Psalms 18
1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid the seruant of the Lord, which spake unto the Lord the wordes of this song (in the day that the Lord delivered him for the hande of all this enemies, and form the and of saul) and sayd, I will loue thee dearely, O Lord my strength.
To the music director. A psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who sang the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord saved him from all his enemies, and from Saul. He sang: I love you, Lord. You are my strength.
2 The Lord is my rocke, and my fortresse, and he that deliuereth me, my God and my strength: in him will I trust, my shield, the horne also of my saluation, and my refuge.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior. He is my God, my rock who protects me. He shields me from harm, his power protects me, he keeps me safe.
3 I will call vpon the Lord, which is worthie to be praysed: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.
I call for help from the Lord who should be praised, and he saves me from those who hate me.
4 The sorowes of death compassed me, and the floods of wickednes made me afraide.
Ropes of death encircled me, surging waters of destruction flooded over me;
The grave wound its ropes around me; death set snares for me. (Sheol h7585)
6 But in my trouble did I call vpon the Lord, and cryed vnto my God: he heard my voyce out of his Temple, and my crye did come before him, euen into his eares.
In my despair I called on the Lord—I cried out to my God for help. He heard my voice from his Temple—my cry for help reached his ears.
7 Then the earth trembled, and quaked: the foundations also of the mountaines mooued and shooke, because he was angrie.
The earth shook to and fro; the foundations of the mountains trembled, shaking because of his anger.
8 Smoke went out at his nostrels, and a consuming fire out of his mouth: coales were kindled thereat.
Smoke came out of his nostrils, and fire came from his mouth; burning coals blazed before him.
9 He bowed the heauens also and came downe, and darkenes was vnder his feete.
He parted the heavens and came down, with dark clouds beneath his feet.
10 And he rode vpon Cherub and did flie, and he came flying vpon the wings of the winde.
Riding on an angel he flew, swooping on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkenes his secrete place, and his pauilion round about him, euen darkenesse of waters, and cloudes of the ayre.
He hid himself in darkness, covering himself with black thunderclouds.
12 At the brightnes of his presence his clouds passed, haylestones and coles of fire.
Hailstones and burning coals flew out from his brightness, passing through his thick clouds.
13 The Lord also thundred in the heauen, and the Highest gaue his voyce, haylestones and coales of fire.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High sounded among the hailstones and burning coals.
14 Then hee sent out his arrowes and scattred them, and he increased lightnings and destroyed them.
He fired his arrows, scattering his enemies; he routed them with his lightning bolts.
15 And the chanels of waters were seene, and the foundations of the worlde were discouered at thy rebuking, O Lord, at the blasting of the breath of thy nostrels.
You roared, Lord, and by the wind from the breath of your nostrils the valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth were uncovered.
16 He hath sent downe from aboue and taken mee: hee hath drawen mee out of many waters.
He reached down his hand from above and grabbed hold of me. He pulled me out of the deep water.
17 He hath deliuered mee from my strong enemie, and from them which hate me: for they were too strong for me.
He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and who were much stronger than me.
18 They preuented me in the day of my calamitie: but the Lord was my stay.
They came at me at my worst possible moment, but the Lord supported me.
19 Hee brought mee foorth also into a large place: hee deliuered mee because hee fauoured me.
He set me free, he rescued me because he's my friend.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnes: according to the purenes of mine hands he recompensed me:
The Lord rewarded me because I do what's right; he repaid me because I am innocent.
21 Because I kept the wayes of the Lord, and did not wickedly against my God.
For I have followed the Lord's ways; I have not sinned by turning away from my God.
22 For all his Lawes were before mee, and I did not cast away his commandements from mee.
I have kept all his laws in mind; I have not ignored his commandments.
23 I was vpright also with him, and haue kept me from my wickednes.
I am blameless in his sight; I keep myself from sinning.
24 Therefore the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse, and according to the purenes of mine hands in his sight.
The Lord rewarded me for doing what's right. I am innocent in his sight.
25 With the godly thou wilt shewe thy selfe godly: with the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright.
You show trust to those who trust; you show integrity to those with integrity,
26 With the pure thou wilt shewe thy selfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt shewe thy selfe froward.
You show yourself pure to those who are pure, but you show yourself smart to those who are crafty.
27 Thus thou wilt saue the poore people, and wilt cast downe the proude lookes.
You save the humble, but you bring down the proud.
28 Surely thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God wil lighten my darkenes.
You light my lamp! Lord, my God, you light up my darkness!
29 For by thee I haue broken through an hoste, and by my God I haue leaped ouer a wall.
With you, I can charge down a troop of soldiers; with you, my God, I can climb a fortress wall.
30 The way of God is vncorrupt: the worde of the Lord is tried in the fire: he is a shield to all that trust in him.
God's way is absolutely right. What the Lord says is trustworthy. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
31 For who is God besides the Lord? and who is mightie saue our God?
For who is God except the Lord? Who is the rock, except our God?
32 God girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way vpright.
God makes me strong and keeps me safe.
33 He maketh my feete like hindes feete, and setteth me vpon mine high places.
He makes me surefooted like the deer, able to walk the heights in safety.
34 He teacheth mine hands to fight: so that a bowe of brasse is broken with mine armes.
He teaches me how to fight in battle; he gives me the strength to draw a bronze bow.
35 Thou hast also giuen me the shield of thy saluation, and thy right hand hath stayed me, and thy louing kindenes hath caused me to increase.
You protect me with the shield of your salvation; you support me with your powerful right hand; your help has made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps vnder mee, and mine heeles haue not slid.
You gave me space in which to walk, and prevented my feet from slipping.
37 I haue pursued mine enemies, and taken them, and haue not turned againe till I had consumed them.
I chased my enemies, and caught up with them. I did not turn around until I had destroyed them.
38 I haue wounded them, that they were not able to rise: they are fallen vnder my feete.
I struck them down—they couldn't get up. They fell at my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength to battell: them, that rose against me, thou hast subdued vnder me.
You made me strong for battle; you made those who rose up against me kneel down before me.
40 And thou hast giuen me the neckes of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
You made my enemies run away; I destroyed all my enemies.
41 They cryed but there was none to saue them, euen vnto the Lord, but hee answered them not.
They cried out for help, but no one came to rescue them. They even called out to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 Then I did beate them small as the dust before the winde: I did treade them flat as the clay in the streetes.
I ground them into dust, like dust in the wind. I threw them out like mud in the street.
43 Thou hast deliuered me from the contentions of the people: thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people, whom I haue not knowen, shall serue me.
You rescued me from rebellious people; you made me ruler over nations—people I didn't know now serve me.
44 As soone as they heare, they shall obey me: the strangers shall be in subiection to me.
As soon as they hear of me, they obey; foreigners cringe before me.
45 Strangers shall shrinke away, and feare in their priuie chambers.
They lose heart, and come trembling in surrender from their strongholds.
46 Let the Lord liue, and blessed be my strength, and the God of my saluation be exalted.
The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock! May the God who saves me be praised!
47 It is God that giueth me power to auenge me, and subdueth the people vnder me.
God avenges me, he subdues peoples under me,
48 O my deliuerer from mine enemies, euen thou hast set mee vp from them, that rose against me: thou hast deliuered mee from the cruell man.
he rescues me from those who hate me. You keep me safe from those who rebel against me, you save me from violent men.
49 Therefore I will prayse thee, O Lord, among the nations, and wil sing vnto thy Name.
That's why I will praise you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about who you are.
50 Great deliuerances giueth hee vnto his King, and sheweth mercie to his anoynted, euen to Dauid, and to his seede for euer.
You have saved the king so often, showing your trustworthy love to David, your anointed, and to his descendants forever.
