PSALM 18 (Part 2): Anointed for Victory (Psalm 18:25-50)
Psalm 18 is a triumphant declaration at a time of great victory. David (and Christ) explode with love for the Lord (v1), who'd manifested His covenant love to them in many ways. They declare 9 Names of God, describing ways they knew God from personal experience thru many trials (v1-2). Many times they'd called on Him and He delivered them from their enemies. In particular, in the face of death they cried to God and He heard them (v3-6). In its fullest sense it applies to Christ who actually suffered, died & went to Sheol (v4-5), but called to God during this whole time (v6), and He answered. In v7-19, it reveals what happened in the Spirit as God manifested His glory & moved in majestic power at His death & resurrection, bringing darkness & shaking the earth (v7-9,11), personally coming down from Heaven (v10) releasing His arrows against His enemies (v12-14), then invading Hades (v15), and reaching down there by His mighty Arm, He pulled Christ out of the Prison of Hades (v16), rescuing Him from the devil & all His enemies, and raised Him from death & exalted Him to a high spacious place (v17-19). The basis for this divine deliverance was His perfect righteousness as a Man (v19-24): "He delivered me because He delighted in me" (v19b). Likewise, in Christ, God delights in us & delivers us.
After His Ascension, God reigns over man thru Christ as His executive at His right hand (Ps 110:1-4). He is merciful, gracious & righteous in His rule, saving the humble & humbling the proud (v25-27). At His resurrection, God regenerated & glorified His human nature, lighting up His lamp, His human spirit (v28, Prov 20:27), anointing Him for victory over all His enemies (v29-36), and sharing His anointing & weapons with His people, who trust in Him, and engage in spiritual warfare in His Name (v30-31). Finally, in God's perfect timing He'll release Him to fully manifest His authority, power & glory to pursue & destroy all His enemies, at His 2nd Coming (v37-42). Then having put down all rebellion, He'll establish His Kingdom on earth and reign as Head of all nations (v43). At this time saved Gentiles, who hear of Him & submit to Him (v43-45) will be included in His covenant community (v49): "Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among (in fellowship with) the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your Name" - quoted in Rom 15:9 and applied to Christ, proving it's a messianic psalm. Rom 15:7-12 quotes 4 prophecies to prove when Christ comes, He'll bring salvation to the Gentiles, so they'll be included with the Jews in God's People. Though these prophecies originally spoke of the Messianic Kingdom, for the Church Age was a Mystery, not yet revealed, they revealed God's purpose to save Gentiles thru His Coming, so Gentile salvation in the Church Age thru the New Covenant is consistent with the revelation of the prophets, and is an initial fulfilment. So Jews & Gentiles in the Church should receive each other as equals (v7). The prophets saw His Coming to die, rise again & establish the new covenant, and had Israel received Him, He'd have established His Kingdom, with Jews & Gentiles equally saved, in fulfilment of the prophecies. But, when Israel rejected Him, instead of establishing the Kingdom, God brought in the Church Age, in which Jews & Gentiles are equally saved, as in the Kingdom. Thus, though He could not fulfil all the Kingdom prophecies, He did fulfil the prophecies of salvation in the new covenant for all who call on His Name, both Jew & Gentile. Similarly, in Acts 15:13-19, James quoted Amos 9:11-12 to show Gentile salvation in the Church Age is consistent with the prophets, as an initial fulfilment, and so Jewish believers should receive Gentiles into the Church as equals.
Psalm 18 concludes with a Doxology of Praise, summarising all the great things God did to manifest His covenant love (v46-50), giving Him glory for being His strength & giving Him victory over all His enemies, especially the violent man (antichrist), and for executing justice and establishing His Kingdom on earth over all nations, with Christ exalted as Head. He also gives thanks for the salvation of Gentiles, now in union with Him (v49). He concludes with a summary statement: "Great deliverance He gives to His KING, and shows covenant love to His ANOINTED, to DAVID and his SEED (CHRIST) forevermore" (v50). This confirms Ps 18 was originally fulfilled (in type) to David, but the ultimate fulfilment is to David's SEED, Christ. Just as we are Abraham's Seed, as we're in Christ, the SEED of Abraham, and so inherit his blessing (Gal 3:14,26-29), so we are David's Seed, as we're in Christ, the SEED of David, and so are joint heirs of the covenant blessings (mercies) of David, described in Ps 18. Thus we share in Christ's victory, anointing & reign, thru our union with Him. Thus Ps 18 doesn't just describe God's covenant blessings to David & his Seed (Christ), but also to those in Christ, which we can apply to & appropriate for ourselves.
After His Ascension, God reigns over man thru Christ as His executive at His right hand (Ps 110:1-4). He is merciful, gracious & righteous in His rule, saving the humble & humbling the proud (v25-27). At His resurrection, God regenerated & glorified His human nature, lighting up His lamp, His human spirit (v28, Prov 20:27), anointing Him for victory over all His enemies (v29-36), and sharing His anointing & weapons with His people, who trust in Him, and engage in spiritual warfare in His Name (v30-31). Finally, in God's perfect timing He'll release Him to fully manifest His authority, power & glory to pursue & destroy all His enemies, at His 2nd Coming (v37-42). Then having put down all rebellion, He'll establish His Kingdom on earth and reign as Head of all nations (v43). At this time saved Gentiles, who hear of Him & submit to Him (v43-45) will be included in His covenant community (v49): "Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among (in fellowship with) the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your Name" - quoted in Rom 15:9 and applied to Christ, proving it's a messianic psalm. Rom 15:7-12 quotes 4 prophecies to prove when Christ comes, He'll bring salvation to the Gentiles, so they'll be included with the Jews in God's People. Though these prophecies originally spoke of the Messianic Kingdom, for the Church Age was a Mystery, not yet revealed, they revealed God's purpose to save Gentiles thru His Coming, so Gentile salvation in the Church Age thru the New Covenant is consistent with the revelation of the prophets, and is an initial fulfilment. So Jews & Gentiles in the Church should receive each other as equals (v7). The prophets saw His Coming to die, rise again & establish the new covenant, and had Israel received Him, He'd have established His Kingdom, with Jews & Gentiles equally saved, in fulfilment of the prophecies. But, when Israel rejected Him, instead of establishing the Kingdom, God brought in the Church Age, in which Jews & Gentiles are equally saved, as in the Kingdom. Thus, though He could not fulfil all the Kingdom prophecies, He did fulfil the prophecies of salvation in the new covenant for all who call on His Name, both Jew & Gentile. Similarly, in Acts 15:13-19, James quoted Amos 9:11-12 to show Gentile salvation in the Church Age is consistent with the prophets, as an initial fulfilment, and so Jewish believers should receive Gentiles into the Church as equals.
Psalm 18 concludes with a Doxology of Praise, summarising all the great things God did to manifest His covenant love (v46-50), giving Him glory for being His strength & giving Him victory over all His enemies, especially the violent man (antichrist), and for executing justice and establishing His Kingdom on earth over all nations, with Christ exalted as Head. He also gives thanks for the salvation of Gentiles, now in union with Him (v49). He concludes with a summary statement: "Great deliverance He gives to His KING, and shows covenant love to His ANOINTED, to DAVID and his SEED (CHRIST) forevermore" (v50). This confirms Ps 18 was originally fulfilled (in type) to David, but the ultimate fulfilment is to David's SEED, Christ. Just as we are Abraham's Seed, as we're in Christ, the SEED of Abraham, and so inherit his blessing (Gal 3:14,26-29), so we are David's Seed, as we're in Christ, the SEED of David, and so are joint heirs of the covenant blessings (mercies) of David, described in Ps 18. Thus we share in Christ's victory, anointing & reign, thru our union with Him. Thus Ps 18 doesn't just describe God's covenant blessings to David & his Seed (Christ), but also to those in Christ, which we can apply to & appropriate for ourselves.