Psalm 118:18 kjv
The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
Psalm 118:18 nkjv
The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death.
Psalm 118:18 niv
The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
Psalm 118:18 esv
The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
Psalm 118:18 nlt
The LORD has punished me severely,
but he did not let me die.
Psalm 118 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Divine Discipline & Love | ||
| Prov 3:11-12 | My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. | Discipline as a mark of love |
| Heb 12:5-6 | You have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines the one he loves..." | God disciplines those He loves as children |
| Rev 3:19 | Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. | Discipline for repentance & zeal |
| Job 5:17 | Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. | Discipline as a blessing |
| Deut 8:5 | Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. | God disciplines like a father |
| Hos 5:15 | ...until they admit their guilt and seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me. | Discipline leads to seeking God |
| Ps 94:12 | Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law... | Discipline brings instruction |
| God's Preservation & Deliverance from Death | ||
| Ps 30:3 | O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. | God rescues from the brink of death |
| Ps 86:13 | For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. | Deliverance from destruction by His love |
| Jon 2:6 | ...from the pit you brought up my life, O LORD my God. | Deliverance from seemingly hopeless death |
| 1 Sam 2:6 | The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. | God's sovereignty over life and death |
| Lam 3:31-32 | For the Lord will not cast off forever, but though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love. | God's grief is followed by compassion |
| 2 Cor 1:10 | He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. | God's pattern of past and future deliverance |
| Ps 71:20 | You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. | Revived after many troubles |
| Suffering for God's Purpose | ||
| Rom 5:3-4 | Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope... | Suffering produces spiritual virtues |
| Jas 1:2-4 | Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. | Trials lead to steadfastness |
| 1 Pet 1:6-7 | ...you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold...—may be found to result in praise and glory... | Trials refine faith |
| 2 Cor 4:8-9 | We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. | Enduring trials without being destroyed |
| Ps 34:19 | Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. | God delivers from all afflictions |
| Isa 43:2 | When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire, you shall not be burned... | God's presence in affliction |
| Messianic Fulfillment | ||
| Isa 53:5 | But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace... | Christ's chastisement for our peace |
| Acts 2:24 | God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. | Christ delivered from death's ultimate grip |
Psalm 118 verses
Psalm 118 18 Meaning
Psalm 118:18 declares that the LORD, in His sovereign and loving wisdom, inflicted severe trials and corrective discipline upon the speaker. Despite the profound and intense nature of this chastening, the speaker testifies that God mercifully upheld their life, preventing utter destruction or ultimate perishing, thereby demonstrating His unfailing commitment to preservation and His ultimate redemptive purposes.
Psalm 118 18 Context
Psalm 118 is a joyful hymn of thanksgiving, part of the "Hallel" collection (Psalms 113-118), traditionally sung during major Jewish festivals such as Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The psalmist, likely an individual (perhaps a king, like David, or a collective representation of Israel), recounts being in extreme distress—surrounded by enemies (v. 10-13) and pushed to the verge of falling (v. 13). Yet, through all the overwhelming circumstances, the psalmist testifies to God's steadfast love (hesed) and miraculous deliverance. This specific verse, Psalm 118:18, serves as a powerful testament within this broader narrative of struggle and ultimate triumph. It acknowledges that God Himself initiated or permitted a period of severe testing or discipline, yet the ultimate outcome was preservation from death, rather than destruction, leading to a jubilant declaration of God's saving power and vindication that culminates in the well-known "stone the builders rejected" motif (v. 22).
Psalm 118 18 Word analysis
- The LORD (יהוה - YHWH): Refers to the personal, covenantal God of Israel. This name signifies His eternal, self-existent, and active presence. Its use here emphasizes that the chastening is not random misfortune, but a deliberate act of the sovereign and faithful God.
- has chastened (יִסְּרַנִי - yiss'rani): From the Hebrew root yasar (יסר), which implies instruction, correction, discipline, or training, much like a parent educates a child. It denotes a process meant to reform and restore, not merely punish. It implies a relational context where the discipline aims at righteousness and wisdom, distinguishing it from retributive judgment.
- me: Indicates a direct, personal experience of the divine discipline. The speaker is the recipient of this intimate yet severe interaction with God.
- severely (יָהּ - yah): This is a unique and debated word in this context. While "yah" is often a shortened form of YHWH, here it acts as an intensifier of the preceding verb, signifying "truly," "indeed," or "very much so." It conveys the idea that the discipline was extremely strong, painful, and brought the individual to the brink of collapse, making the subsequent deliverance even more remarkable. Some interpret it as meaning "by Yah," emphasizing the divine agency behind the severity.
- but (וְ - v'-): A crucial conjunction expressing strong contrast. It pivots the statement from the severity of the discipline to the certainty of preservation, highlighting God's ultimate benevolent intention.
- he has not given me over (לֹא נְתָנָֽנִי - lo' n'tanani): "Lo'" is a strong negation, and "n'tanani" means "He gave me." Thus, "He did not give me over." This emphasizes God's deliberate restraint. He imposed limits on the discipline and chose not to abandon the psalmist to their ultimate fate, revealing His protective hand even amidst the trial.
- to death (לַמָּוֶת - la'mavet): Signifies not merely physical cessation, but often in the Old Testament, the realm of Sheol, a state of utter ruin, helplessness, and separation from God's presence and blessing. It means God preserved the speaker from utter destruction, annihilation, or permanent spiritual death.
Words-group analysis:
- "The LORD has chastened me severely": This phrase underlines the divine origin and intense nature of the suffering. It's not attributed to fate or accident, but to the intentional action of God, suggesting a deeper, purposeful engagement. The "me" personalizes this experience, showing the direct impact of God's hand on the individual.
- "but he has not given me over to death": This contrasting clause reveals the compassionate limit of God's discipline. While the chastening was severe, its ultimate goal was not destruction, but correction and preservation. It emphasizes God's sovereign control over life and death, and His loving intent to save rather than to annihilate, transforming what could be perceived as punishment into purposeful instruction leading to life.
Psalm 118 18 Bonus section
- The acknowledgment of God's chastening implies a relationship where correction is possible and necessary, demonstrating that the individual is recognized as God's child or servant.
- This verse counters the prosperity gospel notion that true believers are always free from severe trials; rather, it indicates that such experiences can be a divine act of love and part of God's good plan.
- The Christological significance of Psalm 118, particularly this verse, is profound. Jesus, the ultimate "stone the builders rejected" (Ps 118:22), suffered chastisement "severely" (Isa 53:5), even unto death on the cross, yet God did not ultimately "give Him over to death," raising Him triumphantly, proving death had no ultimate hold on Him (Acts 2:24). This makes Jesus the perfect embodiment of this verse, having been chastened but not destroyed, securing ultimate life for all who believe.
Psalm 118 18 Commentary
Psalm 118:18 captures a profound theological truth: God’s discipline, however severe or painful, is never punitive with an aim to destroy, but always purposeful, with an ultimate goal of correction, growth, and preservation. The psalmist acknowledges the depth of suffering – to the point of "severely" – affirming God's active involvement in the trials, ensuring they are precisely tailored for effect. This experience of near-death, yet ultimately being held from it, powerfully testifies to God’s unwavering steadfast love (hesed). It transforms a narrative of struggle into one of praise, affirming that God always places boundaries on affliction. This verse serves as a beacon of hope for believers enduring hardship, reminding them that their trials, however grievous, are under God's control, intended not for ruin, but for purification and life, just as a potter shapes clay through intense heat, never to destroy it but to refine its form and function. For instance, like a parent administering tough love to teach responsibility, God’s severe chastening aims at character formation, preparing the individual for a greater purpose and deepening their trust in Him.