Psalms 18:14
in Psalms 18He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them.
KJV
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
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This verse in Psalms 18
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThe lightnings were darted forth as forked arrows upon the hosts of the foe, and speedily "scattered them." Boastful sinners prove to be great cowards when Jehovah enters the lists with them. They despise his words, and are very tongue-valiant, but when it comes to blows they fly apace. The glittering flames, and the fierce bolts of fire "discomfited them." God is never at a loss for weapons. Woe be unto him that contendeth with his Maker! God's arrows never miss their aim; they are feathered with lightning, and barbed with everlasting death.
This site's exposition
He mounted a cherub and flew
on Psalms 18:10-15
The appearing is a storm, and God acts from inside it. He mounted a cherub and flew, made darkness His hiding place, and set storm clouds around Him as a canopy. He shot arrows and hurled lightning, and the blast of His nostrils laid the sea's channels bare.
This site's exposition
He hurled lightning and routed them
Verse 14 names the storm's weapons. Adam Clarke took the second clause to explain the first, for lightning is the arrow of the Lord and its zigzag looks like an arrowhead. Albert Barnes read the scattered foes as the psalmist's enemies, who stay in view through the whole poem.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them" [Psalm 18:14]. And He sent out Evangelists traversing straight paths on the wings of strength, not in their own power, but His by whom they were sent. And "He scattered them," to whom they were sent, that to some of them they should be "the savour of life unto life, to others the savour of death unto death." [2 Corinthians 2:16] "And He multiplied lightnings, and troubled them." And He multiplied miracles, and troubled them.
When we compare spiritual things with spiritual things, we flash forth lightnings, indicating the knowledge advancing from them.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Lightnings." Here he describes the movement of lightnings and compares them to an arrow on account of the vehemence of the wind by which they are moved. "And he scattered them," namely the sinners, who are sometimes moved by them; for according to the diversity …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Yea, he sent out his arrows,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The fiery brightness of lightning, in shape like burning arrows rapidly shot through the air, well represents the most terrible part of an awful storm. Before the terrors of such a scene the enemies are confounded and overthrown in dismay.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
In most poetical language the Psalmist now describes his experience of Jehovah's delivering power. Poesy has in all her treasures no gem more lustrous than the sonnet of the following verses; the sorrow, the cry, the descent of the Divine One, and the rescue of the afflicted, are here set to a music worthy of the golden harps.
In most poetical language the Psalmist now describes his experience of Jehovah's delivering power. Poesy has in all her treasures no gem more lustrous than the sonnet of the following verses; the sorrow, the cry, the descent of the Divine One, and the rescue of the afflicted, are here set to a music worthy of the golden harps. The Messiah our Saviour is evidently, over and beyond David or any other believer, the main and chief subject of this song; and while studying it we have grown more and more sure that every line here has its deepest and profoundest fulfilment in Him; but as we are desirous not to extend our comment beyond moderate bounds, we must leave it with the devout reader to make the very easy application of the passage to our once distressed but now triumphant Lord.
Be sent out his arrows - he shot out lightning - I believe the latter clause to be an illustration of the former. He sent out his arrows - that is, he shot out lightning; for lightnings are the arrows of the Lord, and there is something very like the arrowhead apparent in the zigzag lightning. Sense and sound are wonderfully combined in the Hebrew of this last clause: וברכים רב ויהמם uberakim rab vaihummem, “and thunderings he multiplied and confounded them.” Who does not hear the bursting, brattling, and pounding of thunder in these words? See Delaney?
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Yea, he sent out his arrows - The word arrows here probably refers to the lightnings mentioned in the other clause of the verse. Those lightnings scattered around, and accomplishing such destruction, seemed to be arrows sent forth from the hand of God. And scattered them - Herder refers this to the lightnings; DeWette, to the enemies of the psalmist. The latter seems to be the more correct interpretation, though the enemies of the psalmist are not here particularly specified. They seem, however, to have been in his eye throughout the psalm, for it was the victory achieved over them by the divine interposition that he was celebrating throughout the poem. And he shot out lightnings - As arrows; or, as from a bow. And discomfited them - literally, to impel, to drive; then, to put in commotion or consternation. The allusion is to an army whose order is disturbed, or which is thrown into confusion, and which is, therefore, easily conquered. The idea is that David achieved a victory over all his enemies, as if God had scattered them by a storm and tempest.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
passed Heb. עברו, trepasant in Old French, passed. The hail split and passes through onto the Egyptians at the Sea of Reeds.
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. 4 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
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח | vaiyishlach | and he sent out | H7971 → | 845 times |
| חִ֭צָּיו | chitzav | arrows his | H2671 → | 53 times |
| וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם | vayfitzem | and he scattered them | H6327 → | 67 times |
| וּבְרָקִ֥ים | uverakim | and lightning flashes | H1300 → | 21 times |
| רָ֝ב | rav | he shot | H7232 → | |
| וַיְהֻמֵּֽם׃ | vayhumem | and he routed them | H2000 → |
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣חand he sent out
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
חִ֭צָּיוarrows his
chitzavH2671 →53 times
וַיְפִיצֵ֑םand he scattered them
vayfitzemH6327 →67 times
וּבְרָקִ֥יםand lightning flashes
uverakimH1300 →21 times
רָ֝בhe shot
ravH7232 →
וַיְהֻמֵּֽם׃and he routed them
vayhumemH2000 →
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
Job 6:4For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
it leads to
- Psalms 38:2
For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me.
- Job 30:15
Terrors are turned loose against me; they drive away my dignity as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed like a cloud.
- Psalms 88:15–16
From my youth I was afflicted and near death. I have borne Your terrors; I am in despair.
- Psalms 38:2
Through
Deuteronomy 32:23I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them.
it leads to
- Psalms 7:12–13
If one does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 7:12–13
Through
Numbers 24:8God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.
it leads to
- Psalms 45:5
Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes; the nations fall beneath your feet.
- Numbers 14:9
Only do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the LORD…
- Numbers 23:24
Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”
- Numbers 23:22
God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox.
- Psalms 45:5
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 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; Evagrius Ponticus, NOTES ON THE PSALMS 17[18].15, 16; 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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.