Psalm 18:44
New International Version
foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.

New Living Translation
As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me.

English Standard Version
As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me.

Berean Standard Bible
When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.

King James Bible
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

New King James Version
As soon as they hear of me they obey me; The foreigners submit to me.

New American Standard Bible
As soon as they hear, they obey me; Foreigners pretend to obey me.

NASB 1995
As soon as they hear, they obey me; Foreigners submit to me.

NASB 1977
As soon as they hear, they obey me; Foreigners submit to me.

Legacy Standard Bible
As soon as they hear, they obey me; Foreigners cower before me.

Amplified Bible
As soon as they hear me, they respond and obey me; Foreigners feign obedience to me.

Christian Standard Bible
Foreigners submit to me cringing; as soon as they hear they obey me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Foreigners submit to me grudgingly; as soon as they hear, they obey me.

American Standard Version
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me; The foreigners shall submit themselves unto me.

Contemporary English Version
They obey and come crawling.

English Revised Version
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me. Foreigners will cringe in front of me.

Good News Translation
Foreigners bow before me; when they hear me, they obey.

International Standard Version
When they hear of me, they will obey me; foreigners will submit to me.

Majority Standard Bible
When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.

NET Bible
When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. Foreigners are powerless before me;

New Heart English Bible
as soon as they hear of me they obey me. Foreigners come cringing to me;

Webster's Bible Translation
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves to me.

World English Bible
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
At the hearing of the ear they listen to me, "" Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me,

Young's Literal Translation
At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me, Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me,

Smith's Literal Translation
At the hearing of the ear they shall hear to me: sons of the stranger shall feign to me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
A people, which I knew not, hath served me: at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A people I did not know has served me. As soon as their ears heard, they were obedient to me.

New American Bible
as soon as they heard of me they obeyed. Foreigners submitted before me;

New Revised Standard Version
As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me; strangers shall submit themselves to me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
When they hear they will listen to me; children of foreigners will submit themselves to me.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
As soon as they hear of me, they obey me; The sons of the stranger dwindle away before me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
at the hearing of the ear they obeyed me: the strange children lied to me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD is My Rock
43You have delivered me from the strife of the people; You have made me the head of nations; a people I had not known shall serve me. 44When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me. 45Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.…

Cross References
Isaiah 55:5
Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory on you.”

2 Samuel 22:45-46
Foreigners cower before me; when they hear me, they obey me. / Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.

Deuteronomy 33:29
Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”

Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you; they will come over in chains and bow down to you. They will confess to you: ‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other; there is no other God.’”

Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”

Micah 7:17
They will lick the dust like a snake, like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds in the presence of the LORD our God; they will tremble in fear of You.

Psalm 66:3
Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cower before You.

Psalm 81:15
Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.

Psalm 144:7-11
Reach down from on high; set me free and rescue me from the deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners, / whose mouths speak falsehood, whose right hands are deceitful. / I will sing to You a new song, O God; on a harp of ten strings I will make music to You— ...

Isaiah 60:14
The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Romans 15:9-12
so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.” / Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” / And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and extol Him, all you peoples.” ...

Philippians 2:10-11
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, / and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Acts 13:46-48
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. / For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” / When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

Ephesians 3:6
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

Revelation 15:4
Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”


Treasury of Scripture

As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves to me.

As soon, etc.

Romans 10:16,17
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? …

strangers [heb.

Psalm 66:3
Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

Psalm 81:15
The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

Deuteronomy 33:29
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

shall submit.

Psalm 68:30
Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.

Psalm 81:15
The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

2 Samuel 22:44-46
Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me…

Jump to Previous
Authority Countries Cringe Cringing Dwindle Ears False. Feign Foreigners Hear Heard Hearing Hearts Obedience Obey Obeyed Ruled Soon Stranger Strangers Submit Themselves Time
Jump to Next
Authority Countries Cringe Cringing Dwindle Ears False. Feign Foreigners Hear Heard Hearing Hearts Obedience Obey Obeyed Ruled Soon Stranger Strangers Submit Themselves Time
Psalm 18
1. David praises God for his manifold and marvelous blessings














When they hear me, they obey me;
This phrase reflects the authority and influence of the speaker, traditionally understood to be King David. In the context of David's life, this authority was granted by God, who anointed him as king over Israel. The obedience of others upon hearing him can be seen as a fulfillment of God's promise to establish David's kingdom (2 Samuel 7:8-16). This authority can also be seen as a type of Christ, who commands obedience from all creation (Philippians 2:10-11). The phrase suggests immediate compliance, indicating respect and recognition of divinely appointed leadership. In a broader biblical context, this reflects the power of God's word, which accomplishes what it sets out to do (Isaiah 55:11).

foreigners cower before me.
The term "foreigners" refers to non-Israelite nations or peoples. Historically, David had many military victories over surrounding nations, such as the Philistines, Moabites, and Edomites, which led to their subjugation and fear (2 Samuel 8:1-14). This phrase indicates the fear and submission of these nations in the face of God's chosen king. Culturally, it reflects the ancient Near Eastern context where kings often demonstrated their power through military conquest and the subjugation of foreign peoples. Prophetically, this can be seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate victory over all nations and powers, as described in Revelation 19:15-16, where every knee will bow to Him. The imagery of foreigners cowering also emphasizes the theme of God's sovereignty and the establishment of His kingdom through His anointed one.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The author of Psalm 18, David is expressing his gratitude and praise to God for delivering him from his enemies. This psalm is a song of victory and thanksgiving.

2. Foreigners
In this context, "foreigners" refers to the nations or people outside of Israel who are subdued by David's reign, symbolizing the broader reach of God's power and authority through His anointed king.

3. God's Deliverance
The overarching event in this psalm is God's deliverance of David from his enemies, showcasing God's faithfulness and might.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Authority
God's power extends beyond the borders of Israel, demonstrating His sovereignty over all nations. Believers can trust in God's ultimate authority over all circumstances.

Obedience to God's Anointed
Just as the nations obeyed David, Christians are called to obey Jesus Christ, the ultimate Anointed One. This obedience is a response to His lordship and authority in our lives.

The Power of God's Word
The phrase "when they hear me, they obey me" underscores the power of God's word spoken through His servants. Believers are encouraged to speak God's truth with confidence, knowing it carries divine authority.

Humility Before God
The cowering of foreigners symbolizes humility and submission. Christians are reminded to approach God with humility, recognizing His greatness and our dependence on Him.(44) As soon as--i.e., at the bare mention of my victories. An actual instance is recorded (2Samuel 8:9, seq.). For the expression, comp. Job 42:5.

The strangers shall.--See margin. More literally, come with flattery. In Samuel the two clauses are transposed and slightly varied.

Verse 44. - As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me; literally, at the hearing of the ear. But the meaning is that given in the Authorized Version. The words aptly describe the conversion of the Gentiles (see Acts 10:34-48; Acts 13:48; Acts 17:11; Acts 18:8, etc.). The strangers shall submit themselves unto me; literally, the sons of the stranger shall pay court to me - not necessarily a false court, as Hengstenberg and others suppose, but, as Dr. Kay explains, an "obsequious and servile homage."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When they hear me,
לְשֵׁ֣מַֽע (lə·šê·ma‘)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8088: Something heard, a sound, rumor, announcement, audience

they obey me;
יִשָּׁ֣מְעוּ (yiš·šā·mə·‘ū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

foreigners
בְּנֵֽי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

cower
יְכַחֲשׁוּ־ (yə·ḵa·ḥă·šū-)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3584: To disappoint, deceive, fail, grow lean

before me.
לִֽי׃ (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Poetry: Psalm 18:44 As soon as they hear of me (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 18:43
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