Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 118:18
The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
The Lord hath chastened me sore – Hebrew, The Lord has chastened – has chastened me. See the notes at Psa 118:13. The psalmist had been greatly afflicted, and he now looked upon his affliction in the light of a fatherly chastisement or correction. It had been a severe trial, and he was not insensible to its severity, though he regarded it as designed for his own good.
But he hath not given we over unto death – He interposed when I was in danger; he rescued me when I was on the verge of the grave. This is the close of the psalmists statement in regard to the divine dealings with him. He had passed through great danger; he had been sorely afflicted; but he had been rescued and spared, and he came now to express his thanks to God for his recovery. In the following verse he addresses those who had the care of the sanctuary, and asks that he might be permitted to enter and offer his thanks to God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 118:18
The Lord hath chastened me sore: but He hath not given me over unto death.
The afflictions of Gods people
I. The condition.
1. The Author of it. Affliction comes not out of the dust; God is the Inflicter of all evils and crosses upon us.
(1) Look up to the Lord in every affliction and labour So see Him in it.
(2) Here is matter of comfort to the servants of God: that whosoever, or whatsoever may be the instrument, God Himself is the principal cause of every trouble to them. It is the cup which their Father gives them to drink, and therefore they may be sure that it is well mingled and tempered for them.
2. The nature of it–a chastening, for the better rule and government of His family. (l) To wean us from the world, and an inordinate love of things below.
(2) To embitter sin to us, and subdue corruption.
(3) For examples to others–
(a) of warning, that they may avoid and take heed of the like provocations;
(b) of patience, that they may be strengthened to endure the like afflictions.
3. The aggravation.
(1) The frequency of these chastenings, not once only, but often, even again and again.
(2) The multitude of these chastenings, not one single one only, but many, one in the neck of another.
(3) The grievousness and tediousness of them, not some light ones only, but such as were very irksome and hard to be borne.
II. The qualification. But He hath not given me over unto death. Consider these words–
1. In their connection, add so they are a qualification of those that went before, and they serve to show unto us the manner of Gods dealings with His people, which is to mitigate His afflictions of them, and to correct them still in measure; He chastens them but does not undo them. Thus (2Co 6:9; 2Co 4:8-9; 1Co 10:13; Lam 3:32).
(1) Gods aim and intent is not destruction but reformation, which death doth hinder and prevent the opportunities of, unto us.
(2) As God does thus mitigate His corrections in wisdom, so also in mercy, because He is a gracious God, and He continues still so to be without alteration (Lam 3:22; Mal 3:6).
2. Absolutely. He hath not given me over unto death.
(1) Out of His goodness, and mercy, and love to His people.
(2) Because He has work and service for them to do.
(3) For the good and comfort of their friends. (T. Hereon, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Hath chastened me sore by the hands of mine enemies, whom God used to that very purpose for my greater good, and their own greater and surer ruin and confusion.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The Lord hath chastened me sore,…. Or, “in chastening hath chastened me” d. David was exercised with many afflictions; and though these were sore ones to the flesh, yet they were only the chastenings of a Father, and were all in love and for his good; as are all the afflictions of God’s people; for whom he loves he chastens. Indeed the chastisement of the Messiah was a proper punishment for sin, and so a sore one indeed; he being the surety of his people, on whom “the chastisement [of] their peace was laid”; that is, the punishment of their sin, Isa 53:5;
but he hath not given me over unto death; as yet, or to the power of it, so as to continue under it. This is to be understood in the sense as before; [See comments on Ps 118:17].
d “corripiendo corripuit me”, Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius; “castigando castigavit me”, Musculus, Vatablus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
18. In chastising God has chastised me. In these words David owns that his enemies assailed him unjustly, that they were employed by God to correct him, that this was fatherly chastisement, God not inflicting a deadly wound, but correcting him in measure and in mercy. He seems to anticipate the perverse decisions of perverse men which grievously pressed upon him, as if all the ills which he had endured were so many evidences of his being cast off by God. These calumnies which the reprobate cast upon him he applies very differently, by declaring that his correction was mild and paternal. The main thing in adversity is to know that we are laid low by the hand of God, and that this is the way which he takes to prove our allegiance, to arouse us from our torpidity, to crucify our old man, to purge us from our filthiness, to bring us into submission and subjection to God, and to excite us to meditate on the heavenly life.
If these things were recollected by us, there is not one of us who would not shudder at the thought of fretting against God, but would much rather yield submission to him with a mild and meek spirit. Our champing the bit, and rushing forward impatiently, certainly proceeds from the majority of men not looking upon their afflictions as God’s rods, and from others not participating in his paternal care. The last clause of the verse, therefore, merits particular attention, That God always deals mercifully with his own people, so that his correction proves their cure. Not that his paternal regard is always visible, but that in the end it will be shown that his chastisements, so far from being deadly, serve the purpose of a medicine, which, though it produce a temporary debility, rids us of our malady, and renders us healthy and vigorous.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
18. Unto death Still the image of death, so recently escaped, (Psa 118:17,) is before him. There is a wonderful freshness and life in this psalm. It is the recital of experience.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 118:18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
Ver. 18. The Lord hath chastened me sore ] Corripuit me seria et severa castigatione; and yet David was his darling.
But he hath not given me over unto death
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 118:18-20
Psa 118:18-20
“Jehovah hath chastened me sore;
But he hath not given me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness:
I will enter into them, I will give thanks unto Jehovah.
This is the gate of Jehovah;
The righteous shall enter into it.”
“Jehovah hath chastened me sore” (Psa 118:18). The hardships, sufferings, anxieties, and constant threat of death that hounded the steps of David during the final years of Saul’s reign fully qualify as the object of such a reference as this. David rejoiced that, at least, God had saved him from death. Therefore King David will enter the Tabernacle with thanksgivings, sacrifices, and praises to God.
“The gates of righteousness” (Psa 118:19). This means that only the righteous were supposed to enter; but, of course, the wicked also found their way through the gates on occasion. Some of the wickedest people in history were the evil High Priests of Israel, Annas and Caiaphas being those who engineered the crucifixion of the Messiah.
This was the gate of “righteousness” in another sense. God’s presence was manifested in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle; and, as Delitzsch pointed out, “The word `righteousness’ comprehends within itself all of the attributes of God mentioned in Exo 34:6 ff.”
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 118:18. David believed that the opposition of his enemies was an instrument in God’s hands to test his faith. He was aware that it would not go far enough to slay him.
Psa 118:19. Gates of righteousness is a figure of speech, meaning the ways of right doing. It is similar in thought to the expression “door of opportunity.” The direct meaning of David was that as the Lord showed him the good and the right way, he would gladly walk therein all the days of his life.
Psa 118:20. The Psalmist identifies the gates of righteousness of the preceding verse by the words gates of the Lord in this verse. He furthermore declares that the righteous will enter thereat.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
chastened: Psa 66:10-12, Psa 94:12, Psa 94:13, 2Sa 12:10, 2Sa 13:1-39, 2Sa 16:1-23, Job 5:17, Job 5:18, Job 33:16-30, Pro 3:11, Pro 3:12, Jon 2:6, 1Co 11:32, 2Co 1:9-11, 2Co 6:9, Heb 12:10, Heb 12:11
Reciprocal: Job 33:30 – To bring Psa 30:2 – and Psa 68:20 – unto Psa 119:175 – Let my Isa 38:9 – writing Isa 38:22 – What Luk 1:64 – and he Luk 17:15 – General Joh 5:14 – in the Heb 12:5 – despise