Psalms 18:2

2 The LORD is my ¹rock and my ²fortress and my deliverer, my God, my ³rock, in ⁴whom I take refuge, my ⁵shield, and ⁶the horn of my salvation, my ⁷stronghold.

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Psalms 18:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 18:2

The Lord [is] my rock
To whom the saints have recourse for shelter and safety, for supply, support, and divine refreshment; and in whom they are secure, and on whom they build their hopes of eternal life and happiness, and so are safe from all enemies, and from all danger. Christ is called a Rock on all these accounts, ( Psalms 61:2 Psalms 61:3 ) ( Isaiah 32:2 ) ( 33:16 ) ( Matthew 16:18 ) ( 1 Corinthians 10:4 ) ;

and my fortress;
or garrison; so the saints are kept in and by the power of God as in a garrison, ( 1 Peter 1:5 ) ;

and my deliverer:
out of all afflictions, and from all temptations, and out of the hands of all enemies; from a body of sin and death at last, and from wrath to come;

my God;
the strong and mighty One, who is able to save, and who is the covenant God and Father of his people;

my strength, in whom I will trust;
as Christ did, and to whom these words are applied in ( Hebrews 2:13 ) ; and as his people are enabled to do even under very distressing and discouraging circumstances, ( Job 13:15 ) ( Isaiah 26:4 ) ;

my buckler;
or shield; who protects and defends them from their enemies, and preserves them from the fiery darts of Satan;

and the horn of my salvation;
who pushes, scatters, and destroys their enemies, and saves them; a metaphor taken from horned beasts; so Christ, the mighty and able Saviour, is called, ( Luke 1:69 ) ;

[and] my high tower;
such is the name of the Lord, whither the righteous run and are safe, ( Proverbs 18:10 ) ; and where they are above and out of the reach of every enemy; see ( Isaiah 33:16 ) ; in ( 2 Samuel 22:3 ) , it is added, "and my refuge, my Saviour, thou savest me from violence". These various epithets show the fulness of safety in Jehovah, the various ways he has to deliver his people from their enemies, and secure them from danger; and the psalmist beholding and claiming his interest in him under all these characters, rendered him exceeding lovely and delightful to him; and each of them contain a reason why he loved him, and why, in the strength of grace, he determined to love him. God may be regarded in all these characters by Christ as man.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Psalms 18:2 In-Context

1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me;

5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.