Psalms 18:30

THE MESSAGE

What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God -direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him Makes it.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
God—his way is perfect;the word of the Lord is pure.He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.

Hebrew Names Version
As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the LORD is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

King James Version
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

English Standard Version
This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

New Century Version
The ways of God are without fault. The Lord 's words are pure. He is a shield to those who trust him.

New English Translation
The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the Lord 's promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.

Amplified Bible
As for God, His way is blameless. The word of the LORD is tested [it is perfect, it is faultless]; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

New American Standard Bible
As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the LORD is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

World English Bible
As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

Geneva Bible (1587)
The way of God is vncorrupt: the worde of the Lord is tried in the fire: he is a shield to all that trust in him.

Legacy Standard Bible
As for God, His way is blameless;The word of Yahweh is tried;He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

Berean Standard Bible
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

Contemporary English Version
Your way is perfect, Lord , and your word is correct. You are a shield for those who run to you for help.

Complete Jewish Bible
With you I can run through a whole troop of men, with my God I can leap a wall.

Darby Translation
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of Jehovah is tried: he is a shield to all that trust in him.

Easy-to-Read Version
God's way is perfect. The Lord 's promise always proves to be true. He protects those who trust in him.

George Lamsa Translation
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is pure: he is a help to all those that trust in him.

Good News Translation
This God—how perfect are his deeds! How dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection.

Lexham English Bible
This God—his way is blameless. The word of Yahweh is flawless. He is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Literal Translation
As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of Jehovah is purified; He is a shield to all who seek refuge in Him.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The waye of God is a perfecte waye: the wordes of the LORDE are tried in the fyre: he is a shylde of defence, for all them that trust in him.

American Standard Version
As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Jehovah is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him.

Bible in Basic English
As for God, his way is completely good; the word of the Lord is tested; he is a breastplate for all those who put their faith in him.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For by Thee I run upon a troop; and by my God do I scale a wall.

King James Version (1611)
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The way of the Lorde is a perfect way, the worde of God is tryed in the fire: he is a shielde vnto all them that put their trust in hym.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
As for my God, his way is perfect: the oracles of the Lord are tried in the fire; he is a protector of all them that hope in him.

English Revised Version
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried; he is a shield unto all them that trust in him.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For bi thee Y schal be delyuered fro temptacioun; and in my God Y schal `go ouer the wal.

Update Bible Version
As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Yahweh is tried; He is a shield to all those that take refuge in him.

Webster's Bible Translation
[As for] God, his way [is] perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he [is] a buckler to all those that trust in him.

New King James Version
As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

New Living Translation
God's way is perfect. All the Lord 's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

New Life Bible
As for God, His way is perfect. The Word of the Lord has stood the test. He is a covering for all who go to Him for a safe place.

New Revised Standard
This God—his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
As for GOD, blameless is his way, The speech of Yahweh hath been proved, A shield, he is to all who seek refuge in him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
(17-31) As for my God, his way is undefiled: the words of the Lord are fire-tried: he is the protector of all that trust in him.

Revised Standard Version
This God--his way is perfect; the promise of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Young's Literal Translation
God! perfect [is] His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield [is] He to all those trusting in Him.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

Contextual Overview

³⁰ What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God -direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him Makes it. ³¹Is there any god like God ? Are we not at bedrock? Is not this the God who armed me, then aimed me in the right direction? Now I run like a deer; I'm king of the mountain. He shows me how to fight; I can bend a bronze bow! You protect me with salvation-armor; you hold me up with a firm hand, caress me with your gentle ways. You cleared the ground under me so my footing was firm. When I chased my enemies I caught them; I didn't let go till they were dead men. I nailed them; they were down for good; then I walked all over them. You armed me well for this fight, you smashed the upstarts. You made my enemies turn tail, and I wiped out the haters. They cried "uncle" but Uncle didn't come; They yelled for God and got no for an answer. I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind. I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter. ⁴³You rescued me from a squabbling people; you made me a leader of nations. People I'd never heard of served me; the moment they got wind of me they listened. The foreign devils gave up; they came on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts. ⁴⁶Live, God ! Blessings from my Rock, my free and freeing God, towering! This God set things right for me and shut up the people who talked back. He rescued me from enemy anger, he pulled me from the grip of upstarts, He saved me from the bullies. ⁴⁹That's why I'm thanking you, God , all over the world. That's why I'm singing songs that rhyme your name. God's king takes the trophy; God's chosen is beloved. I mean David and all his children— always.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

his way: Psalms 19:7, Psalms 25:10, Deuteronomy 32:4, 2 Samuel 22:31, Daniel 4:37, Romans 12:2, Revelation 15:3

tried: or, refined, Psalms 12:6, Psalms 19:8-10, Psalms 119:140, Proverbs 30:5

a buckler: Psalms 18:2, Psalms 17:7, Psalms 84:11, Psalms 84:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 49:24 - the mighty

Cross-References

Genesis 18:9
The men said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He said, "In the tent."

Genesis 18:11
Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself, "An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?"

Genesis 18:16
When the men got up to leave, they set off for Sodom. Abraham walked with them to say good-bye.

Genesis 18:29
Abraham spoke up again, "What if you only find forty?" "Neither will I destroy it if for forty."

Genesis 44:18
Judah came forward. He said, "Please, master; can I say just one thing to you? Don't get angry. Don't think I'm presumptuous—you're the same as Pharaoh as far as I'm concerned. You, master, asked us, ‘Do you have a father and a brother?' And we answered honestly, ‘We have a father who is old and a younger brother who was born to him in his old age. His brother is dead and he is the only son left from that mother. And his father loves him more than anything.'

Judges 6:39
Then Gideon said to God, "Don't be impatient with me, but let me say one more thing. I want to try another time with the fleece. But this time let the fleece stay dry, while the dew drenches the ground."

Psalms 10:17
The victim's faint pulse picks up; the hearts of the hopeless pump red blood as you put your ear to their lips. Orphans get parents, the homeless get homes. The reign of terror is over, the rule of the gang lords is ended.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[As for] God, his way [is] perfect,.... Or "without spot" m, as the Septuagint render the word; without any just charge of inequality, or unrighteousness; such is God's way of providence, though sometimes his methods of providence are cavilled at by wicked men, and murmured at by his own people: they are at a loss, at times, to reconcile promises and providences together, and to account for the justice and equity of them; these ways of his are unsearchable, and not to be traced out by them; but when his judgments will be made manifest, the wisdom, goodness, and righteousness of them will be clearly discerned, and they will be admired; for they are all of a piece, and perfectly consistent with the attributes of God: and such also is his way of grace, and method of salvation; it is agreeable to all his perfections, and according to his purposes, counsel, and covenant; this being resolved on in his breast, contrived by his wisdom, and concluded on in the covenant, has been effected and finished by his son; and his inward way of working upon the heart, though at present imperfect, will be completed; he is a rock, and his work is perfect, and all his ways are judgment: whatever way or method he contrives and enters upon, whether in providence or grace, he pursues and brings to an issue; for he is an omnipotent, omniscient, and unchangeable Being, and neither frustrates, nor is he frustrated; nor is there any insincerity, unrighteousness, and unfaithfulness in him; nor can he act contrary to himself, and the perfections of his nature: the way also which he prescribes to others is perfect and plain, whether the path of doctrine or of duty; the path of truth is plain to the enlightened understanding, and the way of holiness is such, in which men, though fools, shall not err; see Proverbs 8:8;

the word of the Lord is tried; as silver in a furnace, and is clear of all dross, of error, and falsehood; is free from human mixtures, and without any impurity and unholiness; nor is God's word of promise chargeable with unfaithfulness; all his promises being yea and amen in Christ, and have been tried and proved by the saints in all ages; and have been found true, faithful, constant, and invariable;

he [is] a buckler to all those that trust in him; not in man, nor in themselves; in their own righteousness, or in any creature or creature enjoyment or performance; but in the providence and power of God, in his grace and mercy, in his word, and especially in his Son; in his person, blood, and righteousness; to such he is a buckler or shield: his power is all around them, his favour encompasses them, and his truth, or faithfulness in his word, is their shield and buckler: and so is his Son, who is both a sun and shield to them; and such are his precious blood, his spotless righteousness, and stoning sacrifice; which, being held up by faith, repel the fiery darts of Satan.

m תמים αμωμος, Sept. "impolluta", V. L. so Syriac. Aethiop.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As for God - The declaration in this verse is suggested by the facts narrated in the previous verses. The contemplation of those facts leads the thoughts of the author of the psalm up to the Great Source of all these blessings, and to these general reflections on his character. “As for God,” that is, in respect to that Great Being, who has delivered me, his ways are all perfect; his word is tried; he is a shield to all those who trust in him.

His way is perfect - That is, his doings are perfect; his methods of administration are perfect; his government is perfect. There is nothing wanting, nothing defective, nothing redundant, in what he does. On the word perfect, see the note at Job 1:1.

The word of the Lord is tried - Margin, refined. The idea is, that his word had been tested as silver or any other metal is in the fire. The psalmist had confided in him, and had found him faithful to all his promises. Compare the note at Psalms 12:6. In a larger sense, using the phrase the “word of the Lord” as denoting the revelation which God has made to mankind in the volume of revealed truth, it has been abundantly tested or tried, and it still stands. It has been tested by the friends of God, and has been found to be all that it promised to be for support and consolation in trial; it has been tested by the changes which have occurred in the progress of human affairs, and has been found fitted to meet all those changes; it has been tested by the advances which have been made in science, in literature, in civilization, and in the arts, and it has shown itself to be fitted to every stage of advance in society; it has been tested by the efforts which men have made to destroy it, and has survived all those efforts.

It is settled that it will survive all the revolutions of kingdoms and all the changes of dynasties; that it will be able to meet all the attacks which shall be made upon it by its enemies; and that it will be an unfailing source of light and comfort to all future ages. If persecution could crush it, it would have been crushed long ago; if ridicule could drive it from the world, it would have been driven away long ago; if argument, as urged by powerful intellect, and by learning, combined with intense hatred, could destroy it, it would have been destroyed long ago; and if it is not fitted to impart consolation to the afflicted, to wipe away the tears of mourners, and to uphold the soul in death, that would have been demonstrated long ago. In all these methods it has been “tried,” and as the result of all, it has been proved as the only certain fact, in regard to a book as connected with the future - that the Bible will go down accredited as a revelation from God to the end of the world.

He is a buckler - Or, a shield, for so the original word means. See the note at Psalms 3:3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 18:30. God, his way is perfect — His conduct is like his nature, absolutely pure.

The word of the Lord is tried — Literally tried in the fire. It has stood all tests; and has never failed those who pleaded it before its author.

He is a buckler — A sure protection to every simple believing soul. We cannot believe his word too implicitly; nor trust too confidently in him.