Psalm 18:38 kjv
I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
Psalm 18:38 nkjv
I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet.
Psalm 18:38 niv
I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.
Psalm 18:38 esv
I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet.
Psalm 18:38 nlt
I struck them down so they could not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
Psalm 18 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 18:37 | "I pursued my enemies and overtook them... and none of them escaped." | Relentless pursuit & escape prevention |
| Ps 18:39 | "For you armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my foes beneath me." | Divine empowerment for victory |
| Ps 18:40 | "You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes." | God grants decisive defeat |
| Ps 18:47 | "The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation!" | Acknowledgment of God as source of victory |
| Ps 144:1 | "Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle." | God enables His servants for battle |
| Dt 7:2 | "...you must totally destroy them..." | Command for complete removal of threats |
| Josh 10:28 | "That day Joshua captured Makkedah and destroyed it with the sword..." | Example of total consumption of enemies |
| 1 Sam 30:8 | "...Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue." | Divine promise of successful pursuit |
| 1 Sam 15:3 | "Now go and attack Amalek and totally destroy all that belongs to them..." | Divine command for complete eradication |
| 2 Sam 22:38 | "I pursued my enemies and overthrew them, and I did not turn back until they were consumed." | Parallel verse from 2 Samuel |
| Jer 46:28 | "...I will not make a complete end of you, but I will discipline you justly..." | Contrast: God's selective judgment, not total end |
| Nah 1:9 | "...Affliction will not rise up a second time." | Assurance of no resurgence of threat |
| Mal 4:1 | "Surely the day is coming... And all the arrogant and evildoers will be stubble..." | Prophecy of complete judgment/consumption |
| Isa 41:10 | "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you..." | Divine strengthening for overcoming challenges |
| Php 4:13 | "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." | Believer's strength for all things in Christ |
| Col 2:15 | "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them..." | Christ's victory over spiritual enemies |
| Heb 2:14 | "...he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—" | Christ's destruction of death's power |
| Rom 8:37 | "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." | Overwhelming victory in Christ |
| 1 Cor 15:26 | "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." | Final consumption of all enemies by God |
| Rev 19:11-21 | "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True..." | Christ's final victory and destruction of His enemies |
| Lk 9:62 | "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." | Principle of not turning back/commitment |
| Deut 28:7 | "The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you..." | God causing enemies to be defeated |
Psalm 18 verses
Psalm 18 38 Meaning
Psalm 18:38 expresses a powerful declaration of triumph by the psalmist, David, against his adversaries. It signifies a decisive, unrelenting, and total victory over all opposition. Empowered by God, David actively pursued his enemies, not merely repelling them but catching up with them, and committing to continue the pursuit without turning back until their power was utterly broken or they were entirely vanquished. This portrays a complete and irreversible subjugation of all threats.
Psalm 18 38 Context
Psalm 18 is a psalm of thanksgiving by David, sung "on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul" (superscription). It recounts God's magnificent intervention and power on behalf of His anointed king. David begins by praising God as his Rock and Fortress, then graphically describes God's deliverance from mortal peril. Verses 32-45 detail how God equipped David for battle, granting him supernatural strength, swiftness, and skill. Within this extended narrative of divine empowerment and triumph, verse 38 specifically describes the decisive phase of battle where David, imbued with divine power, aggressively pursues and ensures the complete eradication of his foes, leaving no chance for them to regroup or pose a future threat. Historically, David's reign was characterized by numerous military conflicts, and this psalm affirms that his victories were divinely ordained and enabled, establishing Yahweh's supremacy over any opposing power or deity that David's enemies might have worshipped.
Psalm 18 38 Word analysis
- "I have pursued" (רָדַף, radaph): This Hebrew verb signifies to chase, hunt, run after, or follow. It emphasizes active, relentless, and deliberate pursuit, not merely waiting to be attacked or passively defending. David wasn't just fending off enemies; he was actively advancing on them, empowered by God to initiate offensive action.
- "my enemies" (אֹיְבִי, ʾōyǝḇî): Refers to adversaries, foes, or those who display hatred or hostility. This indicates specific opposition that needed to be neutralized for David and Israel to find peace and security.
- "and overtaken them" (אַשִּׂיגֵם, ʾaśśîgēm): From the verb nāśag, meaning to catch up to, reach, or lay hold of. This signifies the success of the pursuit. The enemies, though fleeing, could not escape David's divinely-empowered speed and determination. This goes beyond merely winning a skirmish to securing a conclusive victory by engaging the retreating forces.
- "I will not turn back" (וְלֹא-אָשׁוּב, wǝlōʾ-ʾāšūḇ): Literally "and not I will return." This phrase conveys absolute determination, unwavering commitment, and resolute persistence. There is no thought of retreat, compromise, or ceasing the pursuit prematurely. It highlights the completeness of the intended victory—no half-measures or letting up before the goal is achieved. This reflects the confidence that God's power ensures success.
- "until they are consumed" (עַד-כַּלּוֹתָם, ʿad-kallôtām): From the verb kālāh, meaning to finish, complete, bring to an end, or utterly consume/destroy. This denotes a total and decisive defeat where the enemy no longer poses any threat, their power having been entirely spent, dissolved, or annihilated. It’s not just dispersal, but their definitive incapacitation. This is the ultimate objective: the full cessation of enemy activity and power.
Psalm 18 38 Bonus section
- David as a Type of Christ: This verse powerfully foreshadows Christ's ultimate and decisive victory. Just as David pursued and consumed his enemies on earth, Christ utterly vanquished spiritual adversaries—sin, death, and the devil—through His crucifixion and resurrection. His victory was not partial but complete, leaving these foes disarmed and condemned, guaranteeing that they cannot ultimately triumph over His kingdom or His followers (Col 2:15, Heb 2:14).
- Total "Consumption": In the context of ancient warfare, "consumed" (kālāh) implies a range of complete defeat, which could include being scattered, captured, subjugated, or entirely wiped out. The point is the elimination of their ability to harm or pose a future threat. Spiritually, it implies the overcoming and disarming of demonic and sinful strongholds.
- Spiritual Warfare Application: While originating in a physical war context, this verse serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual warfare. Believers are not to be passive but, by the power of Christ, are to aggressively pursue righteousness and stand against evil. We are called to "not turn back" from combating sin and darkness, trusting that Christ has already "consumed" the power of sin and death, and that through Him, we too can achieve complete victory over our spiritual enemies.
Psalm 18 38 Commentary
Psalm 18:38 is a vivid declaration of the triumph God grants to His anointed, illustrating a foundational truth of divine warfare: God empowers His chosen servants not just for defense, but for decisive and complete victory over all opposition. David, having been equipped with supernatural strength and skill, aggressively pursues his enemies to ensure their total eradication. This is more than merely driving them away; it is a relentless chase that guarantees no foe will escape and no threat will remain. The psalmist's resolute declaration "I will not turn back" underscores the uncompromising nature of this God-enabled warfare, demanding nothing less than absolute victory. This principle resonates deeply in the Christian faith, as believers, in Christ, are called to be similarly relentless in their spiritual warfare against sin, the flesh, and the devil. We do not compromise with evil but, empowered by the Spirit, pursue it until it is consumed by the conquering work of Christ on the cross and through our sanctification. This verse prefigures Christ's own triumphant victory over sin, death, and all the powers of darkness, securing a complete and final conquest, leaving no adversary capable of ultimately threatening His kingdom.