Psalm 18:16 kjv
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
Psalm 18:16 nkjv
He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.
Psalm 18:16 niv
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
Psalm 18:16 esv
He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.
Psalm 18:16 nlt
He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
Psalm 18 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 40:2 | He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog... | God drawing one out of despair; similar imagery. |
| 2 Sam 22:17 | He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. | Direct parallel (Psalm 18 is a version of 2 Sam 22). |
| Psa 69:1-2 | Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire... | Overwhelming trouble described as deep waters/mire. |
| Psa 69:14-15 | Deliver me from the mire... Let not the flood sweep over me... | Prayer for rescue from water-like dangers. |
| Isa 43:2 | When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you... | God's presence and protection in overwhelming trials. |
| Lam 3:55-58 | I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; You heard my plea... You drew near... You redeemed my life. | Calling from deep distress; God drawing near to redeem. |
| Jon 2:5-6 | The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me... But you brought up my life from the pit. | Literal and metaphorical rescue from deep waters of death. |
| Psa 32:6 | ...at the flood of many waters, they shall not reach him. | Divine protection from overwhelming floods of trouble. |
| Psa 93:3-4 | The floods have lifted up, O Lord... The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters... | God's sovereignty over the chaos of great waters. |
| Psa 124:4-5 | Then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters. | God's intervention prevents complete destruction. |
| Acts 2:24 | God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. | God raising from the depths of death (Christological). |
| Col 1:13 | He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. | Spiritual rescue from overwhelming evil power. |
| Rom 5:6-8 | ...Christ died for the ungodly... while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | God's decisive act to rescue humanity from spiritual death. |
| Tit 3:5 | ...He saved us, not because of works done by us... but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration... | Salvation as a divine rescue by God's mercy. |
| Eph 4:8-10 | "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives"... He who descended is the one who also ascended... | Christ's descent into death and triumphant ascent (type). |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help... | God's readiness to help in time of need. |
| Psa 144:7 | Send Your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters... | Similar plea and expectation of rescue from God. |
| Psa 23:2-3 | He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul... | God leading through refreshing waters to restoration. |
| Rev 17:15 | ...The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. | "Waters" as symbolic of human multitudes or chaotic forces. |
| Gen 1:2 | The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering.. | Primordial waters of chaos over which God exercised power. |
| Mk 4:39-41 | He woke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased... | Jesus demonstrating power over literal chaotic waters. |
Psalm 18 verses
Psalm 18 16 Meaning
Psalm 18:16 profoundly conveys God’s active and direct intervention to rescue His servant from overwhelming danger. The verse pictures God extending His power from His heavenly abode to seize the psalmist, pulling him out of dire, life-threatening circumstances metaphorically represented as "many waters." It signifies divine omnipotence, omnipresence, and tender care reaching down into human despair for supernatural deliverance.
Psalm 18 16 Context
Psalm 18 is a psalm of David, presented as a psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord for His powerful deliverance from all his enemies, especially from the hand of Saul (as stated in the superscription, also seen in 2 Samuel 22). This hymn extols God's magnificent intervention, describing Him as a mighty Warrior and a sure Deliverer. The preceding verses (Psa 18:7-15) vividly portray God descending from heaven with dramatic cosmic manifestations – smoke, fire, dark clouds, thunder, hail, and lightning – a theophany demonstrating His overwhelming power coming to David’s aid. Verse 16 specifically shifts to the action of this divine descent: God reaches out to David amidst his overwhelming troubles, depicted as "many waters," rescuing him from a state of near drowning or complete destruction. It reflects David’s deep conviction that his deliverance was not by chance or human strength, but by God’s direct, miraculous hand.
Psalm 18 16 Word analysis
- He sent (וַיִּשְׁלַח – vayyishlach): From the root shalach, meaning "to send," "to stretch out," "to extend." This emphasizes God's initiative and active volition. It denotes a purposeful and direct act, not a passive observation. The implied subject is God Himself, the mighty Warrior of the preceding verses, stretching forth His hand or His power.
- from above (מִמָּרוֹם – mimmarom): From marom, meaning "height," "high place," "on high." This term signifies God's transcendence, His dwelling in heaven, yet underscores His ability to intervene directly into earthly affairs. It contrasts the "depths" or "many waters" from which David is pulled, highlighting the vast gap between divine omnipotence and human vulnerability.
- He took me (יִקָּחֵנִי – yiqqacheni): From the root laqach, meaning "to take," "to grasp," "to seize." This conveys a personal and forceful appropriation. It suggests God’s firm grip on David, securing him in His hand, much like a parent grabbing a child from danger. It is an act of possession and protection.
- He drew me out (יַמְשֵׁנִי – yamshēni): From the root mashah, meaning "to draw out," "to pull out." This specific verb is notable. It is used in Exodus for Moses being "drawn out" of the water (Exod 2:10) – indicating a forceful rescue from a dangerous liquid environment. It implies an overcoming of resistance or entanglement, a strenuous effort to extract something from peril. It conveys absolute rescue and liberation.
- of many waters (מִמַּיִם רַבִּים – mimmaim rabbim):
- many waters (mayim rabbim): "Waters" (mayim) in biblical literature frequently symbolize chaos, destructive forces, overwhelming trouble, danger, affliction, and even death or the abyss (Sheol). The addition of "many" (rabbim) emphasizes the overwhelming quantity, intensity, and pervasive nature of the threat. This is not a small pool, but a raging torrent or vast ocean. This imagery echoes the primordial chaos in Gen 1:2 and the destructive waters of the flood.
- Word-groups by words-group analysis:
- He sent from above, He took me: This phrase highlights divine initiative and effective action from God's glorious dwelling. God doesn't merely wish for David's safety; He acts decisively from His sovereign position, taking possession of David to secure him.
- He drew me out of many waters: This forms a complete picture of rescue from overwhelming, life-threatening danger. It vividly portrays a literal extraction from an environment designed to engulf and destroy, underscoring the completeness of the deliverance and God's powerful overcoming of the threatening "waters."
Psalm 18 16 Bonus section
The imagery of God reaching down from above to pull someone out of "many waters" is a powerful ancient Near Eastern motif, often used to depict a deity conquering chaotic forces or rescuing heroes from cosmic waters. However, in the biblical context, it serves a distinct polemic purpose against pagan deities who were themselves manifestations or mere extensions of chaotic elements. Here, Yahweh is unequivocally sovereign over the waters and all chaotic forces, demonstrating absolute power, rather than being part of or threatened by them. He is not just powerful; He is personal and attentive to the individual cries of His servant, unlike impersonal forces or indifferent gods. This verse foreshadows the ultimate rescue of humanity through Jesus Christ, who descended to the depths of death (symbolic waters of Sheol) and was raised triumphantly by God, drawing believers out of the waters of sin and death into new life.
Psalm 18 16 Commentary
Psalm 18:16 stands as a powerful testimony to the Lord’s personal and effectual salvation. After vividly describing His majestic arrival and cosmic intervention, David specifies the tangible result: God’s hand reaching down. The imagery of "many waters" is a profound biblical metaphor, signifying not just literal floods but any overwhelming force, deep affliction, or existential threat – whether physical danger, spiritual distress, or the pervasive forces of evil. David’s experience illustrates that no depth of trouble or intensity of opposition is beyond God’s ability to save. His intervention is active and intentional ("He sent"), personal ("He took me"), and complete ("He drew me out"). This verse assures believers that their transcendent God is also intimately involved in their earthly struggles, reaching into the most desperate situations to pull them to safety.