The Meaning of Psalms 18:15 Explained

Psalms 18:15

KJV: Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

YLT: And seen are the streams of waters, And revealed are foundations of the earth. From Thy rebuke, O Jehovah, From the breath of the spirit of Thine anger.

Darby: And the beds of the waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at thy rebuke, Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

ASV: Then the channels of waters appeared, And the foundations of the world were laid bare, At thy rebuke, O Jehovah, At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then the channels  of waters  were seen,  and the foundations  of the world  were discovered  at thy rebuke,  O LORD,  at the blast  of the breath  of thy nostrils. 

What does Psalms 18:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 18:1-26 - A Wonderful Deliverance
There is another edition of this psalm in 2 Samuel 22:1-51. Psalms 18:2 and Psalms 18:49 are applied in the New Testament to the Lord Jesus, Hebrews 2:13 and Romans 15:9. We begin with the psalmist's good resolve, Psalms 18:1-3. No single metaphor can comprehend the whole of God's helpfulness to men; but can we say, "I love thee"? See John 21:17. "Thou knowest!"
The story of the past, Psalms 18:4-19. We also have our Red Seas. In our distress let us also cry. The voice of the sufferer may be weak and solitary, but it reaches through the gates of pearl and moves creation! Luke 8:46.
The confident claim of the righteous, Psalms 18:20-26. We cannot boast a righteousness of our own, but we stand in Christ. We are full of impurity and evil, but we may claim at least integrity of motive. Compare Psalms 18:26 with Leviticus 26:21-24. The wind blows in one direction; you can walk against it or with it-take your choice. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 18

1  David praises God for his manifold and marvelous blessings

What do the individual words in Psalms 18:15 mean?

And were seen the channels of the sea and were uncovered the foundations of the world at Your rebuke Yahweh at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils
וַיֵּ֤רָא֨וּ ׀ אֲפִ֥יקֵי מַ֗יִם וַֽיִּגָּלוּ֮ מוֹסְד֪וֹת תֵּ֫בֵ֥ל מִגַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה מִ֝נִּשְׁמַ֗ת ר֣וּחַ אַפֶּֽךָ

וַיֵּ֤רָא֨וּ ׀  And  were  seen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֲפִ֥יקֵי  the  channels 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אָפִיק 
Sense: channel.
מַ֗יִם  of  the  sea 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וַֽיִּגָּלוּ֮  and  were  uncovered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: גָּלָה  
Sense: to uncover, remove.
מוֹסְד֪וֹת  the  foundations 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מֹוסָדָה  
Sense: foundation.
תֵּ֫בֵ֥ל  of  the  world 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֵּבֵל  
Sense: world.
מִגַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣  at  Your  rebuke 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: גְּעָרָה  
Sense: a rebuke, reproof.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִ֝נִּשְׁמַ֗ת  at  the  blast 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נְשָׁמָה  
Sense: breath, spirit.
ר֣וּחַ  of  the  breath 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
אַפֶּֽךָ  of  Your  nostrils 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.