You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me.
Parallel translations
- WEB You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
- KJV Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
- NKJV You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great.
- NASB You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great.
- NLT You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God's saving shield, sustaining hand, and gentleness are what make David great. Greatness flows from God's condescending kindness, not human achievement.
Overview
David names three gifts: the 'shield of your salvation' (divine protection), the 'right hand' that upholds him, and God's 'gentleness' (or condescension) that exalts him. Strikingly, it is God's humility in stooping to help that makes a man great. This anticipates the gospel, where God's gentleness in Christ lifts up the lowly and the One who humbled himself is exalted.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 2 Sam 22:36You have given me Your shield of salvation, and Your gentleness exalts me.
- Jas 3:17–18But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- Ps 28:7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
- Gal 5:22–23But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- 2 Cor 10:1Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
- Deut 33:29Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”
- Isa 40:11He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
- Ps 17:7Show the wonders of Your loving devotion, You who save by Your right hand those who seek refuge from their foes.
- Isa 22:3All your rulers have fled together, captured without a bow. All your fugitives were captured together, having fled to a distant place.
- Ps 45:3–4Strap your sword at your side, O mighty warrior; appear in your majesty and splendor.
- Ps 5:12For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; You surround them with the shield of Your favor.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 18:35 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.