Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 18:44
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
44. As soon as they heard of me they offered me obedience,
Strangers came cringing unto me.
At the mere report of David’s victories foreign nations offered their allegiance, as for example Toi of Hamath. See 2Sa 8:9 ff. The word rendered submit themselves, marg. yield feigned obedience, denotes originally the unwilling homage paid by the vanquished to their conqueror. Cp. Deu 33:29; Psa 66:3; Psa 81:15.
In 2 Sam. the order of the clauses is inverted.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me – Margin, as in Hebrew, At the hearing of the ear. That is, their submission will be prompt and immediate. The fame of my victories will be such as to render resistance hopeless; my fame, as at the head of a mighty empire, will be such as to lead them to desire my friendship and protection.
The strangers – Margin, as in Hebrew, The sons of the stranger. The word refers to foreigners, to those of other nations. His name and deeds would inspire such respect, or create such a dread of his power, that they would be glad to seek his friendship, and would readily submit to his dominion.
Shall submit themselves unto me – Margin, yield feigned obedience. The Hebrew word used here – kachash – means properly to lie, to speak lies; then, to deceive, or disappoint; then, to feign, to flatter, to play the hypocrite. It is manifestly used in this sense here, as referring to those who, awed by the terror of his name and power, would come and profess subjection to him as a conqueror. Yet the use of the word here implies that he was aware that, in many cases, this would be only a feigned submission, or that the homage would be hypocritical; homage inspired by terror, not by love. Undoubtedly, much of the professed subjection of conquered nations is of this kind, and it would be well if all conquerors understood this as David did. He accepted, indeed, the acquiescence and the submission, but he understood the cause; and this knowledge would only tend to make his throne more secure, as it would save him from putting confidence or trust where there was no certainty that it would be well placed.
Toward David as a sovereign there was much real loyalty, but there was also much professed allegiance that was false and hollow; allegiance which would endure only while his power lasted, and which would only wait for an opportunity to throw off the yoke. In respect to God, also, there are not a few who feignedly submit to him, or who yield feigned obedience. They, too, are awed by his power. They know that he is able to destroy. They see the tokens of his greatness and majesty, and they come and profess submission to him – a submission founded on terror, not on love; a submission which would cease at once could they be assured of safety if they should renounce their allegiance to him. And as David was not ignorant of the fact that not a little of the professed submission to him was false and feigned – so, in a much higher sense – in a much more accurate manner – God is aware of the fact that many who profess to be subject to him are subject in profession only; that if they could do it with safety, they would throw off the very appearance of loyalty, and carry out in reality what exists in their hearts. It must have been sad for David to reflect how greatly the number of his professed subjects might have been diminished, if none had been retained but those who truly loved his reign, and respected him as a sovereign; it is sad to reflect how greatly the number of the professed friends of God would be diminished, if all those should withdraw who have yielded only reigned obedience to him! Yet the Church would be the better and the stronger for it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 44. As soon as they hear of me] His victories were so rapid and splendid over powerful enemies, that they struck a general terror among the people, and several submitted without a contest.
Strangers shall submit themselves unto me.] Some translate this: “The children of the foreign woman have lied unto me.” This has been understood two ways: My own people, who have sworn fealty to me, have broken their obligation, and followed my rebellious son. Or, The heathens, who have been brought under my yoke, have promised the most cordial obedience, and flattered me with their tongues, while their hearts felt enmity against me and my government. Nevertheless, even in this unwilling subjection I was secure, my police being so efficient, and my kingdom so strong.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As soon as they hear of me; either,
1. At the fame of my name and victorious arms. Or,
2. At the first tidings of my coming towards them. Or rather,
3. As soon as they understand my will and pleasure, they shall instantly comply with it.
Submit themselves unto me, Heb. shall lie unto me, i.e. shall submit themselves to me not willingly and cheerfullly, as they will pretend, but only out of fear, and by constraint; by which it appears that this is spoken with reference to David, and not (as some would have it) to Christ, because Christs people are a willing people, Psa 110:3, and those whom he conquers do freely obey him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
44. submit, &c.(compareMargin)that is, show a forced subjection.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me,…. That is, as soon as they should hear of Christ, through the preaching of the word, by which faith would come, they should readily and at once receive, embrace, and profess the Gospel, and yield a cheerful submission to the ordinances of it; and which has had its accomplishment among the Gentiles, Ac 28:28;
the strangers shall submit themselves unto me; meaning either the same persons as before; the Gentiles, who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise, who should submit to Christ, to his Gospel, to his righteousness, and to the sceptre of his kingdom; though some interpret it of the degenerate Jews, “the sons of the stranger”, as the words may be rendered; who, though called the children of God, and the children of the kingdom, yet were, as our Lord says, of their father the devil; and these, some of them, in a flattering and dissembling way, feigned themselves to be the followers and disciples of Christ: and, indeed, it looks as if hypocrites were intended, whether among Jews or Gentiles, or both, since the word here used, and rendered “submit”, signifies to “lie”; and so it is in the metaphrase of Apollinarius; or, as in the margin of some Bibles, to “yield a feigned obedience”; see Ps 66:3. There seems to be an allusion to the conquest of nations, some of the inhabitants of which readily and heartily submit, but others only feignedly, and through fear, and the force of superior power they cannot withstand.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
44. At the simple fame of my name they shall obey me. This is of the same import with the last clause of the preceding verse. Although David, by his victories, had acquired such reputation and renown, that many laid down their arms and came voluntarily to surrender themselves to him; yet, as they also had been subdued through the dread of the power of his arms, which they saw their neighbors had experienced to their smart, it cannot be said, properly speaking, that at the simple fame of the name of David they submitted themselves to him. This applies more truly to the person of Christ, who, by means of his word, subdues the world to himself, and, at the simple hearing of his name, makes those obedient to him who before had been rebels against him. As David was intended to be a type of Christ, God subjected to his authority distant nations, and such as before had been unknown to Israel in so far as familiar intercourse was concerned. But that was only a prelude, and, as it were, preparatory to the dominion promised to Christ, the boundaries of which must be extended to the uttermost ends of the earth. In like manner, David had acquired to himself so great a name by arms and warlike prowess, that many of his enemies, subdued by fear, submitted themselves to him. And in this God exhibited a type of the conquest which Christ would make of the Gentiles, who, by the preaching of the Gospel alone, were subdued, and brought voluntarily to submit to his dominion; for the obedience of faith in which the dominion of Christ is founded “cometh by hearing,” (Rom 10:17.)
The children of strangers shall lie to me. Here there is described what commonly happens in new dominions acquired by conquest, namely, that those who have been vanquished pay homage with great reverence to their conqueror; but it is by a reigned and forced humility. They obey in a slavish manner, and not willingly or cheerfully. This is evidently the sense. Some interpreters, indeed, give a different explanation of the word lie, viewing David as meaning by it that his enemies had either been disappointed in their expectation, or that, in order to escape the punishment which they were afraid he might inflict upon them, they had lied in declaring that they had never devised any thing hostile against him; but it appears to me, that this does not sufficiently express what David intended. In my opinion, therefore, the words to lie are here to be understood generally as in other places, for to be humbled after a slavish manner. The Hebrew word כהש, cachash, here used, which signifies to lie, is sometimes to be understood metaphorically for to be humbled, to submit to, to take upon one’s self the yoke of subjection; (437) but still in a feigned and servile manner. Those whom he terms the children of the stranger, or of strangers, are the nations who did not belong to the people of Israel, but who, previous to their being conquered by him, formed a distinct and an independent community by themselves. This also we see fulfilled in Christ, to whom many come with apparent humility; not, however, with true affection, but with a double and false heart, whom, on that account, the Holy Spirit fitly terms strangers. They are, indeed, mingled among the chosen people, but they are not united to the same body with them by a true faith, and, therefore, ought not to be accounted children of the Church. It is very true that all the Gentiles, when in the beginning they were called into the Church, were strangers; but when they began to entertain new feelings and new affections towards Christ, they who before were “strangers and foreigners” became
“
fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,” (Eph 2:19.)
(437) The Syriac version reads, “They shall submit themselves to me;” meaning a forced, and so a feigned and hypocritical subjection.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(44) As soon asi.e., at the bare mention of my victories. An actual instance is recorded (2Sa. 8:9, seq.). For the expression, comp. Job. 42:5.
The strangers shall.See margin. More literally, come with flattery. In Samuel the two clauses are transposed and slightly varied.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
44. Strangers shall submit themselves The verb kahash, to submit, in Piel takes the signification of feign, flatter, and denotes an insincere or feigned submission, such as a captive gives to a conqueror. But this indicates the amazing power of David’s name. No sooner will the people dwelling beyond the subjugated kingdoms hear the news of his conquests, than, however unwillingly, they will hasten to acknowledge his superiority and conciliate his favour. Such was the effect upon the nations of the exodus miracles. Exo 15:14-16. And thus did the fame of the miracles of Christ and his apostles everywhere precede them, and prepare the way for further conquests.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 18:44. The strangers shall submit themselves unto me The Hebrew is literally, The sons of the stranger have lied unto me; “The foreign nations that I have conquered have promised me their obedience, and, dissembling their hatred and hostility, have submitted to my government; offered me their service, and paid me through compulsion the tribute that I demanded of them.” Nothing can argue a more wretched and servile subjection than to be forced to compliment a conqueror at the expence of truth and liberty; and with a lying mouth, and treacherous heart, to give him assurances of fidelity. Chandler.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 18:44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
Ver. 44. As soon as they hear of me ] Heb. At the hearing of the ear; that is, by the preaching of the gospel they shall be brought to yield the obedience of faith.
The strangers shall submit
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
strangers = sons of the foreigner.
submit = come cringing.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
As soon: etc. Heb. at the hearing of the ear, Rom 10:16, Rom 10:17
strangers: Heb. sons of the stranger, Psa 66:3, Psa 81:15, Deu 33:29, 2Sa 1:13, Isa 62:8, Eze 44:7, *marg.
shall submit: or, yield feigned obedience, Heb. lie, Psa 68:30, Psa 81:15, 2Sa 22:44-46
Reciprocal: 1Sa 6:5 – give glory 2Sa 22:45 – submit themselves 1Ki 21:29 – Ahab 1Ch 14:17 – fame of David 1Ch 18:6 – became David’s 1Ch 19:19 – the servants Psa 17:1 – not out of feigned lips Psa 78:36 – lied Jer 3:10 – feignedly Jer 42:20 – For ye Rom 6:17 – but ye 2Co 10:5 – the obedience 2Th 1:8 – and that 2Ti 1:5 – unfeigned 2Pe 2:3 – with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
18:44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall {i} submit themselves unto me.
(i) Or lie: signifying a subjection constrained and not voluntary.