Psalm 18 Meaning Verse by Verse

Last Updated on July 27, 2021 by Pastor Ikechukwu Chinedum

Today we will be dealing with Psalm 18 meaning verse by verse. This Psalm is a combination of Thanksgiving and appraisal for what God has done and things that He could do. If you truly understand the nature of God, you will know the realness in this Psalm.

We pray that as we are about to analyse this scripture, the spirit of the lord will open our understanding in the name of Jesus. I decree by the authority of heaven, flesh shall not find a place in our minds in the name of Jesus. The spirit of divinity that reveals the deep things of God will work with us as we proceed in the name of Jesus.

I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

These first few verses made emphasis on the power of God. The Psalmist declared his love for God because of the wondrous things the lord has done. He stated that he cried unto the lord in his distress and the lord saved him. With strength of His right hand did He consume his enemies.

God is so powerful and He is ever ready to save his people. Those who call upon the name of the lord shall not be ashame. When we are in trouble, this is a Psalm of hope for us all that God is able to save us from our troubles. We just need to call upon His name and we will be saved.

The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

You have heard that many are the afflictions of the righteous but the lord is faithful to save him from all of it. He would destroy your enemies with hail stones and coals of fire. However, one must be faithful to the lord and be righteous. One portion of the scripture stated that God will reward you according to my righteousness and cleanliness in my hands.

We must ensure that the works of our hands is clean. The scripture stated that if the way of a man pleases God, He will cause him to find favour in the sight of men. When our ways please the father, we will find favour not only in the sight of men but also in the sight of God.

With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

God deals with us the same way we treat others. You know a portion of the lord’s prayer stated that forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those that trespass against us. When we forgive other people, God will forgive our sins too. Likewise when we show mercy to other people, God will be merciful unto us as well.

These verses just stated how God relate with us as we present ourselves before Him.

Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

Because of the great Blessings and deliverance of the Lord, the Psalmist is giving thanks to God. Thanksgiving unlock the door of supernatural breakthrough for us. When we give thanks to the lord, it unlock other blessing that are yet to be released unto us.