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Psalms

About this book
Psalm 18

1 For the music director, by the Lord’s servant David, who sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord rescued him from the power of all his enemies, including Saul. He said: “I love you, Lord, my source of strength!⁠ 2 The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer. My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter, my shield, the horn that saves me, and my refuge.⁠ 3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was delivered from my enemies. 4 The waves of death engulfed me, the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.⁠ 5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, the snares of death trapped me.⁠ 6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried out to my God. From his heavenly temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help. 7 The earth heaved and shook. The roots of the mountains trembled; they heaved because he was angry.⁠ 8 Smoke ascended from his nose; fire devoured as it came from his mouth. He hurled down fiery coals. 9 He made the sky sink as he descended; a thick cloud was under his feet. 10 He mounted a winged angel and flew; he glided on the wings of the wind.⁠ 11 He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds. 12 From the brightness in front of him came hail and fiery coals.⁠ 13 The Lord thundered in the sky; the Most High shouted. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered them, many lightning bolts and routed them. 15 The depths of the sea were exposed; the inner regions of the world were uncovered⁠ by your battle cry, Lord, by the powerful breath from your nose.⁠ 16 He reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me from the surging water. 17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me. 19 He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me. 20 The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds; he rewarded my blameless behavior. 21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; I have not rebelled against my God. 22 For I am aware of all his regulations, and I do not reject his rules. 23 I was innocent before him, and kept myself from sinning. 24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; he took notice of my blameless behavior. 25 You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent.⁠ 26 You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse. 27 For you deliver oppressed people, but you bring down those who have a proud look. 28 Indeed, you light my lamp, Lord. My God illuminates the darkness around me. 29 Indeed, with your help I can charge against an army; by my God’s power I can jump over a wall. 30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the Lord’s promise is reliable. He is a shield to all who take shelter in him. 31 Indeed, who is God besides the Lord? Who is a protector besides our God? 32 The one true God gives me strength; he removes the obstacles in my way.⁠ 33 He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.⁠ 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend even the strongest bow. 35 You give me your protective shield; your right hand supports me. Your willingness to help enables me to prevail. 36 You widen my path; my feet do not slip. 37 I chase my enemies and catch them; I do not turn back until I wipe them out. 38 I beat them to death; they fall at my feet. 39 You give me strength for battle; you make my foes kneel before me. 40 You make my enemies retreat; I destroy those who hate me. 41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; they cry out to the Lord, but he does not answer them. 42 I grind them as fine windblown dust; I beat them underfoot like clay in the streets. 43 You rescue me from a hostile army. You make me a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. 44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. Foreigners are powerless before me. 45 Foreigners lose their courage; they shake with fear as they leave their strongholds. 46 The Lord is alive! My Protector is praiseworthy. The God who delivers me is exalted as king. 47 The one true God completely vindicates me; he makes nations submit to me. 48 He delivers me from my enemies. You snatch me away from those who attack me; you rescue me from violent men. 49 So I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord. I will sing praises to you.⁠ 50 He gives his king magnificent victories; he is faithful to his chosen ruler, to David and his descendants forever.”

Texts in conversation

Compare Habakkuk 3:19 and Psalm 18:33

Hebrew Bible

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Summary

Psalm 18 and Habakkuk use stock language of feet like a deer to describe swiftness and security on rough ground. In Psalm 18 this language appears in a royal hymn of deliverance, while Habakkuk adapts it to affirm confidence in the middle of chaos.

Passages

Habakkuk 3:19

Hebrew Bible
17 When the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines; when the olive trees do not produce and the fields yield no crops; when the sheep disappear from the pen and there are no cattle in the stalls— 18 I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me! 19 The Sovereign Lord is my source of strength. He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. (This prayer is for the song leader. It is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)
600–501 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Habakkuk

Psalm 18:33

Hebrew Bible
31 Indeed, who is God besides the Lord? Who is a protector besides our God? 32 The one true God gives me strength; he removes the obstacles in my way. 33 He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend even the strongest bow. 35 You give me your protective shield; your right hand supports me. Your willingness to help enables me to prevail.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

References

"... In the second strophe of this last stanza, Habakkuk celebrates the Lord as his strength; 'Yahweh, the Lord is my strength, and he will make my feet like the hinds, and upon my high places he will make me tread.' The close resemblance of the second line of verse 19 to Psalm 18:34 (= 2 Samuel 22:34) has been well noted. The simile 'feet like hinds' is a phrase that David used to describe his deliverance from his enemies (Psalm 18:34). Hinds are female deer that are well-known for their swiftness, and their surefootedness on the rough mountainous terrain. The second colon, 'and upon my high places he will make me tread' brings to mind Deuteronomy 33:29, 'and you will tread upon his high places.' 'My high places' also has the meaning of 'the land of victory, dominion.' Thus, here Habakkuk is celebrating Yahweh who is his strength and who is the one who enables him to traverse with confidence through life's rough terrain and to claim victory despite the dire situation. The verb "tread" recalls verse 15, where the Lord is said to have treaded the stormy sea with his horses, and here God is enabling his servant to tread the high places, the land of victory, despite the chaotic situation ..."
Grace Ko, Theodicy in Habakkuk (University of St. Michael's College, 2009), 136–137.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Habakkuk 3:19 and Psalm 18:33

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