Psalm 18:2-4, 47, 51

Our responsorial psalm for this week comes from Psalm 18, a song of thanksgiving attributed to David after God delivered him from his enemies.

It is a fitting response to our first reading’s portrayal of God as one who hears the cries of those in distress, while its refrain, “I love you, Lord, my strength,” prepares us for Jesus’ teaching about the greatest commandment.

I love you, O LORD, my strength,

The psalm opens with a declaration of love for God, followed by a series of invocations praising him as protector and deliverer.

The Hebrew verb translated “love” (raḥam) is unusual in this context. It is related to the Hebrew word for “womb” and belongs to a family of words expressing deep affection, tenderness, and compassion, sometimes evocatively described as “womb-love.”

This language is most often used to describe God’s compassion toward human beings. Here, remarkably, the psalmist uses it to express his own deeply felt love for God.

O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!

The psalmist employs an array of metaphors to describe God’s protection and saving power.

“Rock,” “fortress,” and “stronghold” portray God as a secure refuge against danger, while “shield” evokes the protection of a warrior’s defensive equipment.

The “horn of salvation” is an image drawn from the animal world. Animals such as bulls use their horns as formidable weapons, making the horn a familiar biblical symbol of strength, power, and victory. By using this image, the psalmist is acknowledging God as the source of the power by which he is delivered from his enemies.

Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies.

The psalmist does not merely acknowledge God’s power in the abstract. His confident praise arises from his personal experience of God’s deliverance.

The LORD lives and blessed be my rock! 

“The LORD lives!” is an acclamation of God’s living presence and active power. Unlike the lifeless idols worshiped by the nations, Israel’s God is living and acts within human history.

Extolled be God my savior. You who gave great victories to your king and showed kindness to your anointed.

The psalm concludes with a royal theme. David attributes his victories to God’s power and faithfulness. The word translated “kindness” is hesed, a rich Hebrew term expressing steadfast love, mercy, and covenant fidelity.

For Christians, the reference to God’s anointed also points toward Jesus Christ, the Messiah (“Anointed One”), in whom God’s saving promises find their fulfillment through his death and resurrection.