Psalm 18 41

Psalm 18:41 kjv

They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

Psalm 18:41 nkjv

They cried out, but there was none to save; Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.

Psalm 18:41 niv

They cried for help, but there was no one to save them? to the LORD, but he did not answer.

Psalm 18:41 esv

They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.

Psalm 18:41 nlt

They called for help, but no one came to their rescue.
They even cried to the LORD, but he refused to answer.

Psalm 18 verses

Psalm 18 41 Meaning

Psalm 18:41 proclaims the definitive rejection by God of David's enemies despite their desperate cries for rescue. It depicts their utter helplessness and abandonment, highlighting that when they pleaded for deliverance, no aid came from any source, and even when they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, He refused to answer their desperate pleas, confirming their irreversible judgment and defeat. This verse underscores the complete reversal of fortune for the wicked and the vindication of God's anointed, David.

Psalm 18 41 Context

Psalm 18 is a psalm of thanksgiving from David to Yahweh, composed at the height of his kingdom and life, following deliverance from all his enemies, including Saul (as noted in 2 Samuel 22, which is a parallel account). The psalm is structured as a powerful narrative, recounting David's cry for help in deep distress (Ps 18:4-6), God's awe-inspiring intervention as a divine warrior (Ps 18:7-19), David's vindication due to his righteousness (Ps 18:20-30), and God empowering David for victory over his adversaries (Ps 18:31-45). Verse 41 falls within the section describing the total subjugation and defeat of David's enemies (Ps 18:37-45). It emphasizes their complete lack of recourse after God intervened decisively on David's behalf, contrasting sharply with how God had heard and saved David in his own moments of distress. Historically, this relates to David's long struggle with adversaries from Saul's kingdom, Philistines, and other nations, ultimately seeing God establish him as king. The verse showcases God's justice against those who opposed His chosen servant, serving as a powerful declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and faithfulness to His covenant with David.

Psalm 18 41 Word analysis

• They: Refers to David's numerous enemies who had relentlessly pursued him and sought his downfall. These are not merely David's personal adversaries, but those who, by opposing God's anointed, are seen as opposing God Himself.
• cried for help: (Hebrew: צָעֲק֥וּ, tsa'a'ku). This verb denotes an intense, desperate outcry or scream, often signifying a cry of distress, terror, or pain. It is used when people are in extreme danger or oppression (e.g., Exod 2:23; 1 Sam 7:9). Here, it portrays the enemies' ultimate desperation as defeat becomes unavoidable. It implies an agonizing realization of their lost cause, rather than genuine repentance or seeking reconciliation.
• but there was no one to save them: (Hebrew: וְאֵ֣ין מ֭וֹשִׁיעַ, ve'ein mōshiaʿ). Mōshiaʿ means 'savior' or 'deliverer'. This phrase highlights their absolute helplessness and isolation. No human ally, no foreign deity (as they might have typically relied upon), and no false strength of their own could come to their rescue. It signifies a complete lack of any external aid or escape route.
• they cried to the LORD: (Hebrew: עַל־יְהוָה֮, ʿal-YHweh). This is striking. Even after exhausting all other options and acknowledging the powerlessness of their previous supports, these enemies turn to Yahweh. This indicates a last-ditch, desperate appeal to the God whose power they are now experiencing as overwhelming judgment. It implies they recognize His supremacy, perhaps grudgingly, but not necessarily in sincere repentance. Their appeal is for deliverance from consequence, not from their sin.
• but he did not answer them: (Hebrew: וְלֹ֥א עָנָֽם׃, ve'lo ʿanam). ʿAnah means 'to answer' or 'to respond', often implying a favorable or helpful reply, particularly in the context of prayer or cries for help. God's silence is presented here not as an absence of hearing, but as an active, judicial refusal to respond with deliverance. It signifies divine judgment and the irreversible nature of their doom. Their cries were not those of genuine contrition God delights to answer, but of panic from judgment.

Words-group Analysis

• "They cried for help, but there was no one to save them": This segment vividly paints a picture of ultimate futility and abandonment. Their initial cries are universal appeals for deliverance, suggesting that they first sought help from their own gods, allies, or personal strength. The response is absolute emptiness. It reveals their idols' impotency and their own insufficient power, leading to a state of absolute despair and recognition of their desperate predicament.
• "they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them": This phrase introduces the most profound theological point. Having failed to find salvation elsewhere, their appeal to Yahweh signifies their ultimate recognition of His power. However, His silence demonstrates divine discernment. God does not hear every cry indiscriminately; He hears the righteous and the repentant, but not those whose plea is simply to escape the just consequences of their rebellion without a change of heart. God's "no answer" is a powerful act of justice, underscoring that His covenant loyalty to David necessitates the judgment of David's (and His own) adversaries. This profound silence is part of their deserved condemnation.

Psalm 18 41 Bonus section

The strong contrast in Psalm 18 between verses like 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.") and verse 41 highlights a fundamental aspect of God's character: He is a God who responds to His faithful, yet stands in judgment against those who persistently oppose His will and His people. This distinction is crucial to understanding prayer and divine intervention. God's lack of response to David's enemies is a direct fulfillment of their destructive intentions coming back upon their own heads, an outworking of the justice often promised in the Proverbs. Furthermore, this verse can be seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate fate of all who align themselves against God's true Anointed One, Jesus the Messiah. While many will cry out "Lord, Lord" in the final judgment, He will declare He never knew them, because their "cries" were without a heart of faith and submission, just like the enemies in this Psalm who cried for escape from their well-deserved doom.

Psalm 18 41 Commentary

Psalm 18:41 encapsulates the principle of divine justice against the unrepentant enemies of God's chosen servant. It vividly contrasts God's readiness to answer David's cries for help (as seen throughout the Psalm) with His complete rejection of his adversaries' desperate pleas. This is not arbitrary; God is selective in His hearing, aligning His response with His character and covenant. For the wicked, their desperate cries are born of unavoidable consequence, not genuine remorse or a desire for a reconciled relationship. Therefore, God's silence is an active judgment, signifying that the time for their repentance and divine mercy has passed; only judgment remains. It powerfully affirms that the triumph of God's anointed and the establishment of His righteous kingdom necessitate the defeat and final silence of all opposition, leaving them without recourse or divine intervention.