Psalms 18:43

“Not only does He conquer civil foes, but foreigners, who are driven from their places of refuge.”

“Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people - From the contentions of the people; or, from the efforts which they have made to overcome and subdue me. The allusion is to the efforts made by the people, under the guidance of their leaders. It is not “strivings” among his own followers, but the efforts, the strivings, the contentions of his enemies, who endeavored to obtain the mastery over him, and to subdue him. Thou hast made me the head of the heathen - The head of the nations; that is, the nations round about. In other words, he had, by the divine aid, brought them into subjection to him, or so subdued them that they became tributary to him. The word “heathen” with us…”

“People - From contentions, and seditions, under Saul, and Ishbosheth, and Absalom. Heathens - Of the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Syrians, and others. Not known - Even barbarous and remote nations. Psalms 18:44”

“18:43-45 With God’s victorious help, the psalmist achieved military and political success, thus fulfilling the history of David’s dynasty (Ps 2). The previous laments find some resolution in this psalm.”

“from: Sa2 2:9, Sa2 2:10, Sa2 3:1, Sa2 5:1-7; Act 5:31 made: Psa 22:27, Psa 22:28, Psa 108:9; 2Sam. 5:1-25, 8:1-18, 10:1-19, Sa2 22:44-46; Isa 49:6, Isa 49:22, Isa 49:23, Isa 52:15; Rom 15:12, Rom 15:18; Eph 1:22 a people: Isa 52:15, Isa 55:5; Hos 1:10; Rom 16:26; Pe1 2:10; Rev 11:15 Psalms 18:44”

“(Heb.: 18:44-46) Thus victorious in God, David became what he now is, viz., the ruler of a great kingdom firmly established both in home and foreign relations. With respect to the גּוים and the verb תּפלּטני which follows, ריבי עם can only be understood of the conflicts among his own people, in which David was involved by the persecution of Saul and the rebellions of Absolom and Sheba the son of Bichri; and from which Jahve delivered him, in order to preserve him for his calling of world-wide dominion in accordance with the promise. We therefore interpret the passage according to בּרית עם in Isa 49:8, and קנאת־עם in Isa 26:11; whereas the following עם comes to have a foreign application by…”