The Meaning of Psalms 18:21 Explained

Psalms 18:21

KJV: For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

YLT: For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God.

Darby: For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

ASV: For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For I have kept  the ways  of the LORD,  and have not wickedly departed  from my God. 

What does Psalms 18:21 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 18:21 mean?

For I have kept the ways of Yahweh and not have wickedly departed from my God
כִּֽי־ שָׁ֭מַרְתִּי דַּרְכֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־ רָ֝שַׁ֗עְתִּי מֵאֱלֹהָֽי

שָׁ֭מַרְתִּי  I  have  kept 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
דַּרְכֵ֣י  the  ways 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
רָ֝שַׁ֗עְתִּי  have  wickedly  departed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָשַׁע  
Sense: to be wicked, act wickedly.
מֵאֱלֹהָֽי  from  my  God 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).