Psalms 18:16

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

He sent {H7971} from above {H4791}, he took {H3947} me, he drew {H4871} me out of many {H7227} waters {H4325}.

"He sent from on high, he took me and pulled me out of deep water;

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.

He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters.

Commentary on Psalms 18:16 (KJV)

Psalm 18 is a powerful song of deliverance attributed to King David, celebrating God's mighty rescue from all his enemies, especially from the hand of Saul. This verse encapsulates a pivotal moment of divine intervention, illustrating God's personal and active involvement in David's life during times of extreme peril.

Context

This psalm, also recorded in 2 Samuel 22, is a vivid recount of David's testimony. It follows a dramatic description of God's majestic appearance and response to David's cry for help, depicted with imagery of earthquakes, smoke, fire, and thunder. Verse 16 specifically describes the direct, supernatural act of God reaching down from heaven to save David from an overwhelming, life-threatening situation.

Key Themes

  • Divine Intervention: The phrase "He sent from above" emphasizes that salvation comes directly from God's heavenly throne. It highlights His initiative and supreme power, demonstrating that human effort alone is insufficient in the face of ultimate danger.
  • Personal Rescue: "He took me, he drew me out" speaks to God's intimate and personal involvement. It's not a generic salvation but a specific, caring act tailored to David's desperate need. God doesn't just observe; He actively engages in the rescue.
  • Overwhelming Danger: The metaphor of "many waters" (Hebrew: mayim rabbim) universally symbolizes deep trouble, chaos, overwhelming enemies, or imminent death. Just as one might drown in a flood, David faced situations that threatened to consume him entirely. This imagery is frequently used in scripture to represent profound distress, as seen in Isaiah 43:2.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase "many waters" (mayim rabbim) is a recurring motif in the Old Testament, denoting great danger, affliction, or the overwhelming power of wicked forces. It paints a picture of being submerged and helpless, from which only a supernatural power can extract one. The verb "drew" (Hebrew: mashah) is notably the same verb used for Moses being "drawn out" of the water in Exodus 2:10, reinforcing the idea of a miraculous rescue from a watery grave.

Practical Application

This verse offers profound encouragement for believers facing seemingly insurmountable challenges today. It reminds us that no matter how deep the "waters" of trouble, sorrow, or opposition may be, God is able and willing to intervene. When our own strength fails and human solutions are exhausted, we can look to Him, knowing that He "sends from above" and has the power to draw us out. It fosters faith in God's active presence and His unfailing commitment to His children, promising that the righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Samuel 22:17

    He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;

  • Psalms 144:7

    Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

  • Jonah 2:5

    The waters compassed me about, [even] to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

  • Jonah 2:6

    I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars [was] about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

  • Psalms 57:3

    He shall send from heaven, and save me [from] the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.

  • Psalms 18:43

    Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; [and] thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people [whom] I have not known shall serve me.

  • Exodus 2:10

    And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

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