Psalms 18:50
in Psalms 18Great salvation He brings to His king. He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Great deliverance giveth he to his king, And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.
KJV
Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
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This verse in Psalms 18
Commentary
11 notes on this verseSince by the Holy Spirit he understood that God's promises were not confined to him alone but would pass also to his offspring, so he spoke in this way here with particular reference to Christ's life. The outcome, in fact, showed that David's offspring, blessing …
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Magnifying the salvation of His King" [Psalm 18:50]. God, who magnifies, so as to make wonderful, the salvation, which His Son gives to believers. "And showing mercy to His Christ:" God, who shows mercy to His Christ: "To David and to His seed for evermore:" to the Deliverer Himself strong of hand, who has overcome this world; and to them whom, as believers in the Gospel, He has begotten for evermore. What things soever are spoken in this Psalm which cannot apply to the Lord Himself personally, that is to the Head of the Church, must be referred to the Church. For whole Christ speaks here, in whom are all His members.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Next the thanksgiving is concluded on account of the aforesaid causes. "Therefore I will confess to you among the nations, O Lord," etc., that is, before all people I will praise you: Tob. 12: "Bless the God of heaven, and confess to him before all …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
His king - To the king whom God himself chose and anointed, and to all his posterity; and especially to the Messiah, who is called David's seed, Acts xiii, 23 Rom. i, 3.
He shows mercy to his anointed, his Messiah, to David himself, the anointed of the God of Jacob in the type, and to his seed for evermore. He saith not unto seeds, as of many, but to his seed, as of one, that is Christ, Gal. iii. It is he only that shall reign for ever, and of the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no end.
And David is here called the servant of the Lord, as Moses was, not only as every good man is God's servant, but because, with his sceptre, with his sword, and with his pen, he greatly promoted the interests of God's kingdom in Israel. It was more his honour that he was a servant of the Lord than that he was king of a great kingdom; and so he himself accounted it ( Ps. cxvi.
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5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Great deliverance giveth he to his king,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
This is the winding up verse into which the writer throws a fulness of expression, indicating the most rapturous delight of gratitude. "Great deliverance." The word "deliverance" is plural, to show the variety and completeness of the salvation; the adjective "great" is well placed if we consider from what, to what, and how we are saved. All this mercy is given to us in our King, the Lord's Anointed, and those are blessed indeed who as his seed may expect mercy to be built up for evermore.
This is the winding up verse into which the writer throws a fulness of expression, indicating the most rapturous delight of gratitude. "Great deliverance." The word "deliverance" is plural, to show the variety and completeness of the salvation; the adjective "great" is well placed if we consider from what, to what, and how we are saved. All this mercy is given to us in our King, the Lord's Anointed, and those are blessed indeed who as his seed may expect mercy to be built up for evermore. The Lord was faithful to the literal David, and he will not break his covenant with the spiritual David, for that would far more involve the honour of his crown and character. The Psalm concludes in the same loving spirit which shone upon its commencement; happy are they who can sing on from love to love, even as the pilgrims marched from strength to strength.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king - David was a king of God’s appointment, and was peculiarly favored by him. Literally, He is magnifying the salvations of his king. He not only delivers, but follows up those deliverances with innumerable blessings. Showeth mercy - to David - I have no claim upon his bounty. I deserve nothing from him, but he continues to show mercy. To his seed - His posterity. So the words זרע zera and σπερμα, in the Old and New Testament, should be universally translated.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Great deliverance giveth he to his king - To David, as king. The word in the original, which is rendered “deliverance,” means properly salvations, and is here in the plural number. It refers not to one act of divine interposition, but to the many acts (referred to in the psalm) in which God had interposed to save him from danger and from death. The phrase “to his king” refers to the fact that God had appointed him to reign, and to administer the government for him. He did not reign on his own account, but he reigned for God, and with a view to do his will. And showeth mercy to his anointed - To him who had been set apart to the kingly office by a solemn act of anointing. Compare 1Sa 16:13; 2Sa 2:4-7; 2Sa 5:3, 2Sa 5:17; 2Sa 12:7; compare 2Ki 9:3, 2Ki 9:6,2Ki 9:12. It is in allusion to this custom that the Messiah is called the Anointed, or the Christ. See the note at Mat 1:1. To David, and to his seed - To his descendants, or posterity. There is an undoubted reference here to the promises made to David in regard to his successors on the throne. See 2Sa 7:12-16, 2Sa 7:25-26, and Ps. 89:19-37. Forevermore - This expresses the confident expectation of David that the government would remain in his family to the latest times. […]
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַגְדִּיל֮ | migdol | [he is] making great | H1431 → | 117 times |
| יְשׁוּע֪וֹת | yeshuot | [the] victories of | H3444 → | 78 times |
| מַ֫לְכּ֥וֹ | malko | king his | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וְעֹ֤שֶׂה | veoseh | and [he is] doing | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חֶ֨סֶד׀ | chesed | covenant loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| לִמְשִׁיח֗וֹ | limshicho | to anointed his | H4899 → | 39 times |
| לְדָוִ֥ד | ledavid | to David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וּלְזַרְע֗וֹ | ulezaro | and to offspring his | H2233 → | 229 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עוֹלָֽם׃ | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
מַגְדִּיל֮[he is] making great
migdolH1431 →117 times
יְשׁוּע֪וֹת[the] victories of
yeshuotH3444 →78 times
מַ֫לְכּ֥וֹking his
malkoH4428 →2525 times
וְעֹ֤שֶׂהand [he is] doing
veosehH6213 →2628 times
חֶ֨סֶד׀covenant loyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
לִמְשִׁיח֗וֹto anointed his
limshichoH4899 →39 times
לְדָוִ֥דto David
ledavidH1732 →999 times
וּלְזַרְע֗וֹand to offspring his
ulezaroH2233 →229 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עוֹלָֽם׃perpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Samuel 7:13He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
it leads to
- Luke 1:31–33
Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
- 1 Kings 8:19
Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’
- 2 Samuel 7:16
Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.”
- 1 Chronicles 22:9–10
But a son will be born to you who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name will be Solomon, and…
- Psalms 89:4
‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’” Selah
- Luke 1:31–33
Through
Psalms 144:10to Him who gives victory to kings, who frees His servant David from the deadly sword.
it leads to
- Psalms 140:7
O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You shield my head in the day of battle.
- Psalms 33:16–18
No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.
- Psalms 140:7
Through
Psalms 132:10For the sake of Your servant David, do not reject Your anointed one.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 11:12–13
Nevertheless, for the sake of your father David, I will not do it during your lifetime; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
- 1 Kings 11:12–13
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 18; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Diodorus of Tarsus, COMMENTARY ON PSALM 18; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.