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 chief musician, by the servant of the Lord, by David, who spoke unto the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the power of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; And he said,” I ever love thee, O Lord, 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, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 I will call vpon the Lord, which is worthie to be praysed: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.
Praised, I cried, be the Lord, and from my enemies was I saved.
4 The sorowes of death compassed me, and the floods of wickednes made me afraide.
The bonds of death encompassed me, and the floods of destruction made me afraid.
The bonds of hell encircled me: the snares of death seized on 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.
[When] in my distress I called upon the Lord, and unto my God I cried: he heard from his temple my voice, and my complaint came before him, even into his ears.
7 Then the earth trembled, and quaked: the foundations also of the mountaines mooued and shooke, because he was angrie.
Then shook and trembled the earth; and the foundations of the mountains were moved; and they were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 Smoke went out at his nostrels, and a consuming fire out of his mouth: coales were kindled thereat.
Smoke went up in his anger and consuming fire out of his mouth: coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heauens also and came downe, and darkenes was vnder his feete.
And he bent the heavens, and came down: and thick darkness was under his feet:
10 And he rode vpon Cherub and did flie, and he came flying vpon the wings of the winde.
And he rode upon a cherub, and flew along, and he flitted by upon 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 made darkness his hiding-place, round about him as his pavilion, dark waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightnes of his presence his clouds passed, haylestones and coles of fire.
From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed away, [with] hail-stones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord also thundred in the heauen, and the Highest gaue his voyce, haylestones and coales of fire.
And the Lord thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered forth his voice, [with] hail-stones and coals of fire.
14 Then hee sent out his arrowes and scattred them, and he increased lightnings and destroyed them.
And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.
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.
And then were seen the channels of the waters, and there were laid open the foundations of the world, through thy rebuke, O Lord, through the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16 He hath sent downe from aboue and taken mee: hee hath drawen mee out of many waters.
He stretched out from above [his hand], he took me; he drew me out from mighty waters.
17 He hath deliuered mee from my strong enemie, and from them which hate me: for they were too strong for me.
He delivered me from my enemy, the strong, and from those that hated me, when they were too mighty for me.
18 They preuented me in the day of my calamitie: but the Lord was my stay.
They overcame me on the day of my calamity; but the Lord became my stay.
19 Hee brought mee foorth also into a large place: hee deliuered mee because hee fauoured me.
And he brought me forth into a large space; he delivered me, because he had delight in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnes: according to the purenes of mine hands he recompensed me:
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the purity of my hands did he recompense me.
21 Because I kept the wayes of the Lord, and did not wickedly against my God.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his Lawes were before mee, and I did not cast away his commandements from mee.
For all his ordinances were before me, and his statutes had I not put away from me.
23 I was vpright also with him, and haue kept me from my wickednes.
I was also upright with him, and I guarded myself against my iniquity.
24 Therefore the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse, and according to the purenes of mine hands in his sight.
Therefore did the Lord recompense me according to my righteousness, according to the purity of my hands before his eyes.
25 With the godly thou wilt shewe thy selfe godly: with the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright.
With the kind thou wilt show thyself kind; with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shewe thy selfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt shewe thy selfe froward.
With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt wage a contest.
27 Thus thou wilt saue the poore people, and wilt cast downe the proude lookes.
For thou wilt indeed save the afflicted people; but haughty eyes wilt thou bring down.
28 Surely thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God wil lighten my darkenes.
For thou wilt cause my light to shine: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I haue broken through an hoste, and by my God I haue leaped ouer a wall.
For [aided] by thee I run through a troop; and [helped] by my God I leap over a 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.
As for God, —his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a shield to all those that trust in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord? and who is mightie saue our God?
For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock beside our God?
32 God girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way vpright.
He is the God that girdeth me with strength, and rendereth my way unobstructed.
33 He maketh my feete like hindes feete, and setteth me vpon mine high places.
He maketh my feet like those of the hinds, and upon my high-places he causeth me to stand.
34 He teacheth mine hands to fight: so that a bowe of brasse is broken with mine armes.
He teacheth my hands for the war, so that a brazen bow is bent by my arms.
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.
And thou gavest me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand supported me: and thy meekness hath made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps vnder mee, and mine heeles haue not slid.
Thou enlargest my steps under me, so that my joints do not slip.
37 I haue pursued mine enemies, and taken them, and haue not turned againe till I had consumed them.
I pursue my enemies, and overtake them; and I return not again till I have made an end of them.
38 I haue wounded them, that they were not able to rise: they are fallen vnder my feete.
I crush them that they are not able to rise: they fall under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength to battell: them, that rose against me, thou hast subdued vnder me.
For thou hast girded me with strength for the war: thou subduest my opponents under me.
40 And thou hast giuen me the neckes of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
And my enemies thou causest to turn their back to me; and those that hate me, —that I may destroy them.
41 They cryed but there was none to saue them, euen vnto the Lord, but hee answered them not.
They cry, but there is none to help; unto the Lord, —but he answereth them not.
42 Then I did beate them small as the dust before the winde: I did treade them flat as the clay in the streetes.
And I beat them small as the dust before the wind: like the dirt in the streets do I cast them out.
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.
Thou deliverest me from the contests of the people; thou appointest me to be the head of nations: a people that I know not shall serve me.
44 As soone as they heare, they shall obey me: the strangers shall be in subiection to me.
As soon as their ear heareth they shall be obedient to me: the children of the stranger shall utter flattery unto me.
45 Strangers shall shrinke away, and feare in their priuie chambers.
The children of the stranger shall fade away, and come forth trembling out of their close places.
46 Let the Lord liue, and blessed be my strength, and the God of my saluation be exalted.
The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation;
47 It is God that giueth me power to auenge me, and subdueth the people vnder me.
The God that granteth me vengeance, and subdueth nations 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.
That delivereth me from my enemies: also above my opponents thou liftest me up; thou deliverest me from the man of violence.
49 Therefore I will prayse thee, O Lord, among the nations, and wil sing vnto thy Name.
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee among the nations, O Lord, and unto thy name will I sing praises, —
50 Great deliuerances giueth hee vnto his King, and sheweth mercie to his anoynted, euen to Dauid, and to his seede for euer.
[To him] that maketh great the salvation of his king, and who sheweth kindness to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for ever.
