Psalm 18:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.

NIV: The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.

NASB: Then the earth shook and quaked; And the foundations of the mountains were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry.

CSB: Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook because he burned with anger.

NLT: Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger.

KJV: Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

NKJV: Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry.

So far in this psalm, David has praised God for His help and deliverance (Psalm 18:1–5). He recalled when he had cried out to God for rescue (Psalm 18:6). Now David begins to describe God's response to his cry.

This passage uses dramatic imagery to describe the power of God. In His anger with Saul, the Lord came to David's defense like a massive earthquake. Just as a mighty tremor ruptures and rocks the earth violently, so God's fury targeted Saul and other enemies of David.

After witnessing the Lord's destruction of Pharaoh's cavalry in the Red Sea, Moses and the people of Israel sang to the Lord. In their song of praise, they observed, "Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble" (Exodus 15:6–7). The writer of Hebrews 10:31 warned, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

The Lord knew David was suffering, and He knew Saul was causing the suffering. In a furious display of His anger He judged Saul (1 Samuel 31:1–4).

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.