Psalm 18 (17):51Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

God, who exalts and brings forth the wondrous salvation offered by His Son to all who have faith. And He is gracious toward Christ—God who bestows grace upon Christ—To David and his descendants eternally. To the Savior Himself, the powerful One who triumphed over this world; and to those whom He has spiritually fathered, as believers in the gospel, for eternity. Everything expressed in this Psalm that cannot be directly attributed to the Lord Himself, meaning to the Head of the Church, must instead be ascribed to the Church. For the entirety of Christ, encompassing all His members, speaks in this context.

For this reason, let us offer our confession to You among the nations, O Lord. Since You have accomplished both things, as the prophet states, when You, O Lord, have summoned the nations to Yourself, we will proclaim our praises to You through them, for they will sing the songs I have written. Furthermore, not only will we make our confessions, but I will also exalt the salvation of their sovereign, the ruler of the nations. I will exalt it, meaning I will loudly declare to all the deliverance that “hath made .... in the midst of the earth” (Psalm 73:12). And You have accomplished this by showing favor to Your anointed people; indeed, we are anointed into the “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9).

You, having consecrated me as sovereign, not only rescue me but also bestow upon me glory. This divine provision you grant not solely to me, but also to my descendants, preserving this splendor for my lineage through the ages. If this is interpreted strictly in a Jewish context, the prophecy appears unfulfilled; for prior to the exile, the lineage of David maintained its rule, and upon returning from captivity, only Zerubbabel held the governorship with no heirs to carry on. Thus, if the prophecy holds true—and it does, being a disclosure from the Spirit of truth—it must refer to the Seed of David possessing everlasting glory, namely the Lord Christ, who was born of David according to the flesh, and who reigns eternally in His kingdom, having received this as man in the latter days.

The title Lord is understood to precede and follow the phrases mentioned. It speaks of the continuous increase of salvation for kings; alternatively, this can be interpreted as You, Lord, are continually bestowing upon me, the king, a magnificent and extraordinary salvation. Additionally, grant favor to Your anointed one. You, O Lord, declare that You bestow favor upon me by appointing me as king over Israel. To David and his descendants forever, it is stated above regarding the king and later about the anointed one; thus, it is no surprise that he now mentions both the name of the king and the anointed, that is, David.

Nikita in his Catenae states that the faithful, who receive the anointing of the Spirit, are referred to as the anointed ones. This same group is recognized as Davidic, being descendants of David, the anointed. The offspring of these faithful individuals are those who have embraced godliness as taught by him. This lineage shall endure until the end of time, as the faithful will always exist; God’s mercy sustains them. Furthermore, Christ is also recognized as David, as declared by the prophet Ezekiel: "And I will set up over them one shepherd to save them, my servant David, and he shall be their shepherd: and I the Lord will be their God, and David shall be a prince among them. I, the Lord, have spoken it" (Ezekiel 34:23). Additionally, it is said: "and my servant David - a prince among them - shall be one Shepherd over all.... And David my servant is a prince to the ages of ages" (Ezek. 37:24).

It is as if to express, “May my hope in God, my rock, endure, and may the one who provides my deliverance be honored and exalted: God, who grants me triumphs and conquers nations on my behalf. O God, You have rescued me from my foes. You have raised me above those who oppose me. You have saved me from wicked individuals. For this reason, I will praise You among the Gentiles, and I will sing to Your name. Have You not magnified the salvation of Your servant, the king? What great kindness have You shown to Your anointed David and to his descendants throughout all generations?”

In this context, the Holy Church exalts the salvation brought forth by Christ, the Sovereign of glory, achieved through His sacrificial blood. He displayed His compassion towards David, as He chose to be born from his lineage, merging humanity with the Divine nature. This signifies the lineage of David, from which Christ, the Lord of the Gospel truth, generated them, granting them the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven.