Psalms 18
1 For 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 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 strong rock, in him will I trust; my shield, and the horn of my 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 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be 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 ungodliness made me afraid.
The waves of death surrounded me, and the currents of ungodliness overwhelmed me.
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: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry before him came into his ears.
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out 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, me foundations also of the mountains 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.
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 flew swiftly 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 canopy around him thick clouds dark with water.
12 At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.
From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed on, with hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice; hailstones and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice.
14 And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them.
And he sent out arrows and scattered them, and he shot lightning bolts and routed them.
15 Then 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.
And the depths of the sea 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 my strong enemy, 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 came upon me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
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 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 has 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 judgments were before me, and I put not away his statutes from me.
For all his ordinances were before me. I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also perfect 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 eyesight.
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 wilt shew thyself merciful; with the perfect man thou wilt shew thyself perfect;
With the faithful you show yourself faithful. With the innocent you show yourself innocent.
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt shew thyself froward.
With the pure you show yourself pure. And with the crooked you show yourself tortuous.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes thou wilt bring down.
For you will save a humble people, but the eyes of the proud you will bring low.
28 For thou wilt light my lamp: the LORD my God will lighten my darkness.
For you light my lamp. The LORD my God lights up my darkness.
29 For by thee I run upon a troop; and by my God do I leap over 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 trust in him.
As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the LORD is pure. 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, beside 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 perfect.
the God who girds me with strength, and makes my way blameless?
33 He maketh my feet like hinds’ [feet]: and setteth me upon my high places,
He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to 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 the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
You have also given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand holds me up, and your help 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 will pursue mine enemies, and overtake them: neither will I turn again till they are consumed.
I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and I did not turn back until they were destroyed.
38 I will smite them through that they shall not be able to rise: they shall fall under my feet.
I struck them through, so that they did not rise. They fell beneath 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 equipped me with strength for 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, that I might 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 none to save; even to the LORD, but he did not 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 ground them as fine as the dust on the surface of a path. Like the mud in the streets, I trampled them.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; thou hast made me the head of the nations: a people whom I have not known shall 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 shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
as soon as they hear of me they obey me. Foreigners come cringing to me;
45 The strangers shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.
they are not bound in chains.
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. 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 rescueth 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 praise you, LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth lovingkindness 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 descendants, until forever.
