Psalms 55:18
in Psalms 55He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me; For they were many that strove with me.
KJV
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
⋯
This verse in Psalms 55
Commentary
10 notes on this verseHe hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,.... That is, God had preserved his life, and delivered him safe and sound from many a battle which was fought against him, and might seem at first to go against him; and had given him peace and rest from all his enemies before the present trouble came upon him, 2Sa 7:1; wherefore he believed, that he who had delivered him in time past would deliver him again; this is the reasoning of faith, 2Co 1:
This site's exposition
But I call to God
on Psalms 55:16-19
The psalm turns to prayer at three fixed times, morning, noon and night, and He hears the voice. Verse 18 has God redeeming the soul in peace from the battle, with many opposing him. Verse 19 says they do not change and never fear God.
This site's exposition
He redeems my soul in peace
The verb is past in the Hebrew, and Spurgeon read the verse as faith seeing the rescue as already done. Matthew Henry takes the many of the last line as those with him, like the chariots of fire round Elisha at 2 Kings 6:17. The Berean reads them as opponents.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Therefore, my Brethren, those that in the very congregation of these walls ye see to be rebellious men, proud, seeking their own, lifted up; not having a zeal for God that is chaste, sound, quiet, but ascribing to themselves much; ready for dissension, but not finding opportunity; are the very chaff of the Lord's floor. [Matthew 3:12] From hence these few men the wind of pride has dislodged: the whole floor will not fly, save when He at the last shall winnow. But what shall we do, save with this man sing, with this man pray, with this man mourn and say securely, "He shall redeem in peace my soul" [Psalm 55:18]. Against them that love not peace: "in peace He shall redeem my soul." "Because with those that hated peace I was peace-making." "He shall redeem in peace my soul, from those that draw near to me." For from those that are afar from me, it is an easy case: not so soon does he deceive me that says, Come, pray to an idol: he is very far from me. Are you a Christian? A Christian, he says. Out of a neighbouring place he is my adversary, he is at hand. "He shall redeem in peace my soul, from those that draw near to me: for in many things they were with me." Wherefore have I said, "draw near to me"? Because "in many things they were with me." In this verse two propositions occur. "In many things they were with me." Baptism we had both of us, in that they were with me: the Gospel we both read, they were in that with me: the festivals of martyrs we celebrated, they were there with me: Easter's solemnity we attended, they were there with me. But not entirely with me: in schism not with me, in heresy not with me. In many things with me, in few things not with me. But in these few things wherein not with me, there is no profit to them of the many things wherein they were with me. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
There were many with him; for though his subjects deserted him, and went over to Absalom, yet God was with him and the good angels. With an eye of faith he now sees himself surrounded, as Elisha was, with chariots of fire and horses of fire, and therefore triumphs thus, There are many with me, more with me than against me, 2 Kings vi.
Which was eminently done among Absalom's followers, 2 Sam. xvii, 23. Strife - Injustice and fraud, oppression and contention rule here, instead of that public justice and peace which I established. City - In Jerusalem; which in Absalom's time was a sink of all sins.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me. The deliverance has come. Joab has routed the rebels. The Lord has justified the cause of his anointed. Faith sees as well as foresees; to her foresight is sight. He is not only safe but serene, delivered in peace—peace in his inmost soul. For there were many with me; many contending against me.
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me. The deliverance has come. Joab has routed the rebels. The Lord has justified the cause of his anointed. Faith sees as well as foresees; to her foresight is sight. He is not only safe but serene, delivered in peace—peace in his inmost soul. For there were many with me; many contending against me. Or it may be that he thankfully acknowledges that the Lord raised him up unexpected allies, fetched him succour when he most needed it, and made the friendless monarch once more the head of a great army. The Lord can soon change our condition, and he often does so when our prayers become fervent. The crisis of life is usually the secret place of wrestling. Jabbok makes Jacob a prevailing prince. He who stripped us of all friends to make us see himself in their absence, can give them back again in greater numbers that we may see him more joyfully in the fact of their presence.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
He hath delivered my soul - My life he has preserved in perfect safety from the sword; for there were many with me: “for in many afflictions his Word was my support.” - Targum. Or David may refer to the supernatural assistance which was afforded him when his enemies were so completely discomfited.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He hath delivered my soul in peaee - The Hebrew is, “He has redeemed;” so also the Septuagint and Vulgate. The meaning is, He has “rescued” me, or has saved me from my enemies. Either the psalmist composed the psalm “after” the struggle was over, and in view of it, here speaks of what had actually occurred; or he is so confident of being redeemed and saved that he speaks of it as if it were already done. See Psa 55:19. There are many instances in the Psalms in which the writer is so certain that what he prays for will be accomplished that he speaks of it as if it had already actually occurred. The words “in peace” mean that God ad given him peace; or that the result of the divine interposition was that he had calmness of mind. From the battle that was against me - The hostile array; the armies prepared for conflict. For there were many with me - This language conveys to us the idea that there were many on his side, or many that were associated with him, and that this was the reason why he was delivered. It is doubtful, however, whether this is the meaning of the original. The idea may be that there were many contending with him; that is, that there were many who were arrayed against him. The Hebrew will admit of this construction.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| פָּ֘דָ֤ה | padah | he will ransom | H6299 → | 59 times |
| בְשָׁל֣וֹם | veshalom | in peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| נַ֭פְשִׁי | nafshi | life my | H5315 → | 754 times |
| מִקֲּרָב־ | mikarov- | from battle | H7128 → | 9 times |
| לִ֑י | li | to <the> me | ||
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בְ֝רַבִּ֗ים | verabim | <in> many [people] | H7227 → | 454 times |
| הָי֥וּ | hayu | they are | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִמָּדִֽי׃ | ʾimadi | with me | H5978 → | 42 times |
פָּ֘דָ֤הhe will ransom
padahH6299 →59 times
בְשָׁל֣וֹםin peace
veshalomH7965 →236 times
נַ֭פְשִׁיlife my
nafshiH5315 →754 times
מִקֲּרָב־from battle
mikarov-H7128 →9 times
לִ֑יto <the> me
li
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
בְ֝רַבִּ֗ים<in> many [people]
verabimH7227 →454 times
הָי֥וּthey are
hayuH1961 →3559 times
עִמָּדִֽי׃with me
ʾimadiH5978 →42 times
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
1 John 4:4You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
it leads to
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- 1 John 5:4
because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
- Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
- 1 John 4:16
And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
- 1 Corinthians 2:12
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
- Romans 8:31
Through
Psalms 57:3He reaches down from heaven and saves me; He rebukes those who trample me. Selah God sends forth His loving devotion and His truth.
it leads to
- Psalms 40:11
O LORD, do not withhold Your mercy from me; Your loving devotion and faithfulness will always guard me.
- Psalms 43:3
Send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain, and to the place where You dwell.
- Acts 12:11
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”
- Psalms 40:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
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 55; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.