Psalms 118:10
in Psalms 118All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
All nations compassed me about: In the name of Jehovah I will cut them off.
KJV
All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
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This verse in Psalms 118
Commentary
10 notes on this verseAll nations compassed me about,.... Not all the nations of the world, but all the neighbouring nations about Judea; as the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Amalekites, and Syrians; and these not all at one time, but sometimes one, and sometimes another, whom David fought with and subdued: and these, applied to Christ, design Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel; who were gathered together against him, to do what God had determined should be done, Act 4:27; see Psa 22:
This site's exposition
All the nations surrounded me
on Psalms 118:10-12
Three times the enemy closes in, on every side, and like a swarm of bees. Each of the three rounds ends the same way, the cutting off done in the name of the LORD. Burning thorns flare and die fast.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"All nations compassed me round about, but in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them." He signifies the toils and the victory of the Church.
"All nations compassed me round about, but in the Name of the Lord have I taken vengeance on them." He signifies the toils and the victory of the Church.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
David says this as a type of Christ, who triumphed over the powers of darkness, destroyed them, and made a show of them openly. [3.] He triumphs in an assurance of the continuance of his comfort, his victory, and his life.
All the nations adjacent to Israel set themselves to give disturbance to David, when he had newly come to the throne, Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Ammonites, &c. We read of his enemies round about; they were confederate against him, and thought to cut off all succours from him. This endeavour of his enemies to surround him is repeated (
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The Nineteenth Century1 voice
All nations compassed me about. The hero of the Psalm, while he had no earthly friend upon whom he could thoroughly rely, was surrounded by innumerable enemies, who heartily hated him. He was hemmed in by his adversaries, and scarce could find a loophole of escape from the bands which made a ring around him. As if by common consent all sorts of people set themselves against him, and yet he was more than a match for them all, because he was trusting in the name of the Lord. Therefore does he joyfully accept the battle, and grasp the victory, crying, but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them, or "cut them in pieces." They thought to destroy him, but he was sure of destroying them; they meant to blot out his name, but he expected to render not only his own name but the name of the Lord his God more illustrious in the hearts of men. It takes grand faith to be calm in the day of actual battle, and especially when that battle waxes hot; but our hero was as calm as if no fight was raging. Napoleon said that God was always on the side of the biggest battalions, but the Psalmist warrior found that the Lord of hosts was with the solitary champion, and that in his name the battalions were cut to pieces. There is a grand touch of the ego in the last sentence, but it is so overshadowed with the name of the Lord that there is none too much of it. He recognized his own individuality, and asserted it: he did not sit still supinely and leave the work to be done by God by some mysterious means; but he resolved with his own trusty sword to set about the enterprise, and so become in God's hand the instrument of his own deliverance. He did all in the name of the Lord, but he did not ignore his own responsibility, nor screen himself from personal conflict, for he cried, " I will destroy them."
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
All nations compassed me about. The hero of the Psalm, while he had no earthly friend upon whom he could thoroughly rely, was surrounded by innumerable enemies, who heartily hated him. He was hemmed in by his adversaries, and scarce could find a loophole of escape from the bands which made a ring around him. As if by common consent all sorts of people set themselves against him, and yet he was more than a match for them all, because he was trusting in the name of the Lord.
All nations compassed me about - This is by some supposed to relate to David, at the commencement of his reign, when all the neighboring Philistine nations endeavored to prevent him from establishing himself in the kingdom. Others suppose it may refer to the Samaritans, Idumeans, Ammonites, and others, who endeavored to prevent the Jews from rebuilding their city and their temple after their return from captivity in Babylon. But in the name of the Lord will I destroy them - Dr. Kennicott renders אמילם amilam, “I shall disappoint them;” Bishop Horsley, “I cut them to pieces;” Mr. N. Berlin, repuli eas, “I have repelled them.” “I will cut them off;” Chaldee. Ultus sum in eos, “I am avenged on them;” Vulgate. So the Septuagint.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
All nations compassed me about - They surrounded me; they hemmed me in on every side, so that I seemed to have no chance to escape. It would seem from this that the psalm was composed by someone who was at the head of the government, and whose government had been attacked by surrounding nations. This would accord well with many things that occurred in the life of David; but there were also other times in the Jewish history to which it would be applicable, and there is nothing that necessarily confines it to the time of David. But in the name of the Lord will I destroy them - Margin, as in Hebrew,” cut them off.” This is the language which he used at that time; the purpose which he then formed; an expression of the confidence which he then cherished. He meant to subdue them; he had no doubt that he would be able to do it.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
All nations surrounded me This speaks about the war of Gog and Magog, when all the nations will be there, as it is said (Zech.:2): “And I shall gather all the nations to Jerusalem to wage war.”
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
All the nations surrounded me; in the name of the Word of the LORD I have trusted, for I will tear them apart.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| גּוֹיִ֥ם | goyim | nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| סְבָב֑וּנִי | sevavuni | they surrounded me | H5437 → | 161 times |
| בְּשֵׁ֥ם | beshem | in [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֲמִילַֽם׃ | ʾamilam | I fended off them | H4135 → | 37 times |
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
גּוֹיִ֥םnations
goyimH1471 →561 times
סְבָב֑וּנִיthey surrounded me
sevavuniH5437 →161 times
בְּשֵׁ֥םin [the] name of
beshemH8034 →864 times
יְ֝הוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֲמִילַֽם׃I fended off them
ʾamilamH4135 →37 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 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
Psalms 88:17All day long they engulf me like water; they enclose me on every side.
it leads to
- Psalms 22:16
For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
- Psalms 116:3
The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.
- Psalms 69:1–2
Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.
- Psalms 124:4
then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us,
- Matthew 27:39–44
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads
- Psalms 22:16
Through
Psalms 18:40You have made my enemies retreat before me; I put an end to those who hated me.
it leads to
- Psalms 21:12
For You will put them to flight when Your bow is trained upon them.
- Psalms 94:23
He will bring upon them their own iniquity and destroy them for their wickedness. The LORD our God will destroy them.
- Psalms 21:12
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 118; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.