Psalm 18:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I love you, O Lord, my strength.

NIV: For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, Lord, my strength.

NASB: 'I love You, Lord, my strength.'

CSB: For the choir director. Of the servant of the Lord, David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the power of Saul. He said: I love you, Lord, my strength.

NLT: I love you, Lord; you are my strength.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: {To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who 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. And he said:} I will love You, O Lord, my strength.

The introduction to this psalm credits it to David, who gave the first version of this praise in 2 Samuel chapter 22. David was motivated by God's immense help in rescuing him from Saul and his many other enemies.

In this verse David tells God he loves Him. Deuteronomy 6:5 gives Israel the command to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and might, and Jesus identified this command as "the great and first commandment" (Matthew 22:37–38). David's love for the Lord honored this commandment. His love for God was deep. David recognized the Lord as the one who made him victorious over his foes.

After rising from the grave, Jesus met His disciples and asked Peter whether Peter loved Him. Peter had previously denied the Lord three times but now he confessed three times that he loved the Lord as the Lord restored him (John 21:15–17). Like David and restored Peter, we, too, should love the Lord; and we can show our love for Him by keeping His commandments (John 14:15).

Psalm 18:1–19 expresses David's love for the Lord and his praise to God for delivering him from his enemies. This is very similar—perhaps an updated version—of David's song of praise recorded in 2 Samuel chapter 22. Psalms 3—5 recall David's prayer for deliverance from his foes and his trust in the Lord to deliver him from them. Psalms 48:1; 96:4; 145:3; and 150 also express praise to the Lord. An account of David's deliverance from his enemies is found in 2 Samuel 19—21. Other passages of Scripture that reveal God's deliverance of His people include Exodus 14; Joshua 10; Judges 7; 2 Kings 19:20–37; and Revelation 19:11–21.

In 2 Samuel chapter 22, David expresses praise for all the times in his life where God gave him victory. That prayer or song is copied almost identically here. Psalm 18, itself, might have been adapted for use in public worship. David remembers dire situations where God rescued him. He dramatically recounts how God provided rescue and power. David also credits God with rewarding his obedience by making him a powerful and successful military leader. For these reasons, David commits himself to the praise and worship of the Lord.

This psalm is David's prayer to the Lord in which David praises the Lord for making him victorious over his enemies. Second Samuel 5, 8, and 10 are companion chapters, and 2 Samuel 22 provides another version of this psalm. Second Samuel 22:1 tells us David composed Psalm 18 on the day the Lord delivered him from his enemies and Saul. Second Samuel 19 reports David's victorious return to Jerusalem after David vanquished his enemies.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.