Psalms 18 · Verse 26

Psalms 18:26

With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
Psalms 18:26, King James Version

Psalms 18:26 in other translations

BSBto the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.
WEBWith the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
ASVWith the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.
YLTWith the pure Thou showest Thyself pure, And with the perverse showest Thyself a wrestler,
DARBYWith the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; and with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary.
BBEHe who is holy will see that you are holy; but to the man whose way is not straight you will be a hard judge.
WebsterWith the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt contend.

What does Psalms 18:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 18:25-27

25-27. God renders to men according to their deeds in a penal, not vindictive, sense (Le 26:23, 24). merciful--or, "kind" (Psa 4:3).

Read the full comment on Psalms 18:25-27 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 With the froward - עקש ikkesh, the perverse man; he that is crooked in his tempers and ways. Thou wilt show thyself froward - תתפתל tithpattal, thou wilt set thyself to twist, twine, and wrestle. If he contend, thou wilt contend with him. Thou wilt follow him through all his windings; thou wilt trace him through all his crooked ways; untwist him in all his cunning wiles; and defeat all his schemes of stubbornness, fraud, overreaching, and deceit. My old Psalter has, With the wiked thow sal be wike. Here the term wicked is taken in its true original sense, crooked, or perverse. With the wiked, the perverse, thou wilt show thyself wike, i.e., perverse; from to draw back, to slide. As he draws back from thee, thou wilt draw back from him. It may, as before intimated, come from to seek for enchantments; leaving God, and going to devils; to act like a witch: but here it must mean as above. The plain import is, "If thou perversely oppose thy Maker, he will oppose thee: no work or project shall prosper that is not begun in his name, and conducted in his fear."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 18:20-28

Those that forsake the ways of the Lord, depart from their God. But though conscious to ourselves of many a false step, let there not be a wicked departure from our God. David kept his eye upon the rule of God's commands. Constant care to keep from that sin, whatever it be, which most easily besets us, proves that we are upright before God. Those who show mercy to others, even they need mercy. Those who are faithful…

Read the full comment on Psalms 18:20-28 →

Psalms 18:26 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

עִם\־'im-withH5973
נָבָ֥רna.Var[one who] purifies himselfH1305
תִּתְבָּרָ֑רtit.ba.Raryou show yourself pureH1305
וְעִם\־ve.'im-and withH5973
עִ֝קֵּ֗שׁ'i.Kesha perverse [person]H6141
תִּתְפַּתָּֽל\׃tit.pa.Talyou show yourself twistedH6617

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 18:26

  • Proverbs 3:34

    Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

  • Leviticus 26:23-24

    And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.

  • James 2:13

    For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

  • Leviticus 26:27-28

    And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

  • Psalms 109:17-19

    As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

  • Romans 2:4-6

    Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

  • Romans 2:9

    Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
froward.
109:17-19; Le 26:23,24,27,28; Pr 3:34; Ro 2:4-6,9; Jas 2:13
shew thyself froward. or, wrestle.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 18:25

    With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

  • Psalms 18:26

    With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

  • Psalms 18:27

    For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

Read all of Psalms 18

Psalms 18:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Limpio te mostrarás para con el limpio, y severo serás para con el perverso.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Avec celui qui use de grâce, tu uses de grâce; avec l’homme parfait, tu te montres parfait;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Gegen den Reinen erzeigst du dich rein, und gegen den Verkehrten erzeigst du dich entgegenstreitend.