Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

PSALMS 18:40KJV
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Psalms 18:40 (KJV)

What does Psalms 18:40 mean?

Psalms 18:40 describes how God has given David victory over his enemies, pictured as having control over their “necks,” which means he has subdued them completely. The verse shows David recognizing that his ability to defeat those who hate him comes from God’s help, not his own strength.

David is speaking in this psalm, reflecting on his past battles and deliverance from his enemies. The language about having the “necks” of his enemies is a vivid way of saying they have been defeated and put under his power. This verse is part of a larger song where David praises God for rescuing him from danger and giving him success against those who opposed him.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 18:40

  • “given” (נָתַן, natan): This word means to hand over or deliver. In this context, it emphasizes that the victory and control David has over his enemies are not self-earned but are granted by God.
  • “necks” (עֹרֶף, ‘oreph): The neck is often a symbol of submission or defeat in ancient warfare. To have someone’s neck means to have them completely under your power, showing total victory.
  • “enemies” (אֹיֵב, oyev): This word refers to those who are hostile or opposed. Here, it highlights that David’s triumph is specifically over those who actively sought to harm him.
  • “destroy” (צָמַת, tsamat): This word can mean to wipe out or finish off. It underlines the completeness of the victory—David is not just escaping, but his enemies are thoroughly defeated.
  • “hate” (שָׂנֵא, sane): This word means to hate or be hostile. It clarifies that the opposition David faced was deeply personal and intense.

Why Psalms 18:40 matters

  • This verse clears up that David’s victories were not just military successes but were understood as acts of God’s intervention and favor.
  • The imagery of the “neck” helps modern readers grasp the totality of the defeat—David’s enemies were not just pushed back, but utterly subdued.
  • Psalms 18:40 fits into the wider psalm as a testimony of gratitude, showing that David’s trust in God was rooted in real experiences of deliverance and triumph.

Where else these words appear

“destroy” Hebrew H6789 · used in 14 verses

  • 2 Samuel 22:41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
  • Psalms 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
  • Psalms 101:5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

“necks” Hebrew H6203 · used in 32 verses

  • Genesis 49:8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
  • Deuteronomy 31:27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?
  • Nehemiah 9:29 And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments,(which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

“hate” Hebrew H8130 · used in 139 verses

  • Genesis 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
  • Esther 9:1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them,(though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
  • Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: