Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 118:6
The LORD [is] on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
6. From Psa 56:9; Psa 56:11. Cited in Heb 13:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord is on my side – Margin, as in Hebrew, for me. The Lord is with me. He is my helper. He defends my cause.
I will not fear – I have nothing to be afraid of. God is more mighty than any or all of my foes, and he can deliver me from them all. Compare Psa 56:4, Psa 56:9,Psa 56:11.
What can man do unto me? – Any person; all people. They can do no more than God permits. They cannot destroy me when he means to save me; they cannot defeat his gracious designs toward me. I am safe if God is my Friend. Compare the notes at Rom 8:31.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
A frail and impotent creature in himself, and much more when he is opposed to the Almighty God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6, 7. Men are helpless to hurthim, if God be with him (Ps 56:9),and, if enemies, they will be vanquished (Ps54:7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord [is] on my side,…. Or “for me” s; he was on the side of David, hence all his prosperity and victories, the wonderful things done by him, his exaltation to the throne, and the establishment of it; and so he was on the side of Christ, he was near unto him, at his right hand, to guide, direct, and assist him as man; and he is likewise on the side of his people, to fight their battles for them, to support them under all their afflictions, to supply all their wants, to deliver them from all evil, to carry on the work of grace in their souls, and to bring them to glory, The Targum is,
“the Word of the Lord is for my help.”
I will not fear: what can man do unto me? David did not; he was not afraid of ten thousands of men, no, not of a whole army that encamped against him, God being for him, the strength of his life, and his salvation, Ps 3:6; nor did the Messiah; he was not afraid of Herod when he was told he would kill him; nor of the high priests, Scribes and Pharisees, though he knew he should fall into their hands, and they would deliver him to the Gentiles, to be scourged and crucified; nor of Judas and his band of men, who came to take him; nor of Pilate his judge, who had no power against him but what was given him. Nor have the saints any reason to fear what man can do unto them, when grace is in exercise; for what is man to God, who is but flesh, and that flesh grass? Nor can he do anything without a divine permission; is often frustrated in his attempt; and what he is suffered to do is overruled for good; and the utmost he can do is to kill the body; he cannot destroy the soul, or hinder the happiness of it; see
Ps 56:4.
s “pro me”, Musculus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6 Jehovah is with me among those who help me Confiding solely in God’s help, he sets at defiance not a few enemies merely, but the whole world. “Defended by God’s hand, I may boldly and safely set at nought all the machinations of men.” When all the power of the universe is deemed as nothing, in comparison of God, then, indeed, is due honor attributed to him. Thus he tacitly reproves the unbelief of almost all men, who spontaneously alarm themselves with groundless fears. All, indeed, desire peace of mind; but, in consequence of robbing God of the praise due to his power, their own ingratitude does not permit them to realize this blessing. Were they, as is fitting, to submit in all things to the good pleasure and power of God, they would be always ready boldly to surmount all those difficulties, the dread of which from time to time annoys them. But paying more regard to the mischievous attempts of men, than to the help which God can give them, they deserve to tremble at the rustling of the falling leaf. It is the wish of David, by his own example, to correct such perversity; and, with this view, he affirms that, in the enjoyment of God’s favor, he would fear no man, being fully persuaded that he could rescue him from all the nefarious plots which were laid for him. Or if he composed this psalm after his deliverance, we see how much he had profited by the experience of the grace of God. Therefore, as frequently as God shall succor us, let our confidence in him for the future be increased, and let us not be unmindful of his goodness and power, which we experienced in our extremity. Possibly, he relates the meditations which occurred to him in the midst of his distresses; the former conjecture appears more probable, that, after he obtained deliverance, he gloried, for the future, in God’s continued assistance. Some refer the clause, those who are helpers with me, to the small troop which David had drawn to him; but this, in my opinion, is too refined; for it would tend little to the honor of God to class him among the six hundred whom David commanded, as if he were one of the troop. My interpretation is more simple, that he calls God his helper. “It is enough for me that God is on my side.” Were he deprived of all human aid, still he would have no hesitation in opposing God against all his enemies.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) A reminiscence of Psa. 56:9-11.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
I make no pause in these verses, because I think they contain a beautiful subject, in reference to the Lord Jesus in his ministry; and it were a pity to interrupt the reading. Let the Reader, when he hath read them, contemplate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and see whether there is not a very plain allusion to our Lord in what is here said. Nay, doth it not strike him that Christ is the speaker? It is said that this patient sufferer doth not fear men nor princes. And how was this manifested, when both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together! Act 4:27 . Observe, how this patient sufferer speaks of one particular person; and who but Satan could this mean, with whom Christ had a personal conflict, and overcame him by his death, and will shortly-overcome him in all his members? Heb 2:14 ; Rom 16:20 . And to whom are the everlasting gates opened, nay, who can demand their opening, but He who is Lord both of quick and dead? Psa 24:7-8 . In him, and by him indeed his people may, and certainly will, enter. Isa 26:2 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 118:6 The LORD [is] on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Ver. 6. I will not fear, &c. ] See Psa 56:4 ; Psa 56:11 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The LORD, &c. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4. Quoted in Heb 13:6.
man = a man. Hebrew. ‘adam. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
The Lord: Psa 27:1-3, Psa 46:1, Psa 46:11, Psa 56:4, Psa 56:9, Psa 56:11, Psa 146:5, Isa 51:12, Jer 20:11, Mic 7:8-10, Rom 8:31, Heb 13:6
on my side: Heb. for me
Reciprocal: Deu 20:1 – the Lord Jos 10:42 – because 2Sa 18:2 – I will surely 2Ki 9:32 – Who is on my side Psa 23:4 – I will Psa 28:7 – heart Psa 54:4 – General Psa 108:13 – Through Psa 112:7 – heart Psa 124:1 – The Lord Heb 11:23 – and they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
118:6 The LORD [is] on my side; I will not fear: what can {c} man do unto me?
(c) Being exalted to this estate, he assured himself to have man ever to be his enemy. Yet he did not doubt that God would maintain him, because he had placed him.