Psalm 18:49 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing to your name.

NIV: Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name.

NASB: Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, Lord, And I will sing praises to Your name.

CSB: Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about your name.

NLT: For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.

KJV: Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

NKJV: Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

David continues his adoration of God in this verse. He promises to praise Him among the nations—in this context, meaning the Gentiles. He would let them know who the true and living God is.

Before ascending to heaven, Jesus commissioned believers to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel: the good news about His death, burial, resurrection, and promise to return (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8). It seems, at times, there is not much good news circulating today. Or, at least, that good news pales in comparison with the bad news published and broadcast daily. Even so, believers in Jesus have good news to share among the nations. Our God is alive and the only true God.

In his first letter to the Thessalonian church, Paul recalled how the believers had turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9). As we proclaim the gospel among the nations, we can expect to see many people turn from idols—whatever false gods they worship—to serve the living and true God.

Psalm 18:46–50 is the closing section of this song of praise. Here, David raises a crescendo of acclaim to the Lord. He addresses the Lord as his rock and the God of his salvation. Then he rehearses what the Lord did for him. Second Samuel 22:47–51 is a parallel passage. These words of praise were written when the Lord delivered David from his enemies and from Saul (2 Samuel 22:1). Romans 15:9–12 refers to praise to the Lord, and verse 9 quotes Psalm 18:49.

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 5/2/2024 4:30:17 PM