Commentary on Psalms Volume 1 John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
Psalm 18:41-45
41. They shall cry, but there shall be no savior for them; even unto Jehovah, but he shall not answer them. 42. And I will beat [or grind] them small as the dust which is driven by the wind; 432 as the mire of the streets I will tread them under foot. 43. Thou shalt deliver me from the contentions of the people; thou shalt make me the head of the nations; a people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44. At the hearing of the ear, 433 they shall obey me; the children of strangers 434 shall lie to me. 435 45. The children of strangers shall lose their courage, and tremble out of their places of concealment.
41. They shall cry, etc. The change of the tense in the verb from the past to the future does not break the continuity of the narration; and, therefore, the words should be explained thus: Although they cried to God, yet their prayers were rejected by him. He pursues the same subject which it was his object to illustrate before, namely, that it was at length manifest from the issue that his enemies falsely boasted of having the support and countenance of God, who showed that he had turned away from them. It is true, that when their affairs continued to go on prosperously, they sometimes received such applause and commendation, that it was commonly believed that God was favorable to them, while, at the same time he seemed to be opposed to David, who although he cried night and day to him, found it of no avail. But after God had sufficiently tried the patience of his servant, he cast them down, and disappointed them of their vain hope; yea, rather he would not deign to hear their prayers. We now perceive the design of David in these words. As the ungodly had long wickedly abused the name of God, by pretending that he favored their unjust proceedings, the Psalmist derides "Qui est jette par le vent." — Fr.
"Si tost que le bruit de mon nom viendra a leurs aureilles." — Note, Fr. marg. "That is, as soon as the fame of my name reaches their ears."
"Les peuples estranges." — Note, Fr. marg. "That is, strange peoples, or foreign nations."
"Feront semblant d'estre des miens s'humilians de crainte." — Note, Fr. marg. "That is, shall feign to be my servants, [or submission to me,] humbling themselves through fear."