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.
Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
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.
Yahweh is like an [overhanging] rock [DOU, MET] [under which I can hide from my enemies]; he is like a strong fortress, the one who protects me; he protects me like a shield [MET] [protects a soldier]; he is the one to whom I go (for refuge/to be protected/safe), and he defends me by his great power [IDM].
3 I will call vpon the Lord, which is worthie to be praysed: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.
I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
4 The sorowes of death compassed me, and the floods of wickednes made me afraide.
All around me were dangerous situations in which I might be killed [PRS]; it was as though there were huge waves [MET] that almost crashed on me and killed me.
[It was as though] the place where dead people are had ropes that were wrapped around me, or [it was as though] there was a trap [MET] that would [seize and] kill 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.
But when I was very distressed, I called out to Yahweh, and from his temple he heard me. He listened to me when I cried out [for help].
7 Then the earth trembled, and quaked: the foundations also of the mountaines mooued and shooke, because he was angrie.
Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
8 Smoke went out at his nostrels, and a consuming fire out of his mouth: coales were kindled thereat.
[It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
9 He bowed the heauens also and came downe, and darkenes was vnder his feete.
He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
10 And he rode vpon Cherub and did flie, and he came flying vpon the wings of the winde.
He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling [fast], blown along by the wind.
11 He made darkenes his secrete place, and his pauilion round about him, euen darkenesse of waters, and cloudes of the ayre.
Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
12 At the brightnes of his presence his clouds passed, haylestones and coles of fire.
Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
13 The Lord also thundred in the heauen, and the Highest gaue his voyce, haylestones and coales of fire.
Then Yahweh [spoke in a loud voice] from the sky, and [his enemies] heard his voice that sounded like thunder.
14 Then hee sent out his arrowes and scattred them, and he increased lightnings and destroyed them.
He shot his arrows at them and caused them to scatter; His flashes of lightning caused them to become very confused (OR, to run away).
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.
The bottom of the ocean became visible, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when Yahweh rebuked his enemies when he snorted.
16 He hath sent downe from aboue and taken mee: hee hath drawen mee out of many waters.
[It was as though] he reached down from heaven and grabbed me and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.
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 strong enemies who hated me; they were very strong, with the result that I [could not defeat them].
18 They preuented me in the day of my calamitie: but the Lord was my stay.
When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
19 Hee brought mee foorth also into a large place: hee deliuered mee because hee fauoured me.
He led me to a place where I was safe; he rescued me because he was pleased with me.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnes: according to the purenes of mine hands he recompensed me:
Yahweh has rewarded me because I do what is right; he has blessed me because I (am innocent/have not done things that are wrong).
21 Because I kept the wayes of the Lord, and did not wickedly against my God.
I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
22 For all his Lawes were before mee, and I did not cast away his commandements from mee.
My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
23 I was vpright also with him, and haue kept me from my wickednes.
He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
24 Therefore the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse, and according to the purenes of mine hands in his sight.
So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
25 With the godly thou wilt shewe thy selfe godly: with the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright.
Yahweh, you are faithful to those who faithfully [do what you tell them to do]; you always do what is good/right to those who do what you want them to do.
26 With the pure thou wilt shewe thy selfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt shewe thy selfe froward.
You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
27 Thus thou wilt saue the poore people, and wilt cast downe the proude lookes.
You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
28 Surely thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God wil lighten my darkenes.
You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
29 For by thee I haue broken through an hoste, and by my God I haue leaped ouer a wall.
You enable me to be strong, with the result that I can run and attack a line of enemy soldiers; with your help I can (scale/climb up) the walls [that surround my enemies’ cities].
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.
Everything that Yahweh my God does is perfect. We can depend on him to do what he promises. He is like a shield [MET] to protect all those who go to him for refuge.
31 For who is God besides the Lord? and who is mightie saue our God?
Yahweh is [RHQ] the only one who is God; only he is like an [overhanging] rock [under which we can be safe].
32 God girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way vpright.
God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.
33 He maketh my feete like hindes feete, and setteth me vpon mine high places.
He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
34 He teacheth mine hands to fight: so that a bowe of brasse is broken with mine armes.
He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.
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.
Yahweh, you protect and save me with your shield; you have made me safe by your power [MTY]. I have become (strong/a great [king]) because you have helped me.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps vnder mee, and mine heeles haue not slid.
You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
37 I haue pursued mine enemies, and taken them, and haue not turned againe till I had consumed them.
I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
38 I haue wounded them, that they were not able to rise: they are fallen vnder my feete.
When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength to battell: them, that rose against me, thou hast subdued vnder me.
You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
40 And thou hast giuen me the neckes of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
You caused my enemies to run away (OR, you enabled me to put my foot on my enemies’ necks [after I captured them and forced them to lie on the ground]); I have gotten rid of all those who hated me.
41 They cryed but there was none to saue them, euen vnto the Lord, but hee answered them not.
They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved 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 pulverize them, with the result that they become like [MET] the dust that the wind [blows away]; I throw them out like [SIM] [people throw] dirt out into the streets.
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 enabled me to defeat those who fought against me, and appointed me to be the ruler of [many]; people whom I did not know about previously are now slaves [in my kingdom].
44 As soone as they heare, they shall obey me: the strangers shall be in subiection to me.
When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
45 Strangers shall shrinke away, and feare in their priuie chambers.
They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
46 Let the Lord liue, and blessed be my strength, and the God of my saluation be exalted.
Yahweh is alive! Praise the one who is like an [overhanging] rock [MET] [under which I am safe] Exalt the God who saves me!
47 It is God that giueth me power to auenge me, and subdueth the people vnder me.
He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
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.
and he rescues me from my enemies. He has lifted me up high so that violent men could not reach me [and harm me].
49 Therefore I will prayse thee, O Lord, among the nations, and wil sing vnto thy Name.
So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
50 Great deliuerances giueth hee vnto his King, and sheweth mercie to his anoynted, euen to Dauid, and to his seede for euer.
He has enabled me, his king, to powerfully defeat my enemies; he faithfully loves me, David, the one he has chosen [to be king], and he will faithfully love my descendants forever.
