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.
Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
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.
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 Praised, I cry, is the LORD, and I am saved from mine enemies.
I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
4 The cords of Death compassed me, and the floods of Belial assailed me.
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 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.
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 did shake and quake, the foundations also of the mountains did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.
Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
8 Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth did devour; coals flamed forth from Him.
[It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.
He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
10 And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind.
He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling [fast], blown along by the wind.
11 He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
12 At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds hailstones and coals of fire.
Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire.
Then Yahweh [spoke in a loud voice] from the sky, and [his enemies] heard his voice that sounded like thunder.
14 And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited 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 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.
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 sent from on high, He took me; He drew me 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 delivered me from mine enemy most strong, and from them that hated me, for they were too mighty 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 confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the LORD was a stay unto me.
When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in 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 righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath 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 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
22 For all His ordinances were before me, and I put not away His statutes from me.
My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
23 And I was single-hearted with Him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.
So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
25 With the merciful Thou dost show Thyself merciful, with the upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright;
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 dost show Thyself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle.
You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
27 For Thou dost save the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes Thou dost humble.
You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
28 For Thou dost light my lamp; the LORD my God doth lighten my darkness.
You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
29 For by Thee I run upon a troop; and by my God do I scale 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 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.
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, save the LORD? And who is a Rock, except 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 The God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way straight;
God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.
33 Who maketh my feet like hinds', and setteth me upon my high places;
He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
34 Who traineth my hands for war, so that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.
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 given me Thy shield of salvation, and Thy right hand hath holden me up; and Thy condescension hath made me great.
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 under me, and my feet have not slipped.
You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them; neither did I turn back till they were consumed.
I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
38 I have smitten them through, so that they are not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet.
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 unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
40 Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, and I did cut off 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 cried, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but He answered them not.
They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets.
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 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 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 soon as they hear of me, they obey me; the sons of the stranger dwindle away before me.
When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
45 The sons of the stranger fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.
They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
46 The LORD liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation;
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 Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, and subdueth peoples under me.
He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
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.
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 give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises unto Thy name.
So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
50 Great salvation giveth He to His king; and showeth mercy to His anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.
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.
