An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

Vain is the horse for safety: neither shall he be saved by the abundance of his strength.

A false thing is the horse for safety, And by the abundance of his strength He doth not deliver.

A horse is a false hope; his great power will not make any man free from danger.

A horse is a vain thing for safety; Neither doth it afford escape by its great strength.

A horse is a deceitful thing for safety. In this verse, the Psalmist, by the figure synecdoche under the name of horse, is to be understood as meaning any kind of help. The sense is, that in general those who conceive that their life is well protected by earthly means, are commonly disappointed at the very crisis of danger, and are miserably beguiled to their utter undoing, so that God therein clearly shows them their folly. It is true, that kings are not armed with the sword in vain, nor is the use of horses superfluous, nor are the treasures and resources which God furnishes to defend men's lives unnecessary, provided a right method of employing them be observed. But as the greater part of men the more they are surrounded with human defences, withdraw themselves the farther from God, and by a false imagination persuade themselves that they are in a haven safe from all disturbance, God acts most justly in disappointing this madness. This is the reason why his gifts often pass away without effect, because the world, by separating them from the giver, is also justly deprived of his blessing.

An horse - The reference here is undoubtedly to the war-horse. See the notes at Psalm 20:7.
Is a vain thing - literally, is a "lie." That is, he cannot be confided in.
For safety - For securing safety in battle. He is liable to be stricken down, or to become wild and furious so as to be beyond the control of his rider; and however strong or fleet he may be, or however well he may be "broken," yet none of these things make it certain that the rider will be safe. God is the only being in whom perfect confidence can be reposed.
Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength - Safety cannot be found in his mere "strength," however great that may be. These illustrations are all designed to lead the mind to the great idea that safety is to be found in God alone, Psalm 33:18-19.

A horse is a vain thing for safety - Even the horse, with all his fleetness, is no sure means of escape from danger: the lion or the tiger can overtake him or he may stumble, fall, and destroy his rider.

A horse is a vain thing for safety,.... Though it is prepared for the day of battle, and is a very warlike creature, and of great service in war, yet safety only is of the Lord, Proverbs 21:31; this is put for all kinds of military preparations which men are apt to trust in, but should not, for they are "a lie" (i), as the horse is here said to be; that is, deceives and disappoints when trusted to; in like manner the olive is said "to lie", Habakkuk 3:17; when hope of fruit from it is disappointed; so "fundus mendax" in Horace (k);
neither shall he deliver any by his great strength; in the time of battle; either by fighting for him, or fleeing with him.
(i) "mendacium", Pagninus, Montanus; "fallax", V. L. (k) Epod. l. 1. Ode 16. ver. 45. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 1. v. 30. "Spem mentita seges", ib. Epist. l. 1. ep. 7. v. 87.

On the war horse (compare Job 39:19-25).
a vain thing--a lie, which deceives us.

An horse - Though he be strong and fit for battle, or for flight, if need requires. And so this is put for all warlike provisions. Vain things - Hebrews. a lie; because it promises that help and safety which it cannot give.