It’s one of those lines that hits you like a physical weight when you first hear it. With my God I can scale a wall. It doesn't sound like typical religious platitude or a soft "thoughts and prayers" sentiment. It sounds like something from an action movie, or maybe a gritty memoir about surviving the impossible.
People use this phrase everywhere—from CrossFit gyms to hospital waiting rooms. But where did it actually come from?
The line is ripped straight from the Hebrew Bible, specifically Psalm 18:29. If you look at the context, it’s not about literal rock climbing. King David, who wrote it, was a guy who spent a massive chunk of his life hiding in caves and running for his life from a king who wanted him dead. He wasn't talking about a hobby. He was talking about survival.
When he says "with my God I can scale a wall," he’s describing a mental and spiritual state where the obstacles in front of him—fortified cities, literal armies, or just the paralyzing fear of being caught—suddenly became surmountable. It’s about that specific moment when your own strength runs out and you tap into something else.
The Raw History of Psalm 18
To understand why people still tattoo this on their ribs or post it on Instagram after a breakup, you have to look at who David was. He wasn't some untouchable saint. He was a mess. He was a warrior, a poet, and, let’s be honest, someone who made some pretty catastrophic moral mistakes later in life.
But in Psalm 18, he’s at a peak of gratitude. The verse actually reads: "For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall." Think about that imagery. Running against a troop? That’s a suicide mission. Leaping over a wall? That’s bypassing the very thing designed to keep you out or trap you in.
Historians and theologians often point out that this wasn't written from a palace balcony. It was likely composed after David was delivered from the hand of Saul. He’s reflecting on the fact that he was a shepherd boy who ended up leading a nation, despite every physical and political barrier placed in his way.
Why This Verse Hits Different in 2026
Life right now feels like a series of walls. Economic walls. Mental health walls. The "I can't get out of bed today" walls.
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When someone says with my God I can scale a wall, they aren't usually talking about a 10-foot concrete barrier. They’re talking about the wall of grief after losing a parent. They’re talking about the wall of debt that feels like it’s closing in.
There’s a psychological phenomenon called "Self-Transcendence." Dr. Viktor Frankl, the psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, talked about this extensively in Man’s Search for Meaning. He argued that when humans connect to something greater than themselves—whether that’s God, a cause, or another person—they can endure conditions that would otherwise break them.
David’s ancient poem is basically an early blueprint for this. It’s an acknowledgment that human willpower is a finite resource. It runs out. But if you believe there’s an infinite source behind you? Suddenly, the wall looks a lot shorter.
Breaking Down the "Scale a Wall" Metaphor
What does it actually mean to "scale" something in a spiritual sense?
In the original Hebrew, the word used for wall is shur. It refers to a wall of a city or a fortification. These weren't garden fences. These were massive, intimidating structures designed to be impossible to climb.
If you’ve ever looked at a problem and felt that specific "ugh" in your chest—that feeling of total inadequacy—you’ve seen a shur.
Scaling it implies three distinct things:
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- Verticality: You aren't going around the problem. You aren't ignoring it. You are going up and over.
- Effort: God doesn't move the wall in this verse. The wall stays. The person changes. You still have to do the climbing, but the power to do so comes from an external source.
- Perspective: Once you’re on top of the wall, the view changes. You see the battlefield differently.
Honestly, I think that’s why this specific verse resonates so much more than "The Lord is my shepherd." While the shepherd imagery is comforting, the "scaling a wall" imagery is empowering. It’s active. It’s aggressive.
Real-World Applications of the "Wall" Mindset
I talked to a marathon runner last year who had this verse taped to her water bottle. She told me that at mile 22, her legs weren't the problem—it was her brain. Her brain was telling her that she had reached a hard limit.
She used the phrase with my God I can scale a wall as a mantra. It wasn't about magic. It was about shifting her focus from her burning lungs to a sense of divine partnership.
It’s the same for people in recovery. Ask anyone in a 12-step program about "The Wall." It’s that point where willpower fails and they have to hand it over to a Higher Power. That is Psalm 18:29 in action.
The Problem With "Toxic Positivity"
We should probably address the elephant in the room. Some people use this verse as a way to "spiritually bypass" real issues.
You’ve seen it. The person who says "I can scale any wall!" while their life is objectively falling apart and they refuse to seek therapy or professional help. That’s not what the verse is about.
David didn't just pray and find himself on the other side of the wall. He had to train. He had to run. He had to sweat. The "God" part of the equation provided the capacity, not a shortcut.
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Actionable Ways to Use This Philosophy
If you’re feeling stuck, just repeating the words might help, but applying the logic behind them is better.
Identify the Wall
Be specific. Is the wall your fear of failure? Is it a literal physical limitation? You can’t scale something if you haven't looked at how high it actually is.
Stop Relying on Your Own Battery
The whole point of the verse is that David couldn't do it alone. If you’re exhausted, it’s probably because you’re trying to scale the wall using your own limited energy reserves. Whether it’s through prayer, meditation, or reaching out to a community, you have to plug into something else.
Check Your Gear
Scaling a wall requires tools. In a spiritual sense, that’s discipline, habits, and truth. You don't climb a mountain in flip-flops. If you’re going to tackle a major life obstacle, you need to make sure your "spiritual gear"—your mental health, your physical well-being, your support system—is ready.
Take the First Step
Scaling doesn't happen in a jump (well, unless you’re literal King David leaping). It happens one handhold at a time. Find the smallest possible action you can take toward overcoming your obstacle.
The phrase with my God I can scale a wall serves as a permanent reminder that human limits are often just illusions of the mind. Or, more accurately, they are real limits that can be bypassed when we stop trying to be the sole hero of our own story.
Instead of staring at the bricks and counting the cracks, look at the one who supposedly built the mountains those bricks came from. It changes the math of the whole situation.
Next time you hit a barrier that feels too high, stop trying to push through it with brute force. Take a second. Breathe. Acknowledge that you aren't enough on your own—and then realize that, according to this ancient wisdom, you don't have to be. That’s the real secret to scaling the walls that life throws in your way.
Focus on the next handhold. Just one. Then the next. Before you know it, you’re looking down at where you used to be.