< 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.
[For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of Jehovah, who spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, ] I love you, Jehovah, 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.
Jehovah is my Rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my Rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
3 I will call vpon the Lord, which is worthie to be praysed: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.
I call on Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
4 The sorowes of death compassed me, and the floods of wickednes made me afraide.
The waves of death surrounded me, and the currents of ungodliness overwhelmed me.
5 The sorowes of the graue haue compassed me about: the snares of death ouertooke me. (Sheol )
The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me. (Sheol )
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 distress I called upon Jehovah, and cried out to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry before him came into his ears.
7 Then the earth trembled, and quaked: the foundations also of the mountaines mooued and shooke, because he was angrie.
Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went out at his nostrels, and a consuming fire out of his mouth: coales were kindled thereat.
Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heauens also and came downe, and darkenes was vnder his feete.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down. 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.
He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared 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 made darkness his hiding place, his canopy around him thick clouds dark with water.
12 At the brightnes of his presence his clouds passed, haylestones and coles of fire.
From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed on, with hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord also thundred in the heauen, and the Highest gaue his voyce, haylestones and coales of fire.
Jehovah also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice.
14 Then hee sent out his arrowes and scattred them, and he increased lightnings and destroyed them.
And he sent out arrows and scattered them, and he shot lightning bolts and routed 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 the depths of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 He hath sent downe from aboue and taken mee: hee hath drawen mee out of many waters.
He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many 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 strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
18 They preuented me in the day of my calamitie: but the Lord was my stay.
They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my support.
19 Hee brought mee foorth also into a large place: hee deliuered mee because hee fauoured me.
He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnes: according to the purenes of mine hands he recompensed me:
Jehovah has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
21 Because I kept the wayes of the Lord, and did not wickedly against my God.
For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, 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. I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was vpright also with him, and haue kept me from my wickednes.
I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse, and according to the purenes of mine hands in his sight.
Therefore Jehovah has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the godly thou wilt shewe thy selfe godly: with the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright.
With the faithful you show yourself faithful. With the innocent you show yourself innocent.
26 With the pure thou wilt shewe thy selfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt shewe thy selfe froward.
With the pure you show yourself pure. And with the crooked you show yourself tortuous.
27 Thus thou wilt saue the poore people, and wilt cast downe the proude lookes.
For you will save a humble people, but the eyes of the proud you will bring low.
28 Surely thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God wil lighten my darkenes.
For you light my lamp. Jehovah my God lights up my darkness.
29 For by thee I haue broken through an hoste, and by my God I haue leaped ouer a wall.
For by you, I advance through a troop. 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 Jehovah is pure. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord? and who is mightie saue our God?
For who is God, except Jehovah? Who is a rock, besides our God,
32 God girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way vpright.
the God who girds me with strength, and makes my way blameless?
33 He maketh my feete like hindes feete, and setteth me vpon mine high places.
He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places.
34 He teacheth mine hands to fight: so that a bowe of brasse is broken with mine armes.
He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
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 have also given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand holds me up, and your help has made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps vnder mee, and mine heeles haue not slid.
You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
37 I haue pursued mine enemies, and taken them, and haue not turned againe till I had consumed them.
I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and I did not turn back until they were destroyed.
38 I haue wounded them, that they were not able to rise: they are fallen vnder my feete.
I struck them through, so that they did not rise. They fell beneath my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength to battell: them, that rose against me, thou hast subdued vnder me.
For you have equipped me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 And thou hast giuen me the neckes of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
41 They cryed but there was none to saue them, euen vnto the Lord, but hee answered them not.
They cried, but there was none to save; even to Jehovah, 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.
Then I ground them as fine as the dust on the surface of a path. Like the mud in the streets, I trampled them.
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 have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall 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 me. Foreigners come cringing to me;
45 Strangers shall shrinke away, and feare in their priuie chambers.
they are not bound in chains.
46 Let the Lord liue, and blessed be my strength, and the God of my saluation be exalted.
Jehovah lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 It is God that giueth me power to auenge me, and subdueth the people vnder me.
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and 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 my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.
49 Therefore I will prayse thee, O Lord, among the nations, and wil sing vnto thy Name.
Therefore I will praise you, Jehovah, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
50 Great deliuerances giueth hee vnto his King, and sheweth mercie to his anoynted, euen to Dauid, and to his seede for euer.
He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his descendants, until forever.