Psalms 18
1 Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love You, O LORD, my strength.
2 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].
The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.
4 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.
The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
5 [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)
The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. (Sheol h7585)
6 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].
In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
7 Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.
8 [It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals blazed forth.
9 He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.
10 He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling [fast], blown along by the wind.
He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.
11 Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
He made darkness His hiding place, and storm clouds a canopy around Him.
12 Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
From the brightness of His presence His clouds advanced— hailstones and coals of fire.
13 Then Yahweh [spoke in a loud voice] from the sky, and [his enemies] heard his voice that sounded like thunder.
The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded— hailstones and coals of fire.
14 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).
He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.
15 The bottom of the ocean became visible, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when Yahweh rebuked his enemies when he snorted.
The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed, at Your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
16 [It was as though] he reached down from heaven and grabbed me and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemies who hated me; they were very strong, with the result that I [could not defeat them].
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.
18 When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.
19 He led me to a place where I was safe; he rescued me because he was pleased with me.
He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
20 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).
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.
21 I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes.
23 He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
And I have been blameless before Him and kept myself from iniquity.
24 So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
25 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.
To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
26 You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.
27 You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
For You save an afflicted people, but You humble those with haughty eyes.
28 You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God lights up my darkness.
29 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].
For in You I can charge an army, and with my God I can scale a wall.
30 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.
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
31 Yahweh is [RHQ] the only one who is God; only he is like an [overhanging] rock [under which we can be safe].
For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
32 God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way clear.
33 He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
He makes my feet like those of a deer and stations me upon the heights.
34 He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 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.
You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me.
36 You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not give way.
37 I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until they were consumed.
38 When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
I crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet.
39 You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
You have armed me with strength for battle; You have subdued my foes beneath me.
40 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.
You have made my enemies retreat before me; I put an end to those who hated me.
41 They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but He did not answer.
42 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.
I ground them as dust in the face of the wind; I trampled them like mud in the streets.
43 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].
You have delivered me from the strife of the people; You have made me the head of nations; a people I had not known shall serve me.
44 When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.
45 They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.
46 Yahweh is alive! Praise the one who is like an [overhanging] rock [MET] [under which I am safe] Exalt the God who saves me!
The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock! And may the God of my salvation be exalted—
47 He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
the God who avenges me and subdues nations beneath me,
48 and he rescues me from my enemies. He has lifted me up high so that violent men could not reach me [and harm me].
who delivers me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.
49 So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.
50 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.
Great salvation He brings to His king. He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
