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.
For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to 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. He said, I love you, 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, 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 Praised, I cry, is the LORD, and I am saved from mine enemies.
I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of Death compassed me, and the floods of Belial assailed me.
The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on 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 on the LORD, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came 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 mountains quaked 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.
Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. 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. Thick 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.
He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on 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 hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, 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 before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones 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 sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.
He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts.
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 appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, 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 on high. 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, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the LORD was a stay unto me.
They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.
He brought me out 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 has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has 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 ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away his statutes from me.
23 And I was single-hearted with Him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.
Therefore the LORD has rewarded 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 the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
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. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
27 For Thou dost save the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes Thou dost humble.
For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.
28 For Thou dost light my lamp; the LORD my God doth lighten my darkness.
For you will light my lamp, LORD. My God will light up my darkness.
29 For by Thee I run upon a troop; and by my God do I scale a wall.
For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap 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 LORD’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God, save the LORD? And who is a Rock, except our God?
For who is God, except the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God,
32 The God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way straight;
the God who arms 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 deer’s feet, and sets me on 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 my arms bend a bow of bronze.
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. Your right hand sustains me. 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, My feet have not slipped.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them; neither did I turn back till they were consumed.
I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won’t turn away until they are consumed.
38 I have smitten them through, so that they are not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet.
I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall 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 armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who 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 made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who 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 no one to save; even to the LORD, but he didn’t answer 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.
Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of 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. You have made me the head of the nations. 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 foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
45 The sons of the stranger fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.
46 The LORD liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation;
The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, and subdueth peoples under me.
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples 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 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 give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises unto Thy name.
Therefore I will give thanks to you, LORD, amongst the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
50 Great salvation giveth He to His king; and showeth mercy to His anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.
He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.
