What does Psalm 18:36 mean?

Narrow surfaces are hard to walk on. Olympic athletes compete on a balance beam only as wide as a hand. Even more difficult is to move along a wire or cord, also known as "walking a tightrope." Rough terrain is also tough to navigate, with few places on which a person can set his or her feet. When the path is narrow, blocked, or unstable, it becomes almost impossible to make progress. In contrast, flat, clear surfaces such as a running track allow for incredibly fast movement.

As part of praising God for enabling his victories (Psalm 18:31–35), David poetically refers to God giving him a clear, stable path to success.

This concept of having a "wide place" to travel also acknowledges the liberty David received from God. The Lord has given liberty to Christians too. He redeemed us from the enemy and gives us the privilege of walking by faith. The apostle Paul addressed the churches of Galatia about this freedom that the Lord has given us. False teachers had wormed their way into the churches of Galatia and insisted that salvation depended upon their becoming Jews. They taught the Gentile believers in Galatia to be circumcised and adhere to the law of Moses (Galatians 5:7–12).

To the contrary, Paul taught the Galatians that Christ freed believers from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). He urges the Christians in Galatia to "stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1). Jesus promised, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31–32). We are not free to sin, but we are free to serve and enjoy God.