Psalm 33:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

NIV: No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.

NASB: The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not rescued by great strength.

CSB: A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be rescued by great strength.

NLT: The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.

KJV: There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

NKJV: No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

Although David had a strong army, he realized that earthly power does not guarantee victory. He applied the same awareness to individuals. A strong warrior cannot put absolute, infallible trust in his abilities. Goliath was an intimidating Philistine warrior, yet all his might could not prevail against young David, whose trust was in the Lord (1 Samuel 17:45–51). Believers can be certain they are on the side of victory with the Lord as their champion.

Gideon relied on the Lord for victory over the massive army from Midian. He was left with only three hundred men (Judges 7:5–7) against the Midianites who greatly outnumbered them (Judges 7:12). When Gideon and his men blew their trumpets and broke their jars with torches in them, they cried out, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" (Judges 7:20). The Midian army panicked, fought among its ranks, and fled.

Trusting in the Lord and knowing He was present, Elisha chose not to be afraid of Syrian horses and chariots, or the huge army surrounding Dothan, where he was staying. Because his servant feared, Elisha asked the Lord to open his eyes so he would see. When the servant opened his eyes, he saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Then, answering Elisha's second prayer, the Lord struck the Syrians with blindness (2 Kings 6:11–18).

David summons the worshipers of Israel to be joyful as they praise God. The psalm celebrates God's creative power, sovereignty, and faithfulness. Rather than relying on earthly strength, the Lord's people can trust in His omnipotent power. This results in a collective praise for God and His unfailing love for those who trust and hope in Him.

The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, attributes this psalm to David. It is a psalm that encourages worshipers to praise the Lord. It may have been written after Israel experienced a victory over an enemy. Because the verbs in this psalm are plural, it features the worship leader's call to worship and the worshipers' response.

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.