Psalm 18 42

Psalm 18:42 kjv

Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

Psalm 18:42 nkjv

Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets.

Psalm 18:42 niv

I beat them as fine as windblown dust; I trampled them like mud in the streets.

Psalm 18:42 esv

I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

Psalm 18:42 nlt

I ground them as fine as dust in the wind.
I swept them into the gutter like dirt.

Psalm 18 verses

Psalm 18 42 Meaning

Psalm 18:42 conveys the total and overwhelming victory achieved by God, through His anointed, over his enemies. It describes the complete destruction, pulverization, and utter dispersal of adversaries, reducing them to worthlessness like fine dust before the wind, and expelling them like foul, discarded mud from the streets. This signifies an irreversible defeat, stripping the enemies of all power, influence, and dignity.

Psalm 18 42 Context

Psalm 18 is a monumental psalm of thanksgiving from King David to the LORD, commemorating his deliverance from all his enemies, including Saul. This psalm is also found as 2 Samuel chapter 22, indicating its deep connection to David's personal history and the establishment of his kingdom. It recounts David's distress, his cry to God, God's powerful intervention, and the resulting triumph over hostile forces. The verse 42 forms part of the culmination of this victory, describing the absolute humiliation and destruction of those who rose against God’s anointed. The historical backdrop is one of intense warfare and the Lord's unwavering support for David against numerous human and perhaps spiritual adversaries. The imagery used is potent, drawing from ancient agricultural practices and urban realities to illustrate utter degradation and annihilation.

Psalm 18 42 Word analysis

• I beat them fine as dust: The Hebrew root for "beat them fine" (daqqaq) means to pound, grind, or pulverize into extremely small particles. This imagery signifies the absolute reduction of enemies to insignificance, utter weakness, and a state where they are incapable of resistance. Their very essence is destroyed.
• dust (כֶּעָפָר - kəʿāp̄ār): This Hebrew term denotes fine, dry particles of earth. It represents something worthless, easily disturbed, and utterly devoid of form or strength. It evokes humility, insignificance, and dissolution.
• before the wind (פְּנֵי רוּחַ - pəney rûaḥ): This phrase implies that the pulverized enemies are not only dust but are actively dispersed, blown away, and made to disappear without a trace by a powerful, unseen force. The wind often symbolizes divine judgment or irresistible power that sweeps away the wicked.
• I cast them out: The Hebrew root rîq here suggests emptying out, pouring out, or expelling. It refers to a deliberate act of rejection and disposal, making something vacant or worthless. The action implies forceful removal and abandonment.
• like the mire (כְּטִיט - kəṭîṭ): The Hebrew term for "mire" refers to thick, dirty mud, often mixed with filth. It is something unclean, disgusting, and completely devoid of value. It evokes contempt, defilement, and degradation.
• of the streets (חוּצוֹת - ḥûṣōwt): This indicates a public place where the discarded mud would be trampled underfoot by everyone, losing any identity or form. It emphasizes open shame, public degradation, and a complete lack of regard. Enemies are not just defeated but are despised, trodden upon, and made a public spectacle of their complete humiliation.

Words-group analysis:

• I beat them fine as dust before the wind: This phrase combines imagery of destruction and dispersal. "Beating fine" implies meticulous and complete pulverization. "As dust" denotes the state of being reduced to nothing. "Before the wind" signifies the subsequent scattering, implying they are not merely destroyed but are made to vanish, unable to regroup or ever return. This points to the thoroughness of God's judgment and the futility of resistance.
• I cast them out like the mire of the streets: This phrase employs imagery of repulsion and public contempt. "Casting out" suggests deliberate expulsion and rejection, treating them as waste. "Like the mire" emphasizes their defiled and vile nature. "Of the streets" highlights public humiliation, showing that they are not just worthless, but publicly reviled and trampled by all, symbolizing total degradation and disgrace. These two vivid similes together paint a picture of comprehensive and irreversible defeat.

Psalm 18 42 Bonus section

The poetic parallelism in this verse is striking, using two distinct, powerful similes that reinforce each other to convey total destruction and abject humiliation. The shift from an airborne image (dust blown by wind) to a ground-based image (mire trampled in the streets) showcases a complete dominion over every aspect of the enemy’s existence and perceived power. This psalm, deeply connected to David's personal testimony, often serves as a prototype for God's protection of His anointed leaders and ultimately points to the ultimate reign of Christ, who truly tramples all enemies under His feet. The hyperbole employed signifies not just physical defeat, but the breaking of spirit, the loss of standing, and the irreversible obliteration of a threat. The language reveals the severity of divine judgment and the immense gulf between the might of God and the transient strength of His opposition.

Psalm 18 42 Commentary

Psalm 18:42 articulates the finality and thoroughness of God's victory over adversaries. It is not merely a defeat but an absolute nullification of their power and very existence as a threat. The twin metaphors amplify this truth: first, enemies are made into dust, something formless and light, utterly dissipated by the wind, suggesting utter spiritual and physical incapacitation and disappearance. Second, they are reduced to discarded mire, the lowest, most repugnant waste, openly defiled and trampled, signifying total disgrace and public shame. This verse assures the people of God that when He acts on their behalf, His deliverance is complete and irreversible. It underlines divine justice against the wicked and the secure standing of those whom God defends. In a broader sense, this also points to the ultimate victory of God's kingdom over all opposing forces, whether human or spiritual, making them nothing before His majesty and power.

• Practical usage: Consider times of overwhelming opposition. This verse reminds us that with God, even formidable adversaries can be rendered powerless. It provides a theological foundation for enduring hardship with hope, knowing that divine power can make the strongest enemies as dust or mire.