I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
Parallel translations
- WEB I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again until they are consumed.
- KJV I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
- BSB I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until they were consumed.
- NASB ¶I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed.
- NLT I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered.
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
With God's strength David pursues and overtakes his enemies, not relenting until they are defeated. The victory God grants is decisive and complete.
Overview
This begins a section describing total triumph over David's foes. The relentless pursuit reflects the comprehensive deliverance God gave Israel's anointed king. While framed in Old Testament warfare, it points typologically to Christ's final and complete conquest of every enemy, including death itself (1 Cor 15:25-26).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ps 44:5Through you, will we push down our adversaries. Through your name, will we tread them under who rise up against us.
- Isa 53:10–12Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days, and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand.
- Ps 9:3When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish in your presence.
- Ps 3:7Arise, Yahweh! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.
- Ps 35:5Let them be as chaff before the wind, Yahweh’s angel driving them on.
- Ps 118:11–12They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In Yahweh’s name I indeed cut them off.
- Rev 19:19–20I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army.
- Isa 63:1–6Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? Who this who is glorious in his clothing, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
- Ps 37:20But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of Yahweh shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish — vanish like smoke.
- Rev 6:2And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
- Num 24:17–19I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth.
- Ps 35:2Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 18:37 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.