Psalms 18
1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; And he said: I love thee, O LORD, my strength.
I will love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in Him I take refuge; my shield, and my horn of salvation, my high tower.
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 Praised, I cry, is the LORD, and I am saved from mine enemies.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 The cords of Death compassed me, and the floods of Belial assailed me.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. (Sheol h7585)
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God; out of His temple He heard my voice, and my cry came before Him unto His ears.
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7 Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations also of the mountains did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was angry.
8 Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth did devour; coals flamed forth from Him.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10 And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds hailstones and coals of fire.
At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14 And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and humiliated them.
15 And the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at Thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils.
Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from mine enemy most strong, and from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the LORD was a stay unto me.
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in 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 righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me.
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His ordinances were before me, and I put not away His statutes from me.
For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 And I was single-hearted with Him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.
Therefore has the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful Thou dost show Thyself merciful, with the upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright;
With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; with an upright man you will show yourself upright;
26 With the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle.
With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the perverse you will show yourself perverse.
27 For Thou dost save the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes Thou dost humble.
For you will save the afflicted people; but will bring down high looks.
28 For Thou dost light my lamp; the LORD my God doth lighten my darkness.
For you will light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by Thee I run upon a troop; and by my God do I scale a wall.
For by you I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in Him.
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31 For who is God, save the LORD? And who is a Rock, except our God?
For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
32 The God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way straight;
It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect.
33 Who maketh my feet like hinds', and setteth me upon my high places;
He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places.
34 Who traineth my hands for war, so that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.
He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35 Thou hast also given me Thy shield of salvation, and Thy right hand hath holden me up; and Thy condescension hath made me great.
You have also given me the shield of your salvation: and your right hand has held me up, and your gentleness has made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.
You have enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them; neither did I turn back till they were consumed.
I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I return till they were consumed.
38 I have smitten them through, so that they are not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet.
I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
For you have girded me with strength unto the battle: you have subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, and I did cut off them that hate me.
You have also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 They cried, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but He answered them not.
They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets.
Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people; Thou hast made me the head of the nations; a people whom I have not known serve me.
You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; and you have made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they obey me; the sons of the stranger dwindle away before me.
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
45 The sons of the stranger fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.
The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 The LORD liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation;
The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, and subdueth peoples under me.
It is God that avenges me, and subdues the people under me.
48 He delivereth me from mine enemies; yea, Thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.
He delivers me from mine enemies: yea, you lift me up above those that rise up against me: you have delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore I will give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises unto Thy name.
Therefore will I give thanks unto you, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto your name.
50 Great salvation giveth He to His king; and showeth mercy to His anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.
Great deliverance gives he to his king; and shows mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
