Psa 18:16 | NET2full | STEP | He reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me from the surging water .

‏ Psalms 18:16

16 He reached down ^{▼▼tn Heb “stretched.” Perhaps “his hand” should be supplied by ellipsis (see Ps 144:7). In this poetic narrative context the three prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.} from above and took hold of me;
he pulled me from the surging water. ^{▼▼tn Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (see v. 4 and Ps 144:7).}