Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 18:46
The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
46. The Lord liveth ] Life is the essential attribute of Jehovah. He is the Living God in contrast to the dead idols of the heathen. The experience of David’s life is summed up in these words. It had been to him a certain proof that God is the living, active Ruler of the world. Cp. Jos 3:10.
and let &c.] R.V., and exalted be the God of my salvation. Cp. Psa 24:5. 2 Sam. reads, “the God of the rock of my salvation.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
46 50. Concluding thanksgiving and doxology.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord liveth – Yahweh – the name used here – is often described as the living God in contradistinction to idols, who are represented as without life, Deu 5:26; Jos 3:10; 2Ki 19:4; Psa 42:2; Mat 16:16; 1Th 1:9. Compare Psa 115:5; Psa 135:16. It is probably in allusion to this idea that the phrase The Lord liveth is used here. It is a joyful exclamation in view of all that God had done; of all the deliverances which he had performed for the author of the psalm. In the remembrance of all this the psalmist says that God had shown himself to be the living, that is, the true God. These interpositions furnished abundant demonstration that Yahweh existed, and that he was worthy of adoration and praise as the true God. So, in view of mercy and salvation, the heart of the redeemed exultingly exclaims, The Lord lives – there is a living God.
And blessed be my Rock – God, who has shown himself to be a refuge and a protector. See the note at Psa 18:2.
And let the God of my salvation be exalted – The God who has saved me from my enemies. Let him be exalted, be praised, be honored, be adored. Let his name be exalted above all idol gods; above all the creatures that he has made. The wish is, that His name might be made prominent; that all creatures might praise and honor Him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 18:46
The Lord liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
The Rock of salvation
True religion has nothing in it cloudy, melancholy, depressing. It is in itself full of fire, love, light, warmth. Our sadness arises from our sin and sorrow, but in God there is that to fill us with joy. Now here we have–
I. A living Lord. It is a living Christ that sheds a glory around Calvary, and around the tomb in which His body was laid. What would be our grief if He were not living?
II. A solid rock. Christ will build His Church thereon. And it is a rock for refuge.
III. Its exaltation. He is exalted by tab Father; and in the Bible; and in the contrite believing heart; and in the life and purpose of all His people. Let us build on this Rock. (George Merrell.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 46. The Lord liveth] By him alone I have gained all my victories; and he continueth, and will be my Rock, the Source whence I may at all times derive help and salvation. May his name be blessed! May his kingdom be exalted!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He and he only is the true living God, and he hath manifested himself to be for my comfort, and for the confusion of mine enemies, when other gods are dead and impotent idols. Or, Let the Lord live. So it is a joyful and thankful acclamation, spoken after the manner of earthly princes.
Blessed be my rock; let him have all blessing and praise, for he is worthy of it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
46. The Lord livethcontrastsHim with idols (1Co 8:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord liveth, and blessed [be] my Rock,…. This, with what follows, is the concluding part of the psalm, which ends with a celebration of the Divine Being, and with thankfulness for mercies received from him. The psalmist praises him on account of what he is in himself, what he was to him, and had done for him: in himself he is the living God, “the Lord liveth”: he has life in himself, essentially, originally, and independently; and is the fountain and author of life to all others, even to all creatures that have life, whether rational or irrational: he is the giver of natural life to all men, and the supporter of it; and of spiritual and eternal life to his chosen people; and he continues to live, and ever will; wherefore the saints may conclude that their life in every sense is safe and secure. Some render the phrase, by way of wish, “may the Lord live” r; but then it must be understood only that he would show himself more abundantly to be the living God, and that he might be acknowledged so by others. The next clauses are by way of petition; “and blessed be my Rock”; on which he was built and established, to which he betook himself in times of distress, which was his place of defence, and from whence he had a supply; wherefore he desires he might be blessed, not by invoking or conferring a blessing on him, neither of which can be; there being none greater than he to call upon, and he being “Elshaddai”, God all sufficient, and in no need of any; but by declaring his blessedness, by celebrating his greatness and goodness, and by ascribing blessing and honour and glory to him;
and let the God of my salvation be exalted; God was the God of his salvation in a temporal sense, saving him daily from his many enemies; and in a spiritual sense, being the contriver, author, and applier of it to him; on which account he would have him be exalted both by himself, and in the high praises of his people; ascribing the whole of salvation to him, and giving him all the glory of it. Some render the words, “the God of my salvation is high” s; he is the most high God, the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, and is above all others. In 2Sa 22:47 the words are read, “and exalted be the God of the Rock of my salvation”.
r “vivat Jehova”, Musculus, Tigurine version, Piscator, Muis; so some in Vatablus, Ainsworth. s “excelsus est”, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(Heb.: 18:47-49) The hymn now draws towards the end with praise and thanksgiving for the multitude of God’s mighty deeds, which have just been displayed. Like the ( ) which is always doxological, ( vivus Jahve) is meant as a predicate clause, but is read with the accent of an exclamation just as in the formula of an oath, which is the same expression; and in the present instance it has a doxological meaning. Accordingly also signifies “exalted be,” in which sense it is written ( = ) in the other text. There are three doxological utterances drawn from the events which have just been celebrated in song. That which follows, from onwards, describes Jahve once more as the living, blessed ( ), and exalted One, which He has shown Himself to be. From we see that is to be resolved as an imperfect. The proofs of vengeance, , are called God’s gift, insofar as He has rendered it possible to him to punish the attacks upon his own dignity and the dignity of his people, or to witness the punishment of such insults (e.g., in the case of Nabal); for divine vengeance is a securing by punishment ( vindicatio ) of the inviolability of the right. It is questionable whether (synonym , Psa 144:2) here and in Psa 47:4 means “to bring to reason” as an intensive of , to drive (Ges.); the more natural meaning is “to turn the back” according to the Arabic adbara (Hitzig), cf. dabar , dabre , flight, retreat; debira to be wounded behind; medbur , wounded in the back. The idea from which gains the meaning “to subdue” is that of flight, in which hostile nations, overtaken from behind, sank down under him (Psa 45:6); but the idea that is fully worked out in Psa 129:3, Isa 51:23, is by no means remote. With the assertion takes the form of an address. does not differ from Psa 9:14: Thou liftest me up away from mine enemies, so that I hover above them and triumph over them. The climactic , of which poetry is fond, here unites two thoughts of a like import to give intensity of expression to the one idea. The participle is followed by futures: his manifold experience is concentrated in one general ideal expression.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
46. Let Jehovah live. If it is thought proper to adopt this reading, which is in the optative mood expressing a wish that God might live, the manner of expression may seem somewhat strange; but it may be alleged in defense of it, that it is a metaphor borrowed from the custom of men, who not only use this manner of speaking when they wish well to any one, but likewise utter it with loud and applauding acclamation, when they intend to receive their princes with due honor. According to this view, it would be an expression in which praise is ascribed to God, and suitable for a triumphal song. (441) It may, however, be very properly considered as a simple affirmation, in which David declares that God lives, in other words, that he is endued with sovereign power. Farther, the life which David attributes to God is not to be restricted to the being or essence of God, but is rather to be understood of the evidence of it deducible from his works, which manifest to us that he liveth. Whenever he withdraws the working of his power from before our eyes, the sense and cognisance of the truth, “God liveth,” also evanishes from our minds. He is, therefore, said to live, inasmuch as he shows, by evident proofs of his power, that it is he who preserves and upholds the world. And as David had known, by experience, this life of God, he celebrates it with praises and thanksgiving. If we read the first clause in the present tense, The Lord liveth, the copula and, which follows, has the force of an inference; and, accordingly, the words should be resolved thus:— Jehovah liveth, and, therefore, blessed be my strength The epithet, My strength, and the other which occurs in verse 48, My deliverer, confirm what I have already stated, that God does not simply live in himself, and in his secret place, but displays his vital energy in the government of the whole world. The Hebrew word, צורי, tsuri, which we have translated my strength, is here to be understood in a transitive sense for Him who bestows strength.
(441) “ Ainsi ce seroit un mot tendant a lour Dieu et convenable a un cantique de triomphe.” — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(46-50) The psalm concludes with a burst of joyous praise, in which the previous figures are recalled in brief touches.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
How delightfully the Psalm ends! By the spirit of prophecy, Christ is described as declaring his love to Jehovah, for all his promised strength imparted, and now, having sat down on the seat of the Conqueror, he finisheth his hymn of praise in again celebrating his glory. The Lord Jehovah liveth an everlasting and eternal I AM. And as Jehovah liveth, so hath he exalted and crowned his anointed. And, Reader, do not fail to ob serve, how Christ includes the blessedness of his seed forevermore. Yes! precious Lord, thou and thy seed are one. In thee they are beheld, by thee they are made victorious, and through thee they are blessed forevermore. Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
Ver. 46. The Lord liveth ] Or, Vivat Dominus, Let the Lord live. It is spoken, saith Calvin, after the manner of men, who use such kinds of acclamations to the kings whom they love and honour. The wicked could wish God extinct, that so they might never come to an account before him; but the saints cry out, Let the Lord live, let Christ reign, &c. Blessed be God that he is God, was a learned man’s motto. Luther’s was, Vivit, sc. Christus. Si non viveret, vellem me non unam horam vivere, de., Christ is alive, otherwise I would not wish to live an hour. Another good man saith, Christ liveth and reigneth, alioque totus totus desperassem, otherwise I should be utterly out of hope (Miconius).
Let the God of my salvation be exalted
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 18:46-50
46The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be the God of my salvation,
47The God who executes vengeance for me,
And subdues peoples under me.
48He delivers me from my enemies;
Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from the violent man.
49Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord,
And I will sing praises to Your name.
50He gives great deliverance to His king,
And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forever.
Psa 18:46-50 This strophe is the psalmist’s thanksgiving to YHWH for His character and actions!
Notice the titles and characterizations of YHWH.
1. lives this is the adjective (BDB 311) which comes from the verb to be (BDB 217), which is the meaning of YHWH (see Special Topic: Names for Deity ). He is the ever-living, only-living One! The phrase as YHWH lives is usually an introduction to an oath, but here it introduces a doxology.
2. my rock denotes power and stability (cf. Psa 18:2; Psa 18:31)
3. the God () of my salvation
4. His acts on the King’s behalf
a. executes vengeance (BDB 668)
b. subdues peoples
c. delivers (cf. Psa 18:50)
d. lifts him above his enemies
e. rescues him from the violent man
Notice in light of this what the King of Israel will do.
1. give thanks among the nations
2. sing praises to His Name
The King does this because of
1. YHWH’s deliverance
2. YHWH’s lovingkindness to the King and his descendants forever (cf. 2 Samuel 7)
Psa 18:49 This verse (or 2Sa 22:50) is used by Paul in Rom 15:9 to show that YHWH’s plan of redemption from the very beginning included the Gentiles (note Gen 1:26-27; Gen 12:3; Exo 19:5-6).
Paul also used Deu 32:43; Psa 117:1 and Isa 11:10. There has always been an eternal redemptive plan for all humans (see Special Topic: YHWH’s Eternal Redemptive Plan ).
Psa 18:50 His anointed See Special Topic: Messiah .
lovingkindness See Special Topic: Lovingkindness .
forever See Special Topic: Forever .
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. List the titles of God in Psa 18:2.
2. God is described as what in Psa 18:7-15?
3. How would you entitle Psa 18:16-19?
4. Does Psa 18:20 teach a works righteousness?
5. Where does the title of rock as used of God come from? (Psa 18:2; Psa 18:31; Psa 18:46 and Deu 32:4; Deu 32:31)
6. What does Psa 18:43-45 imply?
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Lord: 2Sa 22:47, Jer 10:10, Joh 14:19, Rev 1:18
blessed: Psa 18:2, Psa 42:9
the God: Psa 25:5, Psa 68:20, Psa 79:9, Exo 15:2, Isa 12:2, Luk 1:47
exalted: Psa 21:13, Psa 57:5, Psa 57:11, Psa 99:9
Reciprocal: Gen 48:21 – God Deu 32:4 – the Rock Deu 32:15 – the Rock Psa 27:1 – strength Psa 61:2 – the rock Psa 62:7 – rock Psa 89:26 – rock Psa 107:32 – exalt Isa 12:4 – his name Joh 6:57 – the living 2Co 1:3 – Blessed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 18:46. The Lord liveth Jehovah, and he only, is the true and living God, and he hath manifested himself to be such for my comfort, and for the confusion of my enemies, when other gods are dead and impotent idols. Or, Let the Lord live, as , chai Jehovah, may be translated; and so it is a joyful and thankful acclamation, spoken after the manner in which earthly princes are addressed; and blessed be my rock Let him have all blessing and praise, for he is worthy of it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Only a living God could do all this for David. Consequently the king promised to praise Him among those who did not know Yahweh. God’s deliverance and His loyal love are the final gifts David mentioned as those he treasured above all others. He was confident, because of what God had done for him, that Yahweh would prove faithful and deliver David’s descendants, as He had promised as well (2 Samuel 7).
God’s people should always acknowledge the magnificent multifaceted character of our God. We should also recount His awesome acts of deliverance for us. Furthermore, we should continue to rely on His future faithfulness in view of who He is and what He has done for us.