"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
— Psalm 18:2 (NIV)
Psalm 18:2 is the "the Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Psalm 18, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about strength, Bible verses about the rock, and Bible verses about fortress.
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The verse
The King James reads: "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."
The verse stacks up names for God. The first "rock" is cela* ([H5553](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5553/kjv/wlc/0-1/)), a crag or cliff. "Fortress" is *matsuwd* ([H4686](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4686/kjv/wlc/0-1/)), a stronghold. "Deliverer" is from *palat* ([H6403](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6403/kjv/wlc/0-1/)), to rescue or bring to safety. The second "rock" (KJV "strength") is *tsuwr* ([H6697](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6697/kjv/wlc/0-1/)). "Trust" (NIV "take refuge") is *chacah* ([H2620](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2620/kjv/wlc/0-1/)). "Buckler" (NIV "shield") is *magen* ([H4043](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4043/kjv/wlc/0-1/)), "horn" is *qeren* ([H7161](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7161/kjv/wlc/0-1/)), "salvation" is *yesha (H3468), and "high tower" (NIV "stronghold") is misgab (H4869), a high, secure place.
Where it sits in Psalm 18
Psalm 18's heading says David "sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul." The same song appears in 2 Samuel 22.
It opens with "I love you, Lord, my strength" (Psalm 18:1), and verse 2 follows straight on. Then David tells the story behind the names: "In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice" (Psalm 18:6).
What the verse is saying
Each name in the verse is a picture of safety: high rock, walled stronghold, shield, high tower. David is not listing ideas about God. He is naming what God had actually been to him while Saul and other enemies hunted him.
The verse is also personal all the way through. It is "my" rock, "my" fortress, "my" deliverer, "my" shield, "my" stronghold. And it comes right after "I love you, Lord." The names are the reasons for that love.
Questions people ask
What does Psalm 18:2 say?
In the NIV it says, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." The KJV ends, "my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."
What does Psalm 18:2 mean?
David names God as his place of safety, using pictures of rock, fortress, shield, and high tower, after God rescued him from his enemies and from Saul.
Who wrote Psalm 18?
Psalm 18 is headed as a song of David. The same song is in 2 Samuel 22.
What does "horn of my salvation" mean?
In the Old Testament a horn often stands for strength. "Horn of my salvation" (Hebrew qeren) calls God the strength that saves.
What other verses are like Psalm 18:2?
Psalm 46:1 (God is our refuge and strength), Psalm 28:7 (the Lord is my strength and my shield), and Psalm 91 (he is my refuge and my fortress) are close companions.
