Psalms 18
1 To the chief Musician. Of the servant of Yahweh, of David, —who spake unto Yahweh the words of this song, —in the day when Yahweh had rescued him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul; and he said: — I will love thee, O Yahweh my strength!
Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
2 Yahweh, was my mountain crag and my stronghold, and my deliverer: My GOD, was my rock, I sought refuge in him, 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 As one worthy to be praised, called I on Yahweh, —And, from my foes, was I saved.
I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
4 The meshes of death encompassed me, The torrents of perdition, made me afraid;
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, called I on Yahweh, And, unto my God, made outcry for help, He heard, out of his temple, my voice, And my outcry for help came before him—entered into 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 did the earth shake and quake, Even, the foundations of the mountains, were deeply moved, Yea they did shake, because he was angry.
Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
8 There went up smoke in his nostrils, and, a fire out of his mouth, devoured, Live coals, were kindled from it:
[It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
9 Then he stretched out the heaven, and came down, —and, thick gloom, was under his feet;
He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
10 Then he rode on a cherub, and flew, and darted on 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 Made darkness his hiding-place, Round about him—his pavilion, Darkness of waters, clouds of vapours.
Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
12 Out of the brightness before him, his clouds rolled along, hail, and live coals of fire.
Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
13 Then did Yahweh thunder in the heavens, and the Highest uttered his voice, —hail, and live 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 forth his arrows and scattered them, yea, lightnings, he shot out, and confused 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 Then appeared the channels of waters, were uncovered the foundations of the world, —At thy rebuke O Yahweh, 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 rescued me from my foe, in his might, and from them who hated me, because they were too strong 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 necessity, Then became Yahweh my stay:
When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
19 And brought me out, 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 Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, he repaid 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 had kept the ways of Yahweh, and not broken away from my God;
I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
22 For, all his regulations, were before me, and, his statutes, did I not put from me:
My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
23 So became I blameless with him, and kept myself from mine iniquity.
He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
24 Yahweh therefore repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the pureness of my hands, before his eyes.
So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
25 With the loving, thou didst show thyself loving, —With the blameless man, thou didst show thyself blameless;
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 didst show thyself pure, But, with the perverse, thou didst show thyself ready to contend.
You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
27 For, as for thee, an oppressed people, thou didst save, but, looks that were lofty, layedst thou low;
You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
28 For, thou, didst light up my lamp, Yahweh my God, enlightened my darkness;
You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
29 For, by thee, I ran through a troop, and, by my God, I leapt over 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, blameless is his way, The speech of Yahweh hath been proved, A shield, he is to all who seek 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 a GOD, save Yahweh? And who is a Rock, save 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 who girded me with strength, and set forth, as blameless, my way:
God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.
33 Planting my feet like hinds’ [feet], yea, on my high places, he caused me to stand:
He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
34 Teaching my hands to war, —so that a bow of bronze was bent by mine arms.
He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.
35 Thus didst thou grant me, as a shield, thy salvation, —and, thy right hand, sustained me, and, thy condescension, 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 didst widen my stepping-places under me, so that, mine ankles, faltered not.
You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
37 I pursued my foes, and overtook them, and returned not, 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 crushed them, and they were unable to rise, They fell under my feet.
When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
39 Thus didst thou gird me with strength, for the battle, Thou subduedst mine assailants under me.
You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
40 As for my foes, thou didst give me their neck, and, as for them who hated me, I destroyed them.
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 out, but there was none to save, unto Yahweh, but he answered them not.
They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
42 Then did I beat them in pieces, like dust on the face of the wind. Like the mire in the lanes, did I scatter them.
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 Thus didst thou rescue me from the contentions of a people, —didst appoint me to be the head of nations, A people I had not known, served 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 At the hearing of the ear, they submitted to me, the sons of the foreigner, came cringing unto me:
When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
45 The sons of the foreigner, lost heart, and came quaking out of their fortresses.
They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
46 Yahweh liveth and, blessed, be my Rock, yea, 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 The GOD, who hath avenged me, —and subjugated peoples under me:
He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
48 Who hath delivered me from my foes, —Yea, from mine assailants, hast thou set me on high, From the man of violence, hast thou rescued me.
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 For this cause, will I praise thee among the nations, O Yahweh, and, to thy Name, will I sweep the strings: —
So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
50 Who hath made great the victories of his King, —and shown lovingkindness to his Anointed One, To David and to his Seed, Unto times age-abiding.
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.
