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Psalms 18:34

18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

KJV

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He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.

He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms.

18:35 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. thy gentleness: or, with thy meekness thou hast multiplied me

What does Psalms 18:34 mean?

Psalms 18:34 is a verse in the book of Psalms, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include לָמַד (lâmad), יָד (yâd), מִלְחָמָה (milchâmâh). It connects to 16 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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He
teachethלָמַדlâmad/law-mad'/H3925properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive)
my
handsיָדyâd/yawd/H3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
to
war,מִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh/mil-khaw-maw'/H4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)
so
that
a
bowקֶשֶׁתqesheth/keh'-sheth/H7198a bow, forshooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris
of
steelנְחוּשָׁהnᵉchûwshâh/nekh-oo-shaw'/H5154copper
is
brokenנָחַתnâchath/naw-khath'/H5181to sink, i.e. descend; causatively, to press or lead down
by
mine
arms.זְרוֹעַzᵉrôwaʻ/zer-o'-ah/H2220the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, force

Commentary on Psalms 18:34

HENRY_FULL · Psalms 18:34
6" David was a weeping prophet as well as Jeremiah, and this psalm is one of his lamentations: either it was penned in a time, or at least calculated for a time, of great trouble, both outward and inward. Is any afflicted? Is any sick? Let him sing this psalm. The method of this psalm is very observable, and what we shall often meet with. He begins with doleful complaints, but ends with joyful praises; like Hannah, who went to prayer with a sorrowful spirit, but, when she had prayed, went her way, and her countenance was no more sad. Three things the psalmist is here complaining of:—1. Sickness of body. 2. Trouble of mind, arising from the sense of sin, the meritorious cause of pain and sickness. 3. The insults of his enemies upon occasion of both. Now here, I. He pours out his complaints before God, deprecates his wrath, and begs earnestly for the return of his favour, ver. 1-7 . II. He assures himself of an answer of peace, shortly, to his full satisfaction, ver. 8-10 . This psalm is like the book of Job.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 20:17

So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

Exodus 15:26

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Numbers 12:13

And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

Deuteronomy 32:39

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Job 5:18

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

Job 19:21

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

Job 33:19

He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

Psalms 30:2

O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

Psalms 32:3

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

Psalms 38:3

There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. rest: Heb. peace, or, health

Psalms 38:7

For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

Psalms 41:3

The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. make: Heb. turn

Psalms 51:8

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Jeremiah 17:14

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

Hosea 6:1

Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Topics

SteelWar

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Psalms 18:34.

2 Samuel 22:35

He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. to war: Heb. for the war

1 Chronicles 5:18

The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. valiant: Heb. sons of valour

2 Kings 9:24

And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. drew: Heb. filled his hand with a bow sunk: Heb. bowed

2 Samuel 1:18

(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) of Jasher: or, of the upright

Deuteronomy 4:34

Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Genesis 49:24

But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

Job 20:24

He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.

Frequently asked questions

What does Psalms 18:34 say?

Psalms 18:34 (King James Version) reads: "He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms."

Is Psalms 18:34 in the Old or New Testament?

Psalms 18:34 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Psalms.

Reflect

As you read Psalms 18:34, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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