Psaumes 18
1 Il dit donc: Je t'aimerai, ô Éternel, qui es ma force!
Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
2 Éternel, mon rocher, ma forteresse et mon libérateur! Mon Dieu, mon rocher où je me réfugie! Mon bouclier, la force qui me délivre, 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 m'écrie: Loué soit l'Éternel! et je suis délivré de mes ennemis.
I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
4 Les liens de la mort m'avaient enveloppé, et les torrents de la destruction m'avaient épouvanté;
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'invoquai l'Éternel, et je criai à mon Dieu. De son palais, il entendit ma voix, et les cris que je poussais vers lui parvinrent 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; les fondements des montagnes s'agitèrent et s'ébranlèrent, parce qu'il était courroucé.
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 de sa bouche un feu dévorant; il en jaillissait des charbons embrasés.
[It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
9 Il abaissa les cieux et descendit, ayant l'obscurité 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 il volait; il était porté 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 fit des ténèbres sa retraite; il mit autour de lui, comme une tente, des eaux ténébreuses, de noirs nuages.
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, s'échappaient des nuées, avec 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, le Très-Haut fit retentir sa voix, avec 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 Il lança ses flèches, et dispersa mes ennemis; il lança des éclairs nombreux, 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 le fond des eaux apparut, et les fondements du monde furent mis à découvert, au bruit de ta menace, ô Éternel, au souffle du vent de ta colère.
The bottom of the ocean became visible, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when Yahweh rebuked his enemies when he snorted.
16 Il étendit sa main d'en haut, et me prit; il me tira des grosses 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 ennemi puissant, et de mes adversaires qui 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 Il m'a mis au large, il m'a délivré, parce qu'il a pris 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 traité 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 n'ai point été infidèle à mon Dieu.
I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
22 Car toutes ses ordonnances sont devant moi, et je ne m'écarte point de ses statuts.
My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
23 J'ai été intègre avec lui, et je me suis gardé de mon péché.
He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
24 Aussi 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 est bon, tu es bon; avec l'homme intègre, tu es intègre.
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; mais avec le pervers, tu agis selon sa perversité.
You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
27 Car c'est toi qui sauves le peuple affligé, et qui abaisses les yeux des superbes.
You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
28 C'est toi qui fais luire ma lampe; c'est l'Éternel mon Dieu qui éclaire mes ténèbres.
You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
29 Car avec toi je fonds sur une troupe; avec mon Dieu je franchis la 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 La voie de Dieu est parfaite; la parole de l'Éternel est éprouvée; il est un bouclier pour tous ceux qui se retirent vers 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, sinon l'Éternel? Et qui est un rocher, sinon 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 a rendu mon chemin sûr;
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 semblables à ceux des biches, et me fait tenir sur mes hauteurs;
He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
34 Qui forme mes mains au combat, 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 Tu m'as donné le bouclier de ton salut; ta droite me soutient, et ta bonté me rend puissant.
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 élargis le chemin sous mes pas, et mes talons ne chancellent point.
You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
37 Je poursuis mes ennemis; je les atteins, et je ne reviens qu'après les avoir exterminés.
I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
38 Je les frappe, et ils ne peuvent se relever; ils tombent sous mes pieds.
When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
39 Car tu m'as ceint de force pour le combat, tu fais plier sous moi mes adversaires.
You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
40 Tu fais tourner le dos à mes ennemis devant moi; ceux qui me haïssaient, je les détruis.
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 crient, mais il n'y a point de libérateur; ils crient à l'Éternel, mais il ne leur répond pas.
They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
42 Je les broie comme la poussière livrée au vent, je les jette au 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 me sauves des dissensions du peuple; tu me mets à la tête des nations; le peuple que je ne connaissais pas m'est assujetti.
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 Au bruit de mon nom, ils m'obéissent; les fils de l'étranger viennent me flatter.
When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
45 Les fils de l'étranger défaillent, et sortent tremblants de leur retraite.
They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
46 L'Éternel est vivant! Et béni soit mon rocher! 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 me donne la vengeance, et qui range les peuples sous moi!
He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
48 Toi qui me délivres de mes ennemis, qui m'élèves au-dessus de mes adversaires, qui me délivres 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 je te louerai, ô Éternel, parmi les nations, et je chanterai à ton nom.
So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
50 C'est lui qui délivre magnifiquement son roi, qui fait miséricorde à son Oint, à David et à sa postérité à jamais.
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.
