Psalms 18:30
in Psalms 18As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Jehovah is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him.
KJV
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.
⋯
This verse in Psalms 18
Commentary
16 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
God's perfection is the source of his own, which has resulted from his trust on the one hand, and God's promised help on the other. tried--"as metals are tried by fire and proved genuine" (Ps 12:6). Girding was essential to free motion on account of the looseness of Oriental dresses; hence it is an expressive figure for describing the gift of strength.
This site's exposition
You, O LORD, light my lamp
on Psalms 18:28-30
The lamp is lit and the darkness with it. Charging an army and scaling a wall are both credited to God, and His way is called perfect and His word flawless. He is a shield to everyone who takes refuge in Him.
This site's exposition
the word of the LORD is flawless
Verse 30 turns from the battle to God Himself. Albert Barnes held that the rescues told above lift the psalmist's thoughts to God as their source. Adam Clarke took the word behind flawless literally as tried in the fire, a word that has stood every test.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"My God, His way is undefiled" [Psalm 18:30]. My God comes not unto men, except they shall have purified the way of faith, whereby He may come to them; for that "His way is undefiled." "The words of the Lord have been proved by fire." The words of the Lord are tried by the fire of tribulation. "He is the Protector of them that hope in Him." And all that hope not in themselves, but in Him, are not consumed by that same tribulation. For hope follows faith.
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
He also said, 'The will of man is a wall of brass, and a stone barrier between himself and God. If he puts it aside, he can say the words of the psalm, "By the help of my God I shall leap over the wall" …
What, moreover, do those oracles tried in the fire of the Lord teach? That he himself is the protector of all the ones hoping in him and that there is no God except our Lord, and there is none strong except our God; and rightly is it said that he is the protector of all hoping in him since none is able to be found who is able to stand against such and so great a protector.
The Medieval Church1 voice
There follows, "God." Above he commemorated in general the benefits he expects from God in the future, namely "in you I shall be delivered," etc.; here he pursues them in particular. And it should be noted that he speaks in the manner of one who …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Perfect - His providence, though it may sometimes be dark, yet is always wise and just, and unblameable. Tried - The truth of God's promises is approved by innumerable experiences.
8 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He is known by his name Jehovah ( Exod. vi. 3 ), a God performing and perfecting what he begins in providence as well as creation, Gen. ii. If it was God that made David's way perfect (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
As for God, his way is perfect,....
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
"As for God, his way is perfect." Far past all fault and error are God's dealings with his people; all his actions are resplendent with justice, truth, tenderness, mercy, and holiness. Every way of God is complete in itself, and all his ways put together are matchless in harmony and goodness. Is it not very consolatory to believe that he who has begun to bless us will perfect his work, for all his ways are "perfect." Nor must the divine "word" be without its song of praise. "The word of the Lord is tried, "like silver refined in the furnace.
"As for God, his way is perfect." Far past all fault and error are God's dealings with his people; all his actions are resplendent with justice, truth, tenderness, mercy, and holiness. Every way of God is complete in itself, and all his ways put together are matchless in harmony and goodness. Is it not very consolatory to believe that he who has begun to bless us will perfect his work, for all his ways are "perfect." Nor must the divine "word" be without its song of praise. "The word of the Lord is tried, "like silver refined in the furnace. The doctrines are glorious, the precepts are pure, the promises are faithful, and the whole revelation is superlatively full of grace and truth. David had tried it, thousands have tried it, we have tried it, and it has never failed. It was meet that when way and word had been extolled, the Lord himself should be magnified; hence it is added, "He is a buckler to all those that trust in him." No armour of proof or shield of brass so well secures the warrior as the covenant God of Israel protects his warring people. He himself is the buckler of trustful ones; what a thought is this! What peace may every trusting soul enjoy!
Some repetitions are not vain repetitions. Second thoughts upon God's mercy should be and often are the best. Like wines on the lees our gratitude grows stronger and sweeter as we meditate upon divine goodness. The verses which we have now to consider are the ripe fruit of a thankful spirit; they are apples of gold as to matter, and they are placed in baskets of silver as to their language. They describe the believer's victorious career and his enemies' confusion.
God, his way is perfect - His conduct is like his nature, absolutely pure. The word of the Lord is tried - Literally tried in the fire. It has stood all tests; and has never failed those who pleaded it before its author. He is a buckler - A sure protection to every simple believing soul. We cannot believe his word too implicity; nor trust too confidently in him.
God, his way is perfect - His conduct is like his nature, absolutely pure. The word of the Lord is tried - Literally tried in the fire. It has stood all tests; and has never failed those who pleaded it before its author. He is a buckler - A sure protection to every simple believing soul. We cannot believe his word too implicity; nor trust too confidently in him.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
As for God - The declaration in this verse is suggested by the facts narrated in the previous verses. The contemplation of those facts leads the thoughts of the author of the psalm up to the Great Source of all these blessings, and to these general reflections on his character. “As for God,” that is, in respect to that Great Being, who has delivered me, his ways are all perfect; his word is tried; he is a shield to all those who trust in him. His way is perfect - That is, his doings are perfect; his methods of administration are perfect; his government is perfect. There is nothing wanting, nothing defective, nothing redundant, in what he does. On the word perfect, see the note at Job 1:1. The word of the Lord is tried - Margin, refined. The idea is, that his word had been tested as silver or any other metal is in the fire. The psalmist had confided in him, and had found him faithful to all his promises. Compare the note at Psa 12:6. In a larger sense, using the phrase the “word of the Lord” as denoting the revelation which God has made to mankind in the volume of revealed truth, it has been abundantly tested or tried, and it still stands. […]
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הָאֵל֮ | hael | <the> God | H410 → | 241 times |
| תָּמִ֪ים | tamim | [is] blameless | H8549 → | 91 times |
| דַּ֫רְכּ֥וֹ | darko | way his | H1870 → | 707 times |
| אִמְרַֽת־ | ʾimrat- | [the] word of | H565 → | 37 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְרוּפָ֑ה | tzerufah | [is] refined | H6884 → | 33 times |
| מָגֵ֥ן | magen | [is] a shield | H4043 → | 63 times |
| ה֝֗וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| לְכֹ֤ל׀ | lekhol | for all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַחֹסִ֬ים | hachosim | those [who] take refuge | H2620 → | 37 times |
| בּֽוֹ׃ | bo | in him |
הָאֵל֮<the> God
haelH410 →241 times
תָּמִ֪ים[is] blameless
tamimH8549 →91 times
דַּ֫רְכּ֥וֹway his
darkoH1870 →707 times
אִמְרַֽת־[the] word of
ʾimrat-H565 →37 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְרוּפָ֑ה[is] refined
tzerufahH6884 →33 times
מָגֵ֥ן[is] a shield
magenH4043 →63 times
ה֝֗וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
לְכֹ֤ל׀for all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
הַחֹסִ֬יםthose [who] take refuge
hachosimH2620 →37 times
בּֽוֹ׃in him
bo
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 30:5Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
it leads to
- Psalms 12:6
The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 119:140
Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Psalms 3:3
But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
- Psalms 12:6
Through
Psalms 12:6The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
it leads to
- Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 30:5
Through
Deuteronomy 32:4He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.
it leads to
- Psalms 18:30–31
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
- Psalms 18:30–31
Through
2 Samuel 22:31As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.
- Deuteronomy 32:4
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 18; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks; Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:31-32; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.