Psalm 18:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt.

NIV: I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.

NASB: I was also blameless with Him, And I kept myself from my wrongdoing.

CSB: I was blameless toward him and kept myself from my iniquity.

NLT: I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin.

KJV: I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

NKJV: I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity.

In the context of a person's life, the term "blameless" does not imply absolute perfection. The concept involves a person not leaving any room for others to criticize their behavior. In this passage of Scripture, David praises God for rescuing him from his enemies. David partly credits that deliverance to his obedience to God's commands (Psalm 18:22). Especially in his early life, David's commitment to the Lord's will was tremendous (1 Samuel 13:14). He led an upright life because he wanted to do what was right in the Lord's eyes. He practiced self-discipline. No sin overwhelmed him or even caused him to slip from the path of righteousness. Later in life, some of David's choices would be tragic (1 Kings 15:5), yet the overall pattern of his life was to honor God.

Proof of David's uprightness and self-discipline includes his kind treatment of Saul. Saul, the prior king of Israel, persecuted David and tried to have him murdered. At one point, Saul entered the very cave where David and his men were hiding, and David's men suggested this was the chance to assassinate their enemy. Instead, David "arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe" (1 Samuel 24:4). He explained to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed" (1 Samuel 24:6).

David's men were ready to attack Saul, but David would not permit them to do so (1 Samuel 24:7). Instead, David demonstrated his mercy in an effort to soften Saul's hatred (1 Samuel 24:8–11). Later David had another opportunity to kill Saul and again refused to do so, again stating that it was not for him to kill the LORD's anointed. Instead, David trusted that God Himself would strike Saul or that Saul would die in battle (see 1 Samuel 26).

Psalm 18:20–27 describes David's relationship with the Lord as the reason God rescued him. Second Samuel 22:21–26 presents a slight variation of the words found in this passage. Most likely, the words David originally spoke, as recorded in 2 Samuel 22, were adapted for use in a worship setting, as presented in Psalm 18. David began this psalm by telling the Lord he loved Him. Next, he described dire circumstances, such as when Saul and his men pursued him in the wilderness. He closed the first section of the psalm with a poetic description of how the Lord rescued him from his enemies.

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.