Commentary
Old Testament : Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
The Song of Songs
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
![](images/minus.gif)
Text -- Psalms 18:1-42 (NET)
![](images/arrow_open.gif)
Strongs On/Off
Context
Psalm 18
18:1 For the music director ; by the Lord’s servant David , who sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord rescued him from the power of all his enemies , including Saul . He said : “I love you, Lord , my source of strength !
18:2 The Lord is my high ridge , my stronghold , my deliverer . My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter , my shield , the horn that saves me, and my refuge .
18:3 I called to the Lord , who is worthy of praise , and I was delivered from my enemies .
18:4 The waves of death engulfed me, the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.
18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, the snares of death trapped me.
18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord ; I cried out to my God . From his heavenly temple he heard my voice ; he listened to my cry for help .
18:7 The earth heaved and shook ; the roots of the mountains trembled ; they heaved because he was angry .
18:8 Smoke ascended from his nose ; fire devoured as it came from his mouth ; he hurled down fiery coals .
18:9 He made the sky sink as he descended ; a thick cloud was under his feet .
18:10 He mounted a winged angel and flew ; he glided on the wings of the wind .
18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness , in thick rain clouds .
18:12 From the brightness in front of him came hail and fiery coals .
18:13 The Lord thundered in the sky ; the sovereign One shouted .
18:14 He shot his arrows and scattered them, many lightning bolts and routed them.
18:15 The depths of the sea were exposed ; the inner regions of the world were uncovered by your battle cry , Lord , by the powerful breath from your nose .
18:16 He reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me from the surging water .
18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy , from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me.
18:18 They confronted me in my day of calamity , but the Lord helped me.
18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place ; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.
18:20 The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds ; he rewarded my blameless behavior .
18:21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands ; I have not rebelled against my God .
18:22 For I am aware of all his regulations , and I do not reject his rules .
18:23 I was innocent before him, and kept myself from sinning .
18:24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds ; he took notice of my blameless behavior .
18:25 You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful ; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent .
18:26 You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless , but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse .
18:27 For you deliver oppressed people , but you bring down those who have a proud look .
18:28 Indeed , you are my lamp , Lord . My God illuminates the darkness around me.
18:29 Indeed , with your help I can charge against an army ; by my God’s power I can jump over a wall .
18:30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner ; the Lord’s promise is reliable ; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.
18:31 Indeed , who is God besides the Lord ? Who is a protector besides our God ?
18:32 The one true God gives me strength ; he removes the obstacles in my way .
18:33 He gives me the agility of a deer ; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain .
18:34 He trains my hands for battle ; my arms can bend even the strongest bow .
18:35 You give me your protective shield ; your right hand supports me; your willingness to help enables me to prevail .
18:36 You widen my path ; my feet do not slip .
18:37 I chase my enemies and catch them; I do not turn back until I wipe them out .
18:38 I beat them to death ; they fall at my feet .
18:39 You give me strength for battle ; you make my foes kneel before me.
18:40 You make my enemies retreat ; I destroy those who hate me.
18:41 They cry out , but there is no one to help them; they cry out to the Lord , but he does not answer them.
18:42 I grind them as fine windblown dust ; I beat them underfoot like clay in the streets .
![](images/advanced.gif)
![](images/advanced.gif)
![](images/advanced.gif)
Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
![](images/arrow_open.gif)
Names, People and Places:
Dictionary Themes and Topics:
David |
FORTIFICATION; FORT; FORTIFIED CITIES; FORTRESS |
TEMPLE, B |
Praise |
BIBLE, THE, IV CANONICITY |
PSALMS, BOOK OF |
POETRY, HEBREW |
God |
CHERUBIM (1) |
Readings, Select |
Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena |
Faith |
Blessing |
COAL |
BUSH, BURNING |
Testimony |
Wicked |
Afflictions and Adversities |
Steel |
Beth-horon |
more
![](images/cmt_minus_head.gif)
expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes -> Psa 18:1; Psa 18:1; Psa 18:1; Psa 18:1; Psa 18:1; Psa 18:1; Psa 18:1; Psa 18:1; Psa 18:2; Psa 18:2; Psa 18:2; Psa 18:2; Psa 18:2; Psa 18:2; Psa 18:2; Psa 18:3; Psa 18:3; Psa 18:4; Psa 18:4; Psa 18:4; Psa 18:4; Psa 18:5; Psa 18:5; Psa 18:6; Psa 18:6; Psa 18:6; Psa 18:7; Psa 18:7; Psa 18:7; Psa 18:8; Psa 18:8; Psa 18:8; Psa 18:8; Psa 18:8; Psa 18:9; Psa 18:10; Psa 18:10; Psa 18:10; Psa 18:10; Psa 18:10; Psa 18:11; Psa 18:11; Psa 18:12; Psa 18:13; Psa 18:13; Psa 18:13; Psa 18:13; Psa 18:13; Psa 18:14; Psa 18:14; Psa 18:14; Psa 18:14; Psa 18:14; Psa 18:15; Psa 18:15; Psa 18:15; Psa 18:15; Psa 18:15; Psa 18:15; Psa 18:16; Psa 18:16; Psa 18:17; Psa 18:18; Psa 18:18; Psa 18:19; Psa 18:20; Psa 18:20; Psa 18:20; Psa 18:20; Psa 18:21; Psa 18:21; Psa 18:22; Psa 18:22; Psa 18:23; Psa 18:23; Psa 18:24; Psa 18:24; Psa 18:25; Psa 18:25; Psa 18:25; Psa 18:25; Psa 18:26; Psa 18:26; Psa 18:26; Psa 18:26; Psa 18:27; Psa 18:27; Psa 18:28; Psa 18:28; Psa 18:28; Psa 18:28; Psa 18:29; Psa 18:29; Psa 18:29; Psa 18:29; Psa 18:29; Psa 18:29; Psa 18:29; Psa 18:30; Psa 18:30; Psa 18:30; Psa 18:30; Psa 18:31; Psa 18:31; Psa 18:31; Psa 18:32; Psa 18:32; Psa 18:32; Psa 18:32; Psa 18:32; Psa 18:32; Psa 18:33; Psa 18:33; Psa 18:33; Psa 18:34; Psa 18:34; Psa 18:34; Psa 18:35; Psa 18:35; Psa 18:35; Psa 18:35; Psa 18:35; Psa 18:36; Psa 18:36; Psa 18:37; Psa 18:38; Psa 18:38; Psa 18:38; Psa 18:39; Psa 18:39; Psa 18:39; Psa 18:40; Psa 18:40; Psa 18:41; Psa 18:41; Psa 18:41; Psa 18:42; Psa 18:42; Psa 18:42
NET Notes: Psa 18:1 Heb “my strength.” “Strength” is metonymic here, referring to the Lord as the one who bestows strength to the psalmist; thus t...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:2 Or “my elevated place.” The parallel version of this psalm in 2 Sam 22:3 adds at this point, “my refuge, my savior, [you who] save m...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:3 Heb “worthy of praise, I cried out [to] the Lord.” Some take מְהֻלָּל (mÿhullal, R...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:4 In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. (Note the perfect...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:6 Heb “and my cry for help before him came into his ears.” 2 Sam 22:7 has a shorter reading, “my cry for help, in his ears.” It ...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:7 In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. Note the three pr...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:8 Heb “coals burned from him.” Perhaps the psalmist pictures God’s fiery breath igniting coals (cf. Job 41:21), which he then hurls as...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:9 The Hebrew verb נָטָה (natah) can carry the sense “[cause to] bend, bow down.” For example, Gen 49:15 pictur...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:10 The wings of the wind. Verse 10 may depict (1) the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option (2) is that tw...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:11 Heb “darkness of water, clouds of clouds.” The noun “darkness” (חֶשְׁכַת, khes...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:12 Heb “from the brightness in front of him his clouds came, hail and coals of fire.” 2 Sam 22:13 reads, “from the brightness in front ...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:13 Heb “offered his voice.” In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:14 Arrows and lightning bolts are associated in other texts (see Pss 77:17-18; 144:6; Zech 9:14), as well as in ancient Near Eastern art (see R. B. Chish...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:15 2 Sam 22:16 reads “by the battle cry of the Lord, by the blast of the breath of his nose.” The phrase “blast of the breath” (H...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:16 Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:17 The singular refers either to personified death or collectively to the psalmist’s enemies. The following line, which refers to “those [plu...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:20 Heb “according to the purity of my hands he repaid to me.” “Hands” suggest activity and behavior.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:21 Heb “I have not acted wickedly from my God.” The statement is elliptical; the idea is, “I have not acted wickedly and, in so doing, ...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:22 Heb “and his rules I do not turn aside from me.” 2 Sam 22:23 reads, “and his rules, I do not turn aside from it.” The prefixed...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:23 Kept myself from sinning. Leading a blameless life meant that the king would be loyal to God’s covenant, purge the government and society of evi...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:24 Heb “according to the purity of my hands before his eyes.” 2 Sam 22:25 reads “according to my purity before his eyes.” The ver...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:26 Verses 25-26 affirm God’s justice. He responds to people in accordance with their moral character. His response mirrors their actions. The faith...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:27 Heb “but proud eyes you bring low.” 2 Sam 22:28 reads, “your eyes [are] upon the proud, [whom] you bring low.”
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:29 I can jump over a wall. The psalmist uses hyperbole to emphasize his God-given military superiority.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:31 The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “No one.” In this way the psalmist indicates that the Lord is the only true God and reliab...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:32 Heb “he made my path smooth.” The Hebrew term תָּמִים (tamim, “smooth”) usually carr...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:33 Habakkuk uses similar language to describe his faith during difficult times. See Hab 3:19.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:34 The strongest bow (Heb “bow of bronze”) probably refers to a bow laminated with bronze strips, or to a purely ceremonial or decorative bow...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:36 Heb “lower legs.” On the meaning of the Hebrew noun, which occurs only here, see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 112. A cogn...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:38 They fall at my feet. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 294-97.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:39 My foes kneel before me. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:40 Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the Lord who delivered the psalmist from those who hated him.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Psa 18:41 They cry out. This reference to the psalmist’s enemies crying out for help to the Lord suggests that the psalmist refers here to enemies within ...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)