Psalm 18:31-34
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse isn't just a statement of faith; it's a profound challenge. By asking "who is God but the LORD?" and "who is a rock, except our God?", the Psalmist is highlighting that the qualities we associate with God – His power, faithfulness, and immutability – are uniquely found in Him, and nowhere else. It implies that any perceived strength or stability in other things or people is fleeting compared to the eternal nature of the LORD.
For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?— the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse arises from David's song of thanksgiving after God delivered him from all his enemies, particularly Saul. He's reflecting on his past distress and God's powerful intervention, declaring that his strength and victories come solely from the Lord, not from human might or pagan deities. This declaration of God's unique power and reliability sets the stage for his ultimate trust in Him, even as he acknowledges God's provision for his physical and spiritual well-being.
Have you ever felt like you were shouting into the void, searching for an answer that never came? This verse cuts through all the noise.
David bursts out with a rhetorical question: 'Who is God, but the LORD?' This isn't just a poetic flourish; it's a declaration of God's absolute uniqueness. In a world filled with countless beliefs and deities, David insists there is only one true God – Yahweh. He's not just a god, but the God, possessing unique attributes of power, faithfulness, and sovereignty. All other supposed gods or powers are ultimately empty. This truth means our ultimate trust and worship belong to Him alone. He is incomparable, unmatched, and utterly distinct from anything or anyone else.
Life can feel like a raging storm, tossing us back and forth. Where do we find solid ground?
The verse continues by asking, 'And who is a rock, except our God?' The imagery of a 'rock' was powerful in the ancient world. It represented stability, strength, security, and a refuge from danger. Unlike the shifting sands or fragile shelters, a rock stands firm against the elements. David declares that only Yahweh embodies these qualities for His people. He is our ultimate defense, the unchanging foundation upon which we can build our lives with confidence. When the winds of adversity blow and the floods of trouble rise, our God is the one dependable fortress where we can find safety and peace.
Understand the original words
Ask a follow-up
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, the covenant-keeping I AM, signifying His self-existence, eternity, and faithfulness to His people.
tsur · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor representing God's steadfastness, reliability, and defensive protection; a place of refuge and stability in the midst of life's dangers.
chayil · Hebrew Noun
The supernatural ability or power provided by God to His people to endure, overcome obstacles, and fulfill their calling; it is distinct from mere human physical prowess.
tamim · Hebrew Adjective
Living with integrity, moral wholeness, and single-hearted devotion to God; it signifies being sincere and blameless in one's walk with the Lord.
bamah · Hebrew Noun
A posture of total safety, steadfastness, and confidence in God's providence, often contrasting with the instability and danger of the surrounding world.
This passage echoes the same exclusivity of God's identity, stating 'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me.' It reinforces the idea that only the LORD is truly God, unlike the false deities worshipped by other nations.
1 Samuel 2:2Hannah's prayer declares 'There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.' This parallels the Psalm's assertion that God is uniquely holy and the ultimate source of security.
Isaiah 44:8The prophet Isaiah challenges the people, asking 'Is there any God besides me? Or is there any rock I know not?' This question highlights the LORD's supreme knowledge and power, contrasting Him with any other perceived deity or source of strength.
Exodus 15:11The Song of Moses at the Red Sea exclaims, 'Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?' This ancient song, like Psalm 18:31, celebrates God's incomparable power and majestic character.
poolePsalms 18:31: "For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?"
It must needs be as I have said, because our Lord is the only God, and therefore there is none, neither God nor creature, that can hinder him from accomplishing his own word and work, or from defending those that trust him: he is unchangeable and invincible. Or this is an amplification, As God is what I have now described him to be, so he only is such, and there is no other God or Rock in which they may safely trust.
pulpitPsalms 18:31: "For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?"
Verse 31. - For who is God save the Lord (see Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 32:39). As the one and only God, absolute confidence may be placed in Jehovah, who is able to protect and preserve to the uttermost all who serve him (comp. 2 Samuel 7:22-29). Or who is a Rock save our God? (comp. ver. 2; and see also Deuteronomy 32:4, 18, 30, 31; and Psalm 61:2).
This verse isn't just a statement of faith; it's a profound challenge. By asking "who is God but the LORD?" and "who is a rock, except our God?", the Psalmist is highlighting that the qualities we associate with God – His power, faithfulness, and immutability – are uniquely found in Him, and nowhere else. It implies that any perceived strength or stability in other things or people is fleeting compared to the eternal nature of the LORD.
This verse arises from David's song of thanksgiving after God delivered him from all his enemies, particularly Saul. He's reflecting on his past distress and God's powerful intervention, declaring that his strength and victories come solely from the Lord, not from human might or pagan deities. This declaration of God's unique power and reliability sets the stage for his ultimate trust in Him, even as he acknowledges God's provision for his physical and spiritual well-being.
This verse arises from David's song of thanksgiving after God delivered him from all his enemies, particularly Saul. He's reflecting on his past distress and God's powerful intervention, declaring that his strength and victories come solely from the Lord, not from human might or pagan deities. This declaration of God's unique power and reliability sets the stage for his ultimate trust in Him, even as he acknowledges God's provision for his physical and spiritual well-being.
"For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?— the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains…" — This verse isn't just a statement of faith; it's a profound challenge. By asking "who is God but the LORD?" and "who is a rock, except our God?", the Psalmist is highlighting that the qualities we…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
