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Psalm 18:35

You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.

33He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places.
34He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
36You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
37I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won’t turn away until they are consumed.
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← Psalm 18:34Psalm 18:36 →
Notice

Gentleness appears amid bows and battle, challenging the assumption that strength must be harsh: David credits God's gentle help with his greatness.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What changes in your understanding of strength when David credits God's gentleness with making him great?

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Where in your life could you name help received, as David names God's sustaining hand?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 63:8Both passages name God's right hand as the support that holds the speaker up.
2 Samuel 22:36You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.Both passages use the same words for the shield of God's salvation and the gentleness that made David great.
James 3:17–18But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.Gentleness marks God's help in the psalm and the wisdom from above in James.
Psalm 138:7Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me. You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies. Your right hand will save me.Both speakers credit God's right hand with help, describing it as sustaining in Psalm 18 and saving in Psalm 138.
Joshua 3:7The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.David credits God with making him great, while God promises to magnify Joshua in Israel's sight.
Psalm 28:7The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him.Both passages describe God's protection through a shield and acknowledge help received from him.
Galatians 5:22–23But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,The connection is broad: the psalm names God's gentleness, while Galatians names kindness among the Spirit's fruit.
2 Corinthians 10:1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.David attributes his greatness to God's gentleness, and Paul appeals to the Corinthians by Christ's humility and gentleness.
Psalm 71:21Increase my honor and comfort me again.Psalm 18 credits God with greatness already received; Psalm 71 asks God for increased honor and renewed comfort.
Genesis 24:35The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The LORD has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and …Both passages attribute a person's greatness to God's giving, though Genesis names possessions and Psalm 18 names saving help.
Genesis 32:10I am not worthy of the least of all the loving kindnesses, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with just my staff I crossed over …Both speakers acknowledge God's kindness as they recount how much they have received from him.
Deuteronomy 33:29You are happy, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, the sword of your excellency? Your enemies will submit themselves …Both passages join salvation with the image of a shield, crediting God with protection in a setting of conflict.
Where this verse fits

Gratitude. leadership weight. praise and worship.

What the Bible says about gratitude →What the Bible says about worship →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Pray Psalm 18:35 aloud before one demanding task

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Encouragement

Strength and gentleness belong together in David's praise. The God who equips him for battle also sustains him with his hand; David owes his greatness to God's help.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 18:35. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 18 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).