Psaumes 18
1 Au chef de musique. Du serviteur de l’Éternel, de David, qui adressa à l’Éternel les paroles de ce cantique, le jour où l’Éternel l’eut délivré de la main de tous ses ennemis, et de la main de Saül. Et il dit: Je t’aimerai, ô Éternel, ma force!
Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
2 Éternel, mon rocher, et mon lieu fort, et celui qui me délivre! Mon Dieu, mon rocher, en qui je me confie, mon bouclier et la corne de mon salut, ma haute retraite!
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 Je crierai à l’Éternel, qui est digne d’être loué, et je serai sauvé de mes ennemis.
I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
4 Les cordeaux de la mort m’ont environné, et les torrents de Bélial m’ont fait peur;
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 Dans ma détresse j’ai invoqué l’Éternel, et j’ai crié à mon Dieu: de son temple, il a entendu ma voix, et mon cri est parvenu devant lui à ses oreilles.
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 Alors la terre fut ébranlée, et trembla, et les fondements des montagnes furent secoués et furent ébranlés, parce qu’il était irrité.
Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
8 Une fumée montait de ses narines, et un feu sortant de sa bouche dévorait; des charbons en jaillissaient embrasés.
[It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
9 Et il abaissa les cieux, et descendit; et il y avait une obscurité profonde sous ses pieds.
He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
10 Il était monté sur un chérubin, et volait, et il planait sur les ailes du vent.
He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling [fast], blown along by the wind.
11 Il mit les ténèbres pour sa demeure secrète comme sa tente autour de lui, des ténèbres d’eaux, d’épaisses nuées de l’air.
Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
12 De la splendeur qui était devant lui, ses nuées épaisses passaient, de la grêle et des charbons de feu.
Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
13 Et l’Éternel tonna dans les cieux, et le Très-haut fit retentir sa voix, – de la grêle et des charbons de feu.
Then Yahweh [spoke in a loud voice] from the sky, and [his enemies] heard his voice that sounded like thunder.
14 Et il tira ses flèches et dispersa [mes ennemis]; il lança des éclairs et les mit en déroute.
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 Alors les lits des eaux parurent, et les fondements du monde furent mis à découvert, quand tu les tanças, ô Éternel, par le souffle du vent de tes narines.
The bottom of the ocean became visible, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when Yahweh rebuked his enemies when he snorted.
16 D’en haut il étendit [sa main], il me prit, il me tira des grandes eaux;
[It was as though] he reached down from heaven and grabbed me and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.
17 Il me délivra de mon puissant ennemi et de ceux qui me haïssaient; car ils étaient plus forts que moi.
He rescued me from my strong enemies who hated me; they were very strong, with the result that I [could not defeat them].
18 Ils m’avaient surpris au jour de ma calamité, mais l’Éternel fut mon appui.
When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
19 Et il me fit sortir au large, il me délivra, parce qu’il prenait son plaisir en moi.
He led me to a place where I was safe; he rescued me because he was pleased with me.
20 L’Éternel m’a récompensé selon ma justice, il m’a rendu selon la pureté de mes mains;
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 Car j’ai gardé les voies de l’Éternel, et je ne me suis point méchamment détourné de mon Dieu.
I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
22 Car toutes ses ordonnances ont été devant moi; et ses statuts, je ne les ai pas écartés de moi.
My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
23 Et j’ai été parfait avec lui, et je me suis gardé de mon iniquité.
He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
24 Et l’Éternel m’a rendu selon ma justice, selon la pureté de mes mains devant ses yeux.
So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
25 Avec celui qui use de grâce, tu uses de grâce; avec l’homme parfait, tu te montres parfait;
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 Avec celui qui est pur, tu te montres pur; et avec le pervers, tu es roide.
You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
27 Car toi tu sauveras le peuple affligé, et tu abaisseras les yeux hautains.
You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
28 Car c’est toi qui fais luire ma lampe: l’Éternel, mon Dieu, fait resplendir mes ténèbres.
You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
29 Car, par toi, je courrai au travers d’une troupe, et, par mon Dieu, je franchirai une muraille.
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 Quant à Dieu, sa voie est parfaite; la parole de l’Éternel est affinée; il est un bouclier à tous ceux qui se confient en lui.
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 Car qui est Dieu, hormis l’Éternel, et qui est un rocher, si ce n’est notre Dieu,
Yahweh is [RHQ] the only one who is God; only he is like an [overhanging] rock [under which we can be safe].
32 Le Dieu qui me ceint de force et qui rend ma voie parfaite? –
God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.
33 Qui rend mes pieds pareils à ceux des biches, et me fait tenir debout sur mes lieux élevés;
He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
34 Qui enseigne mes mains à combattre, et mes bras bandent un arc d’airain.
He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.
35 Et tu m’as donné le bouclier de ton salut, et ta droite m’a soutenu, et ta débonnaireté m’a agrandi.
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 Tu as mis au large mes pas sous moi, et les chevilles de mes pieds n’ont pas chancelé.
You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
37 J’ai poursuivi mes ennemis, et je les ai atteints; et je ne m’en suis pas retourné que je ne les aie consumés.
I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
38 Je les ai transpercés, et ils n’ont pu se relever; ils sont tombés sous mes pieds.
When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
39 Et tu m’as ceint de force pour le combat; tu as courbé sous moi ceux qui s’élevaient contre moi.
You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
40 Et tu as fait que mes ennemis m’ont tourné le dos; et ceux qui me haïssaient, je les ai détruits.
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 Ils criaient, et il n’y avait point de sauveur; [ils criaient] à l’Éternel, et il ne leur a pas répondu.
They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
42 Et je les ai brisés menu comme la poussière devant le vent; je les ai jetés loin comme la boue des rues.
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 Tu m’as délivré des débats du peuple; tu m’as établi chef des nations; un peuple que je ne connaissais pas me servira.
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 Dès qu’ils ont entendu de leur oreille, ils m’ont obéi; les fils de l’étranger se sont soumis à moi en dissimulant.
When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
45 Les fils de l’étranger ont dépéri, et ils sont sortis en tremblant de leurs lieux cachés.
They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
46 L’Éternel est vivant; et que mon Rocher soit béni! Et que le Dieu de mon salut soit exalté,
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 Le Dieu qui m’a donné des vengeances, et qui m’a assujetti les peuples,
He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
48 Qui m’a délivré de mes ennemis! Même tu m’as élevé au-dessus de ceux qui s’élèvent contre moi, tu m’as délivré de l’homme violent.
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 C’est pourquoi, Éternel! je te célébrerai parmi les nations, et je chanterai des cantiques à [la gloire de] ton nom.
So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
50 [C’est lui] qui a donné de grandes délivrances à son roi, et qui use de bonté envers son oint, envers David, et envers sa semence, à toujours.
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.
