What does Psalm 18:28 mean?
ESV: For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
NIV: You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
NASB: For You light my lamp; The Lord my God illumines my darkness.
CSB: Lord, you light my lamp; my God illuminates my darkness.
NLT: You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
KJV: For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
NKJV: For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
Verse Commentary:
God receives credit and ample praise from David in this section of Scripture. David thanks the Lord for keeping him alive during the wilderness years. During that long period, being hunted by Saul (2 Samuel 22:1), David was confident the Lord would preserve his life. He held similar confidence in other situations where danger lurked.
Light symbolizes life, goodness, and truth in Hebrew culture. Job 18:5–6 and 21:17 allude to the death of the wicked as God putting out their lamps. In Psalm 27:1 David testified: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
When the kingdom of Israel divided, the Lord promised to preserve the tribe of Judah. He explained, "that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem" (1 Kings 11:36). In Psalm 132:17 we find the Lord's promise regarding Zion, which is another name for Jerusalem: "There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed."
Verse Context:
Psalm 18:28–45 celebrates the Lord's goodness to David during his wilderness experience (2 Samuel 22:1). Second Samuel 22:29–46 is a companion passage, and 2 Samuel chapter 8 features several of David's victories. Other passages that focus on the victory God gives His people are Romans 8:28–39, 1 Corinthians 15:50–58, 2 Corinthians 1:8–11, 2:14–17, Ephesians 6:10–20, Philippians 1:12–26, 1 Peter 1:3–9, and 1 John 5:1–5.
Chapter Summary:
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.
Chapter Context:
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.
Book Summary:
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.
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