Bible Strands
Psalms 18:3
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David addresses Yahweh, declaring the pattern that governs his survival before narrating the crisis itself (v. 4). He presents praise as the condition of his call, not its aftermath.
The words — מְ֭הֻלָּל (me.hu.lol), a passive participle meaning "the one to be praised," functions as Yahweh's epithet here; it describes what is done to Him, not what He does. אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ ('i.va.She.a') is Niphal perfect, "I am delivered," placing the agent of rescue outside the speaker.
The thread — Psalms 91:15 repeats the call-and-deliver sequence with the same passive logic ("I will deliver him"). Luke 1:71 carries the "salvation from enemies" motif into the New Testament.
Why it lands — The verse ties the act of calling to the character of the one called: the psalmist does not bargain or threaten but invokes a title. The reader is asked to see that the deliverance is credited to the name, not to the urgency of the cry.
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
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
Cross-references
- Psalms 91:15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
- Psalms 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah
- Luke 1:71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
- Romans 8:31 What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- 2 Samuel 22:4 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.
- Psalms 145:3 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.
- Psalms 55:16 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
- Psalms 96:4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
- Psalms 28:1 Of David. To You, O LORD, I call; be not deaf to me, O my Rock. For if You remain silent, I will be like those descending to the Pit.
- Nehemiah 9:5 Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.