Psalm 18:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

NIV: I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.

NASB: I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.

CSB: I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.

NLT: I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.

KJV: I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

NKJV: I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

David attributes his deliverance from his enemies, including Saul (1 Samuel 19:11–12; 2 Samuel 22:1), to the Lord. To be "delivered," in this context, means to be rescued or saved. The Hebrew root word is yasha', which implies someone who brings freedom or enables an escape. Scripture records many instances of the Lord's deliverance, such as:

The Hebrews from the Egyptian cavalry (Exodus 12:51; 15:19).
The city of Gibeon from five kings and their forces (Joshua 10:6–11).
Israel from the oppression of the Midianites (Judges 7:15–25).
Jerusalem from the Assyrians (Isaiah 37:33–36).
Daniel from the lions' den (Daniel 6:19–23).
Peter from prison and execution (Acts 12:6–17).
Christian believers from sin (Romans 6:17–18), the law of Moses (Romans 7:24–25), "the present evil age" (Galatians 1:4), and "from the wrath to come" (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
He also delivers us from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Certainly, given all of that, we ought to agree with David that the Lord is worthy to be praised!

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.

Accessed 12/18/2024 1:09:47 PM