Psalms 18
1 Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
TO THE OVERSEER. BY A SERVANT OF YHWH, BY DAVID, WHO HAS SPOKEN TO YHWH THE WORDS OF THIS SONG IN THE DAY YHWH DELIVERED HIM FROM THE HAND OF ALL HIS ENEMIES, AND FROM THE HAND OF SAUL, AND HE SAYS: I love You, O YHWH, 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].
YHWH [is] my rock, and my bulwark, And my deliverer, My God [is] my rock, I trust in Him: My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower.
3 I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
I call on YHWH, the Praised One, And I am 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.
Cords of death have surrounded me, And streams of the worthless make me afraid.
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)
Cords of Sheol have surrounded me, Snares of death have been before 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 adversity I call YHWH, And I cry to my God. He hears my voice from His temple, And My cry comes into His ears before Him.
7 Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
And the earth shakes and trembles, And foundations of hills are troubled, And they shake—because He has wrath.
8 [It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
Smoke has gone up from His nostrils, And fire from His mouth consumes, Coals have been kindled by it.
9 He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
And He inclines the heavens, and comes down, And thick darkness [is] under His feet.
10 He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling [fast], blown along by the wind.
And He rides on a cherub, and flies, And He flies on wings of wind.
11 Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
He makes darkness His secret place, Around Him His dwelling place, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
From the brightness before Him His thick clouds have passed on, Hail 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.
And YHWH thunders in the heavens, And the Most High gives forth His voice, Hail 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).
And He sends His arrows and scatters them, And much lightning, and crushes 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.
And the streams of waters are seen, And foundations of the earth are revealed, From Your rebuke, O YHWH, From the breath of the wind of Your anger.
16 [It was as though] he reached down from heaven and grabbed me and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.
He sends from above—He takes me, He draws me out of many 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 delivers me from my strong enemy, And from those hating me, For they have been stronger than I.
18 When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
They go before me in a day of my calamity And YHWH is for a support to me.
19 He led me to a place where I was safe; he rescued me because he was pleased with me.
And He brings me forth to a large place, He draws me out, 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).
YHWH repays me According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He returns to me.
21 I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
For I have kept the ways of YHWH, And have not done wickedly against my God.
22 My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
For all His judgments [are] before me, And I do not turn His statutes from me.
23 He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
And I am perfect with Him, And I keep myself from my iniquity.
24 So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
And YHWH returns to me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, Before His eyes.
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.
With the kind You show Yourself kind, With a perfect man You show Yourself perfect.
26 You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the perverse You show Yourself a wrestler,
27 You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
For You save a poor people, And cause the eyes of the high to fall.
28 You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
For You light my lamp, My God YHWH enlightens 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 by You I run [against] a troop! And by my God I leap 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.
God—perfect [is] His way, The saying of YHWH is tried, He [is] a shield to all those trusting 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 YHWH? And who [is] a 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.
God—who is girding me [with] strength, And He makes my way perfect.
33 He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
Making my feet like does, And on my high places causes me to stand.
34 He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.
Teaching my hands for battle, And a bow of bronze was brought down by my arms.
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.
And You give to me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand supports me, And Your lowliness makes me great.
36 You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
You enlarge my step under me, And my ankles have not slipped.
37 I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
I pursue my enemies, and overtake them, And do not turn back until they are consumed.
38 When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
I strike them, and they are not able to rise, They fall under my feet,
39 You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
And You gird me [with] strength for battle, You cause my withstanders to bow under 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.
As for my enemies—You have given to me the neck, As for those hating me—I cut them off.
41 They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
They cry, and there is no savior, On YHWH, and He does not answer them.
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.
And I beat them as dust before wind, I empty them out as mire of 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 deliver me From the strivings of the people, You place me for a head of nations, A people I have not known serve me.
44 When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
At the hearing of the ear they listen to me, Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me,
45 They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
Sons of a stranger fade away, And are slain out of their close places.
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!
YHWH lives—and blessed [is] my rock, And exalted is the God of my salvation.
47 He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
God—who is giving vengeance to me, And He subdues peoples under 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].
My deliverer from my enemies, You raise me above my withstanders, Deliver me from a man of violence.
49 So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
Therefore I confess You among nations, O YHWH, And I sing praise 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.
Magnifying the salvation of His king, And doing kindness to His anointed, To David, and to his seed—for all time!
