to his conflict with Ishbi-benob? “And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant-thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel;” 2Sa 21:16-17. It appears that at this time he was in the most imminent danger of his life, and that he must have fallen by the hands of the giant, if God had not sent Abishai to his assistance. They were too strong for me. He was nearly overpowered by the Philistines; and his escape was such as evidently to show it to be supernatural.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
From them that wanted neither malice nor power.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
He delivered me from my strong enemy,…. Which, as it may respect David, may be understood of Goliath the Philistine champion, who was a man of war from his youth; or Saul, king of Israel; and, as it may respect David’s antitype, may design either the chief priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, who were men of power and influence; or more especially Satan, the strong man armed, with all his principalities and powers; or, likewise death, the last enemy, from whose pains and cords he was loosed when raised from the dead, and when he was delivered from every other strong enemy;
and from them which hated me; from the old serpent the devil, between whom and him there has been a lasting enmity; and from the world, the people of the Jews, particularly the Pharisees, who bore an implacable hatred to Christ;
for they were too strong for me; as Goliath and Saul were too strong for David of himself, so Christ’s enemies were too strong for him; not as God, for he is the mighty God, the Almighty, and stronger than the strong man armed, but as man; for in his human nature he had a sinless weakness, which showed itself in his agonies in the garden; or a natural weakness, through which he was crucified; and this weak nature of Christ Satan attacked, and got an advantage over, and brought it to the dust of death, which is meant by his bruising his heel, though by it he got a broken head. But though Christ’s enemies were too strong for him, considered merely as man, they not being, at least many of them, flesh and blood, but principalities and powers; yet being helped by his Father, and supported by his divine nature, he overcame them, and was delivered from them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. My strong enemy The singular may be taken collectively for all his enemies; or, more probably, as pointing to Saul, who in the title of the psalm holds this distinction.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
Ver. 17. He delivered me from my strong enemy ] Saul; this he oft instanceth, rolling it as sugar under his tongue, and turning aside often to look upon it, as Samson did to see his dead lion fetching honey out of it.
For they were too strong for me
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
strong = strong (for might). Hebrew. ‘azaz. Not same word as verses: Psa 18:1, Psa 18:2, Psa 18:32, Psa 1:39.
strong = strong (for activity). Hebrew. ‘amaz. Not same word as verses: Psa 18:1, Psa 18:2, Psa 18:32, Psa 1:39.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
strong: Psa 38:19, 2Sa 22:1, 2Sa 22:18, Heb 2:14, Heb 2:15
them: Psa 18:40, Psa 18:41, Psa 9:13, Psa 25:19, Psa 69:4-14, Psa 118:7, Job 16:9, Luk 19:14
they were: Psa 35:10, Eph 6:10-12
Reciprocal: 1Sa 11:9 – help 1Sa 17:37 – The Lord 1Sa 19:10 – he slipped Psa 40:2 – brought Psa 118:13 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
18:17 He delivered me from my {n} strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were {o} too strong for me.
(n) That is, Saul.
(o) Therefore God sent me help.