The Meaning of Psalms 108:13 Explained

Psalms 108:13

KJV: Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

YLT: In God we do mightily, And He doth tread down our adversaries!

Darby: Through God we shall do valiantly; and he it is that will tread down our adversaries.

ASV: Through God we shall do valiantly: For he it is that will tread down our adversaries.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Through God  we shall do  valiantly:  for he [it is that] shall tread down  our enemies. 

What does Psalms 108:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 108:1-13 - Victorious Through God
Two fragments of Davidic psalms are here joined together with very slight alterations. In Psalms 108:1-5 are from Psalms 57:7-11, and Psalms 108:6-13 from Psalms 60:5-12. We need the fixed heart, ever constant to God, as is the needle to the pole. When we are right with God we go through the world, awakening song and hope in forlorn hearts. Note the themes for constant adoration, Psalms 108:3-5.
Apparently David stood in imagination at the beginning of those conquests which made Israel great and extended her frontiers to the great river Euphrates. He felt that God had spoken in His holiness, and had already given him the territories here enumerated. All that remained for him to do was to occupy and possess what the Almighty had allotted. There is a close analogy here to our appropriation of those heavenly blessings which are ours in the risen Lord. It is not we who can tread down our adversaries. They are too strong and insidious. But when our heart is fixed, God goes before us, vanquishing our foes, and we have but to follow after, gathering in the spoils. In our inner conflicts, vain is human help, even the best. Go before us, Great Shepherd, with thy rod and staff! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 108

1  David encourages himself to praise God
5  He prays for God's assistance according to his promise
11  His confidence in God's help

What do the individual words in Psalms 108:13 mean?

Through God we will do valiantly for [it is] He [who] shall tread down our enemies
בֵּֽאלֹהִ֥ים נַעֲשֶׂה־ חָ֑יִל וְ֝ה֗וּא יָב֥וּס צָרֵֽינוּ

בֵּֽאלֹהִ֥ים  Through  God 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
נַעֲשֶׂה־  we  will  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חָ֑יִל  valiantly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
וְ֝ה֗וּא  for  [it  is]  He 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יָב֥וּס  [who]  shall  tread  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בּוּס  
Sense: to tread down, reject, trample down.
צָרֵֽינוּ  our  enemies 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.