Psalms 18
18
# 18 This magnificent poem is so important to the Holy Spirit that it appears twice in the Bible. You will also find it in 2 Sam. 22. I Love You, Lord
A song # 18 There are fifty psalms that are described as “a song” in the inscription, and each one is a power song of victory and breakthrough. to the Pure and Shining One by King David, his servant, composed when the Lord rescued David from all his many enemies, including from the brutality of Saul. # 18 Or “the paw of Saul.” Saul was like a beast that chased David until his death. He said:
1I love you, Yahweh, and I’m bonded to you, # 18:1 David didn’t employ the common Hebrew word for “love,” ‘ahav, but instead used the Hebrew word for “pity” or “mercy.” How could David have mercy for God? The word he used, racham, is the word for a mother who loves and pities her child so much it manifests with a deep love and emotional bond. This concept, although difficult to convey in English, carries the thought of embrace and touch. It could actually be translated “Lord, I want to hug you.” Haven’t you ever felt like that?
my strength!
2Yahweh, you’re the bedrock beneath my feet,
my faith-fortress, my wonderful deliverer,
my God, my rock of rescue where none can reach me.
You’re the shield around me,
the mighty power # 18:2 Or “horn” (i.e., horn of my salvation), which comes from a root word meaning “ray of brightness.” that saves me,
and my high place.
3All I need to do is to call on you,
Yahweh, the praiseworthy God.
When I do, I’m safe and sound in you—
delivered from my foes!
4-5For when the cords of death wrapped around me
and torrents of destruction overwhelmed me, # 18:4–5 Or “waves of Sheol [death] engulfed me.” See 2 Sam. 22:5.
taking me to death’s door,
6in my distress I cried out to you, the delivering God,
and from your temple-throne you heard my troubled cry,
and my sobs went right into your heart. # 18:6 This scene is not only a poetic portrayal of how God answered David’s prayer, but also a picture of the sufferings of a greater Son of David, Jesus, who hung on the cross with cries of agony. God heard him and shook the planet as thick clouds covered the sun.
7The earth itself shivered and shook.
It reeled and rocked before him.
As the mountains trembled, they melted away,
for his anger was kindled on my behalf!
8Fierce flames leapt from his mouth, # 18:8 Or “nostrils.”
erupting with blazing, burning coals as smoke
and fire encircled him.
9-10He stretched heaven’s curtain open and came to my defense.
Swiftly he rode to earth as the stormy sky was lowered.
He rode a chariot of thunderclouds amidst thick darkness;
his steed was a cherub,
soaring on outstretched wings of Spirit-Wind.
11Wrapped in the thick-cloud darkness,
his thunder-tabernacle surrounded him.
He hid himself in mystery-darkness;
the dense rain clouds were his garments.
12Suddenly the brilliance of his presence broke through
with lightning bolts and hail—
a tempest dropping coals of fire.
13The Lord thundered; the great God above every god
spoke with his thunder-voice from the sky.
The Most High uttered his voice!
14He released his lightning-arrows, and routed my foes.
See how they ran and scattered in fear!
15Then with his mighty roar he laid bare the foundations of the earth,
uncovering the secret source of the sea.
The hidden depths of land and sea were exposed
by the blast of his hot breath.
16He rescued me from the mighty waters
and drew me to himself!
17Even though I was helpless in the hands
of my hateful, strong enemy, # 18:17 Death is our strong enemy. Only through Christ are we delivered from its grip.
you were good to deliver me.
18When I was at my weakest, # 18:18 Or “In the day of my calamity.” my enemies attacked—
but the Lord held on to me.
19His love broke open the way,
and he brought me into a beautiful, broad place. # 18:19 This could be the throne room of heaven.
He rescued me—because his delight is in me! # 18:19 Here in verses 16–19 you can see the glorious resurrection of Christ as the Father reached down and kissed the Son with life and love. Read it again and think of Christ in the tomb being raised by the Father.
20He rewarded me for doing what’s right and staying pure.
21I will follow his commands and
I’ll not sin by ceasing to follow him, no matter what.
22For I’ve kept my eyes focused on his righteous words,
and I’ve obeyed everything that he’s told me to do.
23I’ve been blameless before him and followed all his ways,
keeping my heart pure.
24And so Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
because I kept my heart clean before his eyes.
25Good people will taste your goodness.
And to those who are loyal to you,
you love to prove that you are loyal and true.
26And for those who are purified, they find you always pure.
But you’ll outwit the crooked and cunning with your craftiness.
27To the humble you bring heaven’s deliverance,
but the proud and haughty you disregard.
28God, all at once you turned on a floodlight for me!
You are the revelation-light in my darkness,
and in your brightness I can see the path ahead.
29With you as my strength I can crush an enemy horde,
advancing through every stronghold that stands in front of me. # 18:29 Or “by my God I can jump over a wall.”
30Yahweh, what a perfect God you are!
All Yahweh’s promises have proven true.
What a secure shelter for all those
who turn to hide themselves in you,
the wraparound God. # 18:30 The Hebrew word used here (often translated “shield”) means “to wrap around in protection.” God himself is our shield of grace.
31Could there be any other god like Yahweh?
For there is not a more secure foundation # 18:31 Or “rocky cliff.” than you.
32God, you have wrapped me in power
and made my way perfect.
33Through you I ascend to the highest peaks
to stand strong and secure in you. # 18:33 Or “You make my legs like a deer to stand firm on the heights.”
34You’ve trained me with the weapons of warfare-worship;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35You empower me for victory with your wraparound presence.
Your power within makes me strong to subdue.
By stooping down in gentleness,
you made me great!
36You’ve set me free, and now I’m standing complete,
ready to fight some more!
37I caught up with my enemies and conquered them
and didn’t turn back until the war was won!
38I smashed them to pieces and
I finished them once and for all; they’re as good as dead.
39You’ve placed your armor upon me
and made my enemies bow low at my feet.
40You’ve made them all turn tail and run,
for through you I’ve destroyed them all!
41They shouted for help, but no one dared to rescue them.
They cried out to Yahweh, but he refused to answer them.
42So I pulverized them to powder and cast them to the wind.
I swept them away like dirt on the floor.
43You gave me victory on every side,
for you make me a leader of nations.
Even those I’ve never heard of come and bow at my feet.
44As soon as they heard of me they submitted to me.
Even the rebel foreigners obey my every word.
45Their rebellion fades away as they come near;
trembling in their strongholds,
they come crawling out of their hideouts,
cringing in fear before me.
46Yahweh lives!
Praise is lifted high to the unshakable God!
Towering over all, my Savior-God is worthy to be praised!
47Look how he pays back harm to all who harm me,
subduing all who come against me.
48He rescues me from my enemies;
he lifts me up high and keeps me out of reach,
far from the grasp of my violent foe.
49So I thank you, Yahweh, with my praises!
I will sing my song to the highest God,
so all among the nations will hear me. # 18:49 Paul quoted this verse as one of four prophecies to show that Christ came for all people, not just the Jews. See Rom. 15:9.
50You have given me, your king, great victories.
You’ve always been tender and kind to me, your anointed one,
your loving servant, David, and to all my descendants!
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Psalms 18: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalms 18
18
2Sa 22:1–51
For the Music Director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord. He spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1I love You, O Lord, my strength.
2#Ps 63:1; 84:2 The Lord is my pillar, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
3#Ps 79:10; 80:5 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I will be saved from my enemies.
4#Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8 The cords of death encircled me,
and the torrents of destruction terrified me.
5#Ps 42:11; 43:5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6#2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8–9 In my distress I called on the Lord,
and cried for help to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
and my cry for help came before Him to His ears.
7#Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3 Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the hills also moved;
they reeled because His anger burned.
8#Job 35:10; Ps 63:6 Smoke went up out of His nostrils,
and fire from His mouth devoured;
coals were kindled by it.
9#Ps 38:6; 18:2 He bent the heavens and came down,
and darkness was under His feet.
10#Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17 He rode on a cherub, and flew;
He flew swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11#Ps 42:5; 43:5 He made darkness His secret place;
His pavilion was surrounding Him,
dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12At the brightness before Him His thick clouds passed by,
hailstones and coals of fire.
13The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High gave His voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14He sent out His arrows and scattered them,
and He shot out lightning and distressed them.
15Then the channels of waters appeared,
and the foundations of the world were discovered
at Your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
16He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19He also brought me forth into a large place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
20The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid 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 my iniquity.
24Therefore the Lord has repaid me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in His view.
25With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
with the blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
26with the pure You will show Yourself pure;
and with the crooked You will show Yourself crooked.
27For You will save the afflicted people,
but will bring down prideful eyes.
28For You will cause my lamp to shine;
the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29For by You I can run through a troop,
and by my God I can leap a wall.
30As for God, His way has integrity;
the word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield
to all those who take refuge in Him.
31For who is God except the Lord?
Or who is a rock besides our God?
32It is God who clothes me with strength,
and gives my way integrity.
33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
and causes me to stand on my high places.
34He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35You have given me the shield of Your salvation,
and Your right hand has held me up,
and Your gentleness has made me great.
36You have lengthened my stride under me,
so that my feet did not slip.
37I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not return until they were destroyed.
38I wounded them, and they were not able to rise;
they are fallen under my feet.
39For You clothed me with strength for the battle;
You subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40You gave me the necks of my enemies,
and I destroyed those who hate me.
41They cried for help, but there was none to save them;
even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind;
I cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43You have delivered me from the hostilities of the people,
and You have made me the head of nations;
a people whom I have not known serve me.
44At hearing a report, they obey me;
foreigners come cringing to me.
45Foreigners fade away,
and come quaking out of their prisons.
46The Lord lives! And blessed be my Rock!
May the God of my salvation be exalted.
47It is God who avenges me
and subdues the people under me;
48He delivers me from my enemies.
You lift me up above those who rise up against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
49Therefore I will give thanks to You, OLord, among the nations,
and sing praises to Your name.
50He gives great deliverance to His king,
and shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
to David and to his descendants for evermore.
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