Psalms 18:38

I crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses God regarding defeated enemies, speaking immediately after describing relentless pursuit (18:37) and just before acknowledging God's provision of battle strength (18:39).

The words — אֶמְחָצֵם ('Em.cha.tze/m) = I shattered them and יִפְּלוּ תַחַת רַגְלָי (yi.pe.Lu Ta.chat rag.La/i) = they fell under my feet.

The thread — The narrative of David's military campaigns appears in 1 Samuel 17:49 and 1 Samuel 23:5, while 2 Samuel 5:1 records the tribes gathering at Hebron to acknowledge him.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to distinguish between the psalmist's descriptive claim of total enemy incapacitation and the subsequent theological attribution of that victory to divine empowerment.

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

אֶ֭מְחָצֵם'Em.cha.tze/mI shattered/ them וְלֹא־ve./lo'-and/ not יֻ֣כְלוּYukh.luthey were able ק֑וּםKum[surely] to rise יִ֝פְּל֗וּyi.pe.Luthey fell תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunder רַגְלָֽי׃rag.La/ifeet/ my

King James Version

I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

Cross-references

1 Samuel 17:49 Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
1 Samuel 23:5 Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.
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.
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.
2 Samuel 18:7 There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.
2 Samuel 21:15 Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines. But David became exhausted.
2 Samuel 22:39 I devoured and crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet.
Psalms 36:12 There the evildoers lie fallen, thrown down and unable to rise.
Psalms 47:3 He subdues nations beneath us, and peoples under our feet.