Psalms 118:9 (YLT)

Passage

Better to take refuge in Jehovah, Than to trust in princes.

Nearby Context

Psalms 118:7 Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> for me among my helpers, And I--I look on those hating me.

Psalms 118:8 Better to take refuge in Jehovah than to trust in man,

Psalms 118:9 Better to take refuge in Jehovah, Than to trust in princes.

Psalms 118:10 All nations have compassed me about, In the name of Jehovah I surely cut them off.

Psalms 118:11 They have compassed me about, Yea, they have compassed me about, In the name of Jehovah I surely cut them off.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "better", "take", "refuge", "jehovah", "than", "trust", and "princes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "better" and "take", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "Better to take refuge in Jehovah than..." into verse 10's "All nations have compassed me about In...", so "better" and "take" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "better" and "take" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.