< Psalms 18 >
1 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.
I love thee, O Jehovah, my strength.
2 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.
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 call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.
I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised. So I shall be saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
The cords of death encompassed me, and the floods of lawlessness made me afraid.
5 The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me. (Sheol )
The cords of Sheol were round about me. The snares of death came upon me. (Sheol )
6 In my distress I called on the LORD, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came 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 mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken because he was angry.
8 Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. 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. Thick darkness was under his feet.
He also bowed the heavens, and came down, and thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on 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 hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, 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 before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones 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 sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.
Jehovah also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts.
And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them, Yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them.
15 Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of the breath of your 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 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, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
18 They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.
They came upon me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my stay.
19 He brought me out 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 has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has 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 ordinances were before me. I didn’t 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 blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
I was also perfect with him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore the LORD has rewarded 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 you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
With the merciful thou will show thyself merciful. With the perfect man thou will show thyself perfect.
26 With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
With the pure thou will show thyself pure. And with the perverse thou will show thyself contrary.
27 For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.
For thou will save the afflicted people, but the haughty eyes thou will bring down.
28 For you will light my lamp, LORD. My God will light up my darkness.
For thou will light my lamp. Jehovah my God will lighten my darkness.
29 For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap 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 LORD’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge 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, except the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God,
For who is God, except Jehovah? And who is a rock, besides our God,
32 the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
the God who girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
33 He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places.
He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places.
34 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of brass.
35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has 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 You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
Thou have enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.
37 I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won’t turn away until they are consumed.
I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again till they are consumed.
38 I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall 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 you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who 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 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who 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 no one to save; even to the LORD, but he didn’t answer them.
They cried, but there was none to save, even to Jehovah, but he answered them not.
42 Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
43 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.
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 foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
45 The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.
46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
Jehovah lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
48 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.
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 I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O Jehovah, among the Gentiles, and will sing praises to thy name.
50 He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.
He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.