Psalms 18:43

You rescue me from a hostile army; ¹  you make me ²  a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. ³ 

You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations; people I did not know are subject to me.

You have delivered me from the contentions of the people; You have placed me as head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me.

You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me as the ruler over nations; people I don’t even know now serve me.

You rescued me from a squabbling people; you made me a leader of nations. People I'd never heard of served me;

You have made me free from the fightings of the people; you have made me the head of the nations: a people of whom I had no knowledge will be my servants.

You delivered me from strife with the peoples; you made me head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.

You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; You have made me the head of the nations; A people I have not known shall serve me.

You rescue me from a hostile army; ¹  you make me ²  a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. ³ 

¹ tn Heb “from the strivings of a people.” In this context the Hebrew term רִיב (riv, “striving”) probably has a militaristic sense (as in Judg 12:2; Isa 41:11), and עָם (’am, “people”) probably refers more specifically to an army (for other examples, see the verses listed in BDB 766 s.v. I עַם, עָם 2.d). Some understand the phrase as referring to attacks by the psalmist’s own countrymen, the “nation” being Israel. However, foreign enemies appear to be in view; note the reference to “nations” in the following line.

² tn 2 Sam 22:44 reads, “you keep me.”

³ tn Heb “a people whom I did not know serve me.” In this context “know” (יָדַע, yada’) probably refers to formal recognition by treaty. People who were once not under the psalmist’s authority now willingly submit to his rulership to avoid being conquered militarily (see vv. 44-45). The language may recall the events recorded in 2 Sam 8:9-10 and 10:19.