Psalm 18:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.

NIV: The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

NASB: The Lord also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire.

CSB: The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice heard.

NLT: The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals.

KJV: The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

NKJV: The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire.

David continues his poetic description of how the Lord rescued him from Saul, and all of David's other enemies (2 Samuel 22:1). This extends the symbolic message David has used so far, including earthquakes, smoke, fire, darkness, and so forth (Psalm 18:7–12).

In his speech to Job, Elihu referred to the Lord's voice as sounding like thunder and rumbling accompanied by lightning (Job 37:2–5). Psalm 29:3–5 states "the God of glory thunders…The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty…[it] breaks the cedars." These descriptive statements show how awesome and powerful God is.

Unbelievers have every reason to fear the Lord's voice when He pronounces judgment on them, but believers cherish the voice of the Lord. He speaks comforting and assuring words to believers (2 Peter 1:3–4).

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.

Accessed 5/4/2024 11:39:44 PM