Psalms 18

King James Version

Full text for Psalms Chapter 18

1¶ To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day [that] the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

2The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower.

3I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, [even] into his ears.

7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness [was] under his feet.

10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him [were] dark waters [and] thick clouds of the skies.

12At the brightness [that was] before him his thick clouds passed, hail [stones] and coals of fire.

13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail [stones] and coals of fire.

14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

18They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20¶ The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22For all his judgments [were] before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

29¶ For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

30[As for] God, his way [is] perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he [is] a buckler to all those that trust in him.

31For who [is] God save the LORD? or who [is] a rock save our God?

32[It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

33He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], and setteth me upon my high places.

34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

41They cried, but [there was] none to save [them: even] unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

43Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; [and] thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people [whom] I have not known shall serve me.

44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

46The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47[It is] God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Psalm 18 is a fervent psalm of thanksgiving by David, celebrating the LORD's mighty deliverance from all his enemies and from Saul. David declares his profound love and trust in God, who acted with immense power to rescue him from the depths of distress and the snares of death. He attributes his victories and exaltation to God's righteousness and faithfulness, concluding with praise for God's great salvation and enduring mercy to His anointed.

Medium Summary

This psalm, attributed to David, expresses profound gratitude and praise to the LORD for His mighty deliverance from all enemies, including Saul. David begins by proclaiming God as his strength, rock, fortress, and deliverer, recounting a time of extreme distress where he was encompassed by the "sorrows of death." In response to his cry, the LORD intervened with a dramatic display of cosmic power, shaking the earth and descending with fire and thunder to rescue him from overwhelming foes. David asserts that this divine intervention was a reward for his righteousness and adherence to God's ways. He further acknowledges that all his strength in battle, his ability to overcome adversaries, and his establishment as head over nations come directly from God. The psalm concludes with a fervent declaration of God's living power and a blessing upon Him for His enduring mercy to David and his lineage.

Long Summary

Psalm 18 is a powerful psalm of thanksgiving and praise from David, the servant of the LORD, commemorating his deliverance from all his enemies and from Saul. David opens by declaring his deep love and unwavering trust in the LORD, identifying Him with numerous metaphors such as his rock, fortress, deliverer, and high tower. He vividly recounts the depths of his distress, describing himself as being surrounded by the "sorrows of death" and "floods of ungodly men," leading him to cry out to God in his anguish. The psalm then shifts to a magnificent, anthropomorphic depiction of God's response: the earth shakes, smoke and fire emanate from Him, He bows the heavens, rides on a cherub, and thunders with hail and coals of fire, revealing the very foundations of the world. This awe-inspiring display culminates in God reaching down from above to draw David out of "many waters" and deliver him from his strong enemies, because "he delighted in me." David then asserts that this divine recompense was a direct result of his righteousness, his adherence to God's judgments and statutes, and the cleanness of his hands. He articulates a principle of divine reciprocity, stating that God deals with individuals according to their character, saving the afflicted and humbling the proud. Attributing all his military prowess and success to God, David recounts how the LORD girded him with strength, taught him to war, and enabled him to pursue, overtake, and utterly consume his adversaries, scattering them like dust. Furthermore, God established David as the head of the heathen, causing unknown peoples and strangers to submit to him. The psalm concludes with a triumphant doxology, exalting the living LORD, his rock and God of salvation, who avenges and subdues. David pledges to give thanks among the heathen, acknowledging God's great deliverance and enduring mercy shown to His anointed king and his seed forevermore.

Core Concepts

  • Divine DeliveranceGod's powerful and dramatic intervention to rescue David from overwhelming enemies and the "sorrows of death." This is a central theme, highlighted by the cosmic imagery of God's descent.
  • God as Refuge and StrengthDavid repeatedly identifies the LORD as his rock, fortress, deliverer, buckler, and high tower, emphasizing God's role as his ultimate protector and source of power in times of distress and battle.
  • Righteousness and RecompenseDavid attributes God's favor and deliverance to his own adherence to God's ways and the cleanness of his hands, suggesting a divine principle of rewarding faithfulness.
  • Divine ReciprocityThe principle that God interacts with individuals according to their character, showing mercy to the merciful, uprightness to the upright, and frowardness to the froward.
  • Triumph Over EnemiesGod empowers David to utterly defeat his adversaries, subduing nations under him and establishing him as a ruler over peoples he did not know.
  • Cosmic InterventionThe vivid imagery of God's descent, involving earthquakes, fire, thunder, and the parting of heavens and waters, illustrates the immense power and majesty of God's active involvement in human affairs.
  • God's Anointed KingThe psalm concludes by emphasizing God's special relationship with David, His "anointed," promising great deliverance and mercy to him and his seed forevermore.