Psalms 18:1–3
David, rescued from his enemies, begins by saying, “I love you, YHWH”
Study it word by word1For the director. Of the servant of YHWH, of David, who spoke to YHWH the words of this song on the day YHWH delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: “I love you, YHWH, my strength.
2YHWH is my crag and my fortress and the one who brings me to safety; my El, my Rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my high refuge.
3I call on YHWH, worthy of praise, and from my enemies I am saved.
In its context
…
4The cords of death encompassed me, and the torrents of perversity terrified me.
5The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me.
Its words in the original
- מְנַצֵּחַmenatseach· direct, oversee
Direct: be in charge of a work or of the music of worship. From this word comes the title "for the director" of many psalms.
- עֶבֶדeved· slave, servant
Slave, servant: someone who belongs to another or is in his service. It can be a slave, a worker or a high official of the king; before God, one who serves him. "Your servant" is a polite way to say "I".
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- דָוִדdavid· David
David, youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem; the second king of Israel. The name means "beloved."
- דִּבֶּרdiber· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- דִּבְרֵיdivre· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- שִּׁירָהshira· song
Song, singing.
- יוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- הִצִּילhitsil· rescue, deliver
Snatch away, take away; very often, deliver or rescue from danger. In another form, strip oneself of something.
- כַּףkaf· palm, sole
The palm of the hand or the sole of the foot; also a pan or small bowl.
- אֹיְבָיoyvay· enemy
Enemy, foe: one who hates and opposes another.
- יַּדyad· hand, power
Hand. Figuratively, power or control ("into the hand of" = into the power of); also side, part, or share. Also a projecting piece, such as a tenon.
- שָׁאוּלshaul· Saul
Saul, the name of several people. The best known is the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of Israel. A king of Edom and a son of Simeon also bear it. It means "asked for".
- יֹּאמַרyomar· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- אֶרְחָמְercham· have compassion
Have compassion: feel tenderness for someone, as a mother for her child, and treat him with mercy.
- חִזְקִchizki· strength
Strength: what upholds someone and makes him firm.
- סַלְעִsali· crag, cliff
Crag: a great, high rock; it also serves as a refuge.
- מְצוּדָתִmetsudati· stronghold, net
A stronghold, a strong place hard to reach where one is safe; elsewhere, a hunting net or what is caught. David uses the word for God as his refuge (Psalm 18:2).
- מְפַלְטִmefalti· escape, deliver
To escape, to get to safety; and, when someone does it for another, to bring to safety, to deliver. From this root comes "fugitive."
- אֵלִeli· El, God, god
"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".
- צוּרִtsuri· rock
Rock, a large crag. It is also an image of God as a firm refuge.
- אֶחֱסֶהechese· take refuge
Take refuge: seek shelter in someone.
- מָגִנִּmagini· shield
Shield. Figuratively, one who protects.
- קֶרֶןkeren· horn
Horn. Figuratively, strength. Also the projections at the corners of the altar.
- יִשְׁעִyishi· salvation, deliverance
Salvation, deliverance; the safety and well-being of one who has been rescued. From the same root as "save."
- מִשְׂגַּבִּmisgabi· high refuge
A high, safe place that the enemy cannot reach: a height, a refuge on high. It is said of God as protection.
- מְהֻלָּלmehulal· praise; boast
Praise, extol. "Hallelujah" comes from this verb. In other forms, boast; also act like a madman.
- אֶקְרָאekra· call, proclaim
Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.
- אִוָּשֵׁעַivashea· save
Save: deliver someone from danger or from an oppressor. From this root come the names Joshua and Jesus.