Psalms 33:16

There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

BSB

No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.

KJV

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

ASV

There is no king saved by the multitude of a host: A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

BBE

A king's salvation is not in the power of his army; a strong man does not get free by his great strength.

Original Hebrew

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The early church

"A king shall not be saved by much strength:" he shall not be saved who rules his own flesh, if he presume much upon his own strength. "Neither shall a giant be saved by much strength" [Psalm 33:16]: nor shall he be saved whoever wars against the habit of his own lust, or against the devil and his angels, if he trust much to his own might.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 12–22

All the motions and operations of the souls of men, which no mortals know but themselves, God knows better than they do. Their hearts, as well as their times, are all in his hand; he formed the spirit of each man within him. All the powers of the creature depend upon him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without him. If we make God's favour sure towards us, then we need not fear whatever is against us. We are to give to him the glory of his special grace. All human devices for the salvation of our souls are vain; but the Lord's watchful eye is over those whose conscientious fear of his name proceeds from a believing hope in his mercy. In difficulties they shall be helped; in dangers they shall not receive any real damage. Those that fear God and his wrath, must hope in God and his mercy; for there is no flying from him, but by flying to him. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us; let us always have the comfort and benefit, not according to our merits, but according to the promise which thou hast in thy word given to us, and according to the faith thou hast by thy Spirit and grace wrought in us.

Read Matthew Henry on Psalm 33 →

Spurgeon · Verse 16

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host. Mortal power is a fiction, and those who trust in it are dupes. Serried ranks of armed men have failed to maintain an empire, or even to save their monarch's life when a decree from the court of heaven has gone forth for the empire's overthrow. The all seeing God preserves the poorest of his people when they are alone and friendless, but ten thousand armed men cannot ensure safety to him whom God leaves to destruction. A mighty man is not delivered by much strength. So far from guarding others, the valiant veteran is not able to deliver himself. When his time comes to die, neither the force of his arms nor the speed of his legs can save him. The weakest believer dwells safely under the shadow of Jehovah's throne, while the most mighty sinner is in peril every hour. Why do we talk so much of our armies and our heroes? the Lord alone has strength, and let him alone have praise.

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Cross-references

32

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.