Psalms 18:32

The one true God ¹  gives ²  me strength; ³  he removes ⁴  the obstacles in my way. ⁵ 

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

The God who girds me with strength And makes my way blameless?

God arms me with strength; he has made my way safe.

Is not this the God who armed me, then aimed me in the right direction?

God puts a strong band about me, guiding me in a straight way.

the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe.

It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect.

The one true God ¹  gives ²  me strength; ³  he removes ⁴  the obstacles in my way. ⁵ 

¹ tn Heb “the God.” The prefixed article emphasizes the Lord’s distinctiveness as the one true God (cf. Deut 33:26). See v. 30.

² tn Heb “is the one who clothes.” For similar language see 1 Sam 2:4; Pss 65:6; 93:1. The psalmist employs a generalizing hymnic style in vv. 32-34; he uses participles in vv. 32a, 33a, and 34a to describe what God characteristically does on his behalf.

³ tn 2 Sam 22:33 reads, “the God is my strong refuge.”

sn Gives me strength. As the following context makes clear, this refers to physical and emotional strength for battle (see especially v. 39).

⁴ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries along the generalizing force of the preceding participle.

⁵ tn Heb “he made my path smooth.” The Hebrew term תָּמִים (tamim, “smooth”) usually carries a moral or ethical connotation, “blameless, innocent.” However, in Ps 18:33 it refers to a pathway free of obstacles. The reality underlying the metaphor is the psalmist’s ability to charge into battle without tripping (see vv. 33, 36).