Bible Strands
Psalms 118:10
All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist speaks to the assembly of Israel during a period of collective siege, positioning the declaration as a public testimony of deliverance. The moment follows a warning against trusting human princes and precedes a call to praise Yahweh for answered protection.
The words — בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה (be-Shem Yahweh) literally means "in the name of Yahweh," denoting the authority and presence under which action is taken. The verb אֲמִילָה ('amilah) translates as "I fended off" or "I cut off," describing a decisive defensive strike against the encircling forces.
The thread — The text places the speaker under the same encircling pressure described in Psalms 88:17 and echoes the hostile gathering of nations in Revelation 20:8. The pattern of Yahweh enabling deliverance from surrounding peoples aligns with the historical subduing of the Philistines recorded in 2 Samuel 8:1.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to identify Yahweh's name as the operative cause of survival rather than personal military capability. It demands a practical shift of reliance from human leadership to divine authority when facing coordinated opposition.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
Cross-references
- Psalms 88:17 All day long they engulf me like water; they enclose me on every side.
- Revelation 20:8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore.
- 2 Samuel 8:1 Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
- 2 Samuel 10:1 Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun.
- Psalms 18:40 You have made my enemies retreat before me; I destroyed those who hated me.
- Zechariah 14:1 Behold, a day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided in your presence.
- 2 Samuel 5:1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.
- Zechariah 12:3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured.
- Revelation 19:19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.