< Psalms 18 >
1 To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake 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 will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
I love thee, O Jehovah, my strength.
2 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.
Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I will take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
3 I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised. So I shall be saved from my enemies.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The cords of death encompassed me, and the floods of lawlessness made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. (Sheol )
The cords of Sheol were round about me. The snares of death came upon me. (Sheol )
6 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.
In my distress I called upon Jehovah, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry before him came into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and 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 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
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 darkness [was] under his feet.
He also bowed the heavens, and came down, and thick darkness was under his feet.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
And he rode upon a cherub, and flew. Yea, he soared upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him [were] dark waters [and] thick clouds of the skies.
He made darkness his hiding-place, his pavilion round about him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness [that was] before him his thick clouds passed, hail [stones] 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 Highest gave his voice; hail [stones] and coals of fire.
Jehovah also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them, Yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them.
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
Then the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at thy rebuke, O Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16 He sent from above, 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 my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
They came upon me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
He also brought me forth 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.
Jehovah 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 Jehovah, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments [were] before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
For all his ordinances were before me, and I put not away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
I was also perfect with him, and 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 eyesight.
Therefore Jehovah has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
With the merciful thou will show thyself merciful. With the perfect man thou will show thyself perfect.
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
With the pure thou will show thyself pure. And with the perverse thou will show thyself contrary.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
For thou will save the afflicted people, but the haughty eyes thou will bring down.
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
For thou will light my lamp. Jehovah my God will lighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
For by thee I run upon a troop, and 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 buckler to all those that trust in him.
As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Jehovah is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31 For who [is] God save the LORD? or who [is] a rock save our God?
For who is God, except Jehovah? And who is a rock, besides our God,
32 [It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
the God who girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
33 He maketh my feet like hinds’ [feet], and setteth me upon my high places.
He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of brass.
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Thou have also given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand has held me up, and thy gentleness has made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
Thou have enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again till they are consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
I will smite them through, so that they shall 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 thou have girded me with strength to the battle. Thou have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
Thou 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 [them: even] unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
They cried, but there was none to save, even to Jehovah, 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 dirt in 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 strivings of the people; [and] thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people [whom] I have not known shall serve me.
Thou have delivered me from the strivings of the people. Thou 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 shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.
46 The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
Jehovah lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 [It is] God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people 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 those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
He rescues me from my enemies. Yea, thou lift me up above those who rise up against me. Thou deliver me from the violent man.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O Jehovah, among the Gentiles, and will sing praises to thy name.
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth 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 seed, for evermore.