Psalms 18:16

He reached down ¹  from above and took hold of me; he pulled me from the surging water. ² 

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.

He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.

But me he caught--reached all the way from sky to sea; he pulled me out Of that ocean of hate,

He sent from on high, he took me, pulling me out of great waters.

He reached down from on high, he took me; he drew me out of mighty waters.

He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

He reached down ¹  from above and took hold of me; he pulled me from the surging water. ² 

¹ tn Heb “stretched.” Perhaps “his hand” should be supplied by ellipsis (see Ps 144:7). In this poetic narrative context the three prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.

² tn Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (see v. 4 and Ps 144:7).