Deep Dive

Psalms 18:14

A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →

He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

Deep dive References (12)

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 14

This psalm we met with before, in the history of David's life, 2 Sa. 22. That was the first edition of it; here we have it revived, altered a little, and fitted for the service of the church. It is David's thanksgiving for the many deliverances God had wrought for him; these he desired always to preserve fresh in his own memory and to diffuse and entail the knowledge of them. It is an admirable composition. The poetry is very fine, the images are bold, the expressions lofty, and every word is proper and significant; but the piety far exceeds the poetry. Holy faith, and love, and joy, and praise, and hope, are here lively, active, and upon the wing. I. He triumphs in God (Psa 18:1-3). II. He magnifies the deliverances God had wrought for him (v. 4-19). III. He takes the comfort of his integrity, which God had thereby cleared up (Psa 18:20-28). IV. He gives to God the glory of all his achievements (Psa 18:29-42). V. He encourages himself with the expectation of what God would further do for him and his (Psa 18:43-50). To the chief musician, A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies.

Open source ↗

Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 14

שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) חֵץ (chêts, H2671) — properly, a piercer, i.e. an arrow; by implication, a wound; figuratively, (of God)… פּוּץ (pûwts, H6327) — to dash in pieces, literally or figuratively (especially to disperse) רָבַב (râbab, H7232) — to shoot an arrow בָּרָק (bârâq, H1300) — lightning; by analogy, a gleam; concretely, a flashing sword הָמַם (hâmam, H2000) — properly, to put in commotion; by implication, to disturb, drive, destroy

Open source ↗

Cross-references

Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.

Psalms 144:6rank 6

Flash forth Your lightning and scatter them; shoot Your arrows and rout them.

Habakkuk 3:11rank 4

Sun and moon stood still in their places at the flash of Your flying arrows, at the brightness of Your shining spear.

Numbers 24:8rank 3

God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.

Joshua 10:10rank 3

And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

Deuteronomy 32:23rank 3

I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them.

Job 6:4rank 3

For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

Psalms 77:17rank 3

The clouds poured down water; the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth.

Isaiah 30:30rank 3

And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.

Deuteronomy 32:42rank 3

I will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh— the blood of the slain and captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”

Job 38:35rank 2

Can you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

Commentaries

Original language

Cross-references

Your reflection