Psalms 18:1-3

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

1 ^[a]I love you, LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield^[b] and the horn^[c] of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.

Psalms 18:1-3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 18:1-3 In-Context

1 I love you, LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.

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

Cross References

• 1. S Exodus 15:2; S Deuteronomy 33:29; S 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalms 22:19; Psalms 28:7; Psalms 59:9; Psalms 81:1; Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 49:5; Jeremiah 16:19
• 2. S Exodus 33:22; Psalms 19:14
• 3. Psalms 28:8; Psalms 31:2,3; Isaiah 17:10; Jeremiah 16:19
• 4. Psalms 40:17
• 5. Psalms 2:12; Psalms 9:9; Psalms 94:22
• 6. S Genesis 15:1; Psalms 28:7; Psalms 84:9; Psalms 119:114; Psalms 144:2; Psalms 59:11
• 7. S 1 Samuel 2:1; S Luke 1:69; Psalms 75:10
• 8. S 1 Chronicles 16:25; Psalms 48:1
• 9. S Psalms 9:13

Footnotes

• [a]. In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
• [b]. Or "sovereign"
• [c]. "Horn" here symbolizes strength.