Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 18:34
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
34. The first line is borrowed in Psa 144:1.
so that a bow of steel &c.] R.V., so that mine arms do bend a bow of brass. The ability to bend a metal bow (cp. Job 20:24) was a sign of supereminent strength. Readers of the Odyssey will recall Ulysses’ bow, which no one but himself could bend (Hom. Od. xxi. 409).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He teacheth my hands to war – Compare Psa 144:1. The skill which David had in the use of the bow, the sword, or the spear – all of which depends on the hands – he ascribes entirely to God.
So that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms – This is mentioned as an instance of extraordinary strength, as if he were able to break a bow made of metal. The original word rendered steel means properly brass. Wood was doubtless first used in constructing the bow, but metals came afterward to be employed, and brass would naturally be used before the manufacture of steel was discovered. Rosenmuller in loc.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 18:34
He teacheth my hands to war.
Divine endowment for service
God raises up men specially qualified to meet the exigencies of human society–the soldier, the statesman, the lawgiver, the teacher of religion, the ready writer, the eloquent man, and the cunning artificer. He had need of a soldier to accomplish the purposes of His will, and He qualified David for the work, and so long as David prosecuted his wars, free of ambitious and malevolent feelings, and solely with the desire of accomplishing the will of God, he served God as acceptably in the field as he could have served Him in His temple. Provided his cause be just, and he prosecute it with right motives, the patriot soldier is engaged on as holy a work as the priest at the altar. God so taught David the art of war that a bow of steel was broken by his arms. It required the use of both hands and feet to bend the ancient bow of steel; how great, then, must Davids strength have been to break it with his arms. This verse has, of course, a spiritual application, showing how easily God can clothe with overcoming might all who are engaged in the good fight of faith, enabling them to overcome, with a moiety of their strength, the strongest weapons with which they may be assailed. (David Caldwell, A. M.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 34. He teacheth my hands to war] The success which I have had in my military exercises I owe to the Divine help. How few of the conquerors of mankind can say so! And how few among those who call themselves Christian warriors dare to say so! War is as contrary to the spirit of Christianity as murder. Nothing can justify Christian nations in shedding each other’s blood! All men should live in peace; all men might live in peace; and the nation that is first to break it is under a heavy curse.
A bow of steel is broken by mine arms.] All the versions render this: “Thou hast made my arm like a brazen bow.” A bow of steel is out of the question. In the days of David it is not likely that the method of making steel was known. The method of making brass out of copper was known at a very early period of the world; and the ancients had the art of hardening it, so as to work it into the most efficient swords. From his own account David was swift, courageous, and strong.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To him I owe all that military skill, or strength, or cou rage which I have. My strength is sufficient, not only to bend
a bow of steel, but to break it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
He teacheth my hands to war,…. From whence it appears, that war, in some cases, is lawful; and that all the skilfulness and art in training men for war, in the use of armour, in marshalling of armies, in forming sieges, c. is all from God see Ps 144:1; and so is all that spiritual skill, in making use of the whole armour of God against every enemy, sin, Satan, and the world; and even the wisdom and skill, counsel and instruction, which Christ as man and Mediator had, when it was the hour and power of darkness; when he was engaged with principalities and powers, and got the victory over them, were from the Lord: see Ps 16:7;
so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms; that is, the bow of an enemy falling into his hands, which might be literally true of David. It is in the Hebrew text, “a bow of brass”; and so Apollinarius renders it; which Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret strong iron, that is, steel; and so the Targum; see Job 20:24; Satan is an archer; his temptations are darts, and fiery ones; and his strong bow may be said to be broken by the arms of faith, when his temptations, under the influence of divine grace, are repelled and rendered ineffectual; and especially his bow was broken by Christ, not only in the wilderness, when he was vanquished by him; but in the garden, and on the cross, when Satan could find nothing in him, and get no other advantage over him, but to bruise his heel; when he himself had his head broke, his works ruined, and he himself destroyed. Some render the words, “mine arms have bent a bow of steel”: that is, such skill and strength were given him that he was able to bend, draw, and shoot a bow or steel: the Targum is, “and hath strengthened mine arm as a bow of brass”, or “steel”; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions; and to the same purpose the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions; or it may be rendered, “my arms have bent”, or “made to descend o, a bow of brass”; for when a bow is bent, the horns or corners of it are made to descend towards a man.
o “ut current”, Cocceius; so Michaelis; “ut descendat vel deprimatur”, Gejerus; vid. Gussetii Comment. Ebr. p. 507. so Jarchi.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(34) So that a bow.Better, and mine arms bend a bow of copper. For the copper bow comp. Job. 20:24. Nechushah, , is certainly not steel, whether the custom of hardening iron was known to the Jews or not (see Jer. 15:12, and art. Steel, in Smiths Biblical Dict.). The LXX. and Vulgate have, thou hast made mine arms a bow of copper. For this test of strength we naturally compare the famous bow of Ulysses
So the great master drew the mighty bow,
And drew with ease.Odyssey, POPES trans.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
34. He teacheth, etc. Whether in peace or war, his skill and strength to act well his part the psalmist ascribes to God.
Bow of steel is broken A bow of copper, or bronze, is bent by my arms. The idea is, that of drawing a heavy bow in battle, and thus shooting at long range. The verb , ( nahath,) signifies to go or come down, to descend; and, in Piel, to press down, to bend, as in the text. The Hebrews, so far as is known, were not acquainted with the use of steel and ( nahoosh) should be translated copper. The elastic copper or bronze bow was far more powerful and more difficult to bend than the wooden bow; but David could draw it. See Job 20:24
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 18:34. A bow of steel is broken by mine arms My arms have bent the bow of steel. Chandler. He makes my arms to be like a brazen bow. Houbigant and Mudge: but Dr. Chandler’s rendering is more agreeable to the Hebrew. In the foregoing part of the verse, the Psalmist acknowledges that God taught his hands to war, of which he gives an instance in the latter; that his arms were able to bend and draw together even a brazen or steely bow, and to use it in his wars against his enemies: this was an argument of great strength. The story of Ulysses’ bow, which none of the suitors were able to draw, is well known. See Odyss. lib. 21. ver. 409. Dr. Delaney, speaking of the excellency of this composition, observes, “What is very singular, David had found out the secret of most effectually perpetuating his own praise, by perpetuating that of his Maker: while he labours to make the praises of God glorious, he makes his own eminent above that of all other mortals. A single instance will evince this: we never should have known that David was one of the swiftest and strongest of mankind, if his own thanksgivings had not told us so; if he had not blessed God for giving him the swiftness of the hart, and the strength to break a bow of steel. It has been observed by writers of all times, how much dignity a graceful mien and person have always given to kings and commanders. David had these advantages added to his other accomplishments, beyond most men. We cannot help forming to ourselves some idea, however imperfect, of the persons whom we admire, and mine of David’s person, continues Dr. Delaney, hath, I own, been modelled by that of Claudian’s Stilico:
The moment we behold you, we admire; The radiant eye proclaims the valiant chief; The limbs so siz’d and shap’d as poets paint Heroes and demi-gods, less finish’d forms. Thro’ every city as you pass rever’d, All rise respectful, and with joy give place. CLAUD. de Laude Stil. lib. 1:”
I would just observe, that the radiant eye, &c. in this version of Delaney’s, by no means expresses the beauty of Claudian’s Celsi nitor igneus oris;the fiery splendor of his lofty brow.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Ver. 34. He teacheth mine hands to war ] David ascribeth all his military skill and success to God; so did not other great warriors, Alexander, Scipio, Fabius, &c., but sacrificed to their own nets, and were ready to say, as Sesostris, king of Egypt, did when he had conquered any country, he was wont to set up pillars with these words engraven upon them, This country I got by mine own strength and valour, (Herodot. l. 2).
So that a bow of steel, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
broken = bent.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 18:34-39
Psa 18:34-39
“He teacheth my hand to war;
So that my arms do bend a bow of brass.
Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation;
And thy right hand hath holden me up,
And thy gentleness hath made me great.
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me,
And my feet have not slipped.
I will pursue mine enemies, and overtake them;
Neither will I turn again till they are consumed.
I will smite them through, so that they shall not be able to rise:
They shall fall under my feet.
For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle:
Thou has subdued under me them that rose up against me.”
“He teacheth my hand to war.” The meaning here is clearer if we use “to make war” instead of “to war.”
“My arms bend a bow of brass.” Brass was not usually used in the making of bows; but the idea is a very strong and powerful bow. We note that one commentator thought that bows were bent with the feet; but that happens only when the bow is being strung. The actual shooting of an arrow required the bow to be bent by “the arms,” as indicated here.
Psa 18:35 states that not only has God taught David the skills and abilities to wage war, as in the previous verses, but that God has saved him, upheld him, and made him great.
The same thought continues into Psa 18:36, revealing that God has enlarged his steps and prevented him from falling.
“I will pursue mine enemies” (Psa 18:37). In the God-given strength and ability with which the Lord has endowed him, David here pledged to pursue, overtake, smite through, and consume all of those enemies who had risen up against him.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 18:1-50. I have made one paragraph of this whole chapter because it is practically identical with 2 Samuel 22. Detailed comments are made on the chapter which is at the regular place in this commentary and will not be repeated here. The reason for giving the comments at the other place is the fact that it came in more direct connection with the history belonging to it. I will call attention to one special circumstance in the differences between the two chapters. The statements that are placed as a heading here are included in the text in 2 Samuel 22. When the collection of the Psalms of David was made into one book, the one he wrote at the time of his conflicts with Saul and other enemies was brought and included in the document. Since the two occurrences of the psalm are alike, the reader of the commentary would have no advantage offered him were I to repeat the comments in this place. I therefore urge him to see my remarks in the other place.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
teacheth: Psa 144:1, 2Sa 22:36, Isa 28:6, Isa 45:1
so that: Psa 46:9, Jer 49:35, Hos 1:5
Reciprocal: Gen 49:21 – General Gen 49:24 – the mighty Jdg 15:14 – the cords 2Sa 8:6 – garrisons 2Sa 22:35 – teacheth 2Ch 26:7 – God helped Est 9:5 – smote
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 18:34. He teacheth my hands to war To him I owe all the military skill, or strength, or courage which I have. A bow of steel is broken by mine arm Chandler renders it, Mine arms have bent the bow of steel. That David was able to bend and draw together even a brazen bow, or one of steel, and to use it in his wars, was a proof of his great strength. Dr. Delaney, however, certainly draws an unwarranted conclusion from these poetical expressions when he infers from them, that David was the swiftest and strongest of all mankind.