God’s Word Translation
Psalms 18:28
28O Lord, you light my lamp. My God turns my darkness into light.
Psalms 18:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
- New International Version (NIV)You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
Context of Psalms 18:28
26with pure people you are pure. ⌞In dealing⌟ with devious people you are clever. 27You save humble people, but you bring down a conceited look. O Lord, you light my lamp. My God turns my darkness into light. 29With you I can attack a line of soldiers. With my God I can break through barricades. 30God’s way is perfect! The promise of the Lord has proven to be true. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
Read all of Psalms 18Psalms 18:28 word by word
כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה תָּאִ֣יר נֵרִ֑י יְהוָ֥ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י יַגִּ֥יהַּ חָשְׁכִּֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 18:28
- Psalms 112:4Light will shine in the dark for a decent person. He is merciful, compassionate, and fair.
- Job 18:6The light in his tent becomes dark, and the lamp above him is snuffed out.
- Job 29:3when he made his lamp shine on my head, when I walked through the dark in his light.
- Psalms 132:17There I will make a horn sprout up for David. I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one.
- 2 Samuel 22:29O Lord, you are my lamp. The Lord turns my darkness into light.
- 1 Kings 11:36I will give his son one tribe so that my servant David will always have a lamp in my presence in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to place my name.
- Proverbs 20:27A person’s soul is the Lord’s lamp. It searches his entire innermost being.
- Isaiah 62:1For Zion’s sake I will not remain silent. For Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until its righteousness shines like the dawn and its salvation burns brightly like a torch.
- Isaiah 42:16I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
- Matthew 4:16The people who lived in darkness have seen a bright light. A light has risen for those who live in a land overshadowed by death.”
- Luke 1:79He will give light to those who live in the dark and in death’s shadow. He will guide us into the way of peace.”
- 1 Peter 2:9However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Commentaries on Psalms 18:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28For thou wilt light my candle - Thou wilt restore me to prosperity, and give me a happy issue out of all my afflictions. By the lamp of David the Messiah may be meant: thou wilt not suffer my family to become extinct, nor the kingdom which thou hast promised me utterly to fail.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28For thou wilt light my candle - Margin, lamp. The word lamp best expresses the idea. In the Scriptures light is an image of prosperity, success, happiness, holiness, as darkness is the image of the opposite. See the notes at Job 29:2-3; compare also Job 18:6; Job 21:17; Proverbs 20:27; Proverbs 24:20; Psalm 119:105; Psalm 132:17; Isaiah 62:1. The meaning here is, that the psalmist felt assured that God would give him prosperity, as if his lamp were kept…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-28Verses 20-28 Those that forsake the ways of the Lord, depart from their God. But though conscious to ourselves of many a false step, let there not be a wicked departure from our God. David kept his eye upon the rule of God's commands. Constant care to keep from that sin, whatever it be, which most easily besets us, proves that we are upright before God. Those who show mercy to others, even they need mercy. Those who are faithful to God, shall find him all…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28light my lamp: The Lord renews the psalmist's life, helping him overcome the darkness of difficult times (see Psalms 112:4; 119:105).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. To give one light is to make prosperous (Job 18:5, 6; 21:17). thou--is emphatic, as if to say, I can fully confide in Thee for help.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 18:28
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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