Ψαλμοί 18
1 εἰς τὸ τέλος τῷ παιδὶ κυρίου τῷ Δαυιδ ἃ ἐλάλησεν τῷ κυρίῳ τοὺς λόγους τῆς ᾠδῆς ταύτης ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ ἐρρύσατο αὐτὸν κύριος ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν ἀγαπήσω σε κύριε ἡ ἰσχύς μου
Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
2 κύριος στερέωμά μου καὶ καταφυγή μου καὶ ῥύστης μου ὁ θεός μου βοηθός μου καὶ ἐλπιῶ ἐπ’ αὐτόν ὑπερασπιστής μου καὶ κέρας σωτηρίας μου ἀντιλήμπτωρ μου
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 αἰνῶν ἐπικαλέσομαι κύριον καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου σωθήσομαι
I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
4 περιέσχον με ὠδῖνες θανάτου καὶ χείμαρροι ἀνομίας ἐξετάραξάν με
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 καὶ ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαί με ἐπεκαλεσάμην τὸν κύριον καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεόν μου ἐκέκραξα ἤκουσεν ἐκ ναοῦ ἁγίου αὐτοῦ φωνῆς μου καὶ ἡ κραυγή μου ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ
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 καὶ ἐσαλεύθη καὶ ἔντρομος ἐγενήθη ἡ γῆ καὶ τὰ θεμέλια τῶν ὀρέων ἐταράχθησαν καὶ ἐσαλεύθησαν ὅτι ὠργίσθη αὐτοῖς ὁ θεός
Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
8 ἀνέβη καπνὸς ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ καὶ πῦρ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ κατεφλόγισεν ἄνθρακες ἀνήφθησαν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ
[It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
9 καὶ ἔκλινεν οὐρανὸν καὶ κατέβη καὶ γνόφος ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ
He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
10 καὶ ἐπέβη ἐπὶ χερουβιν καὶ ἐπετάσθη ἐπετάσθη ἐπὶ πτερύγων ἀνέμων
He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling [fast], blown along by the wind.
11 καὶ ἔθετο σκότος ἀποκρυφὴν αὐτοῦ κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ ἡ σκηνὴ αὐτοῦ σκοτεινὸν ὕδωρ ἐν νεφέλαις ἀέρων
Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
12 ἀπὸ τῆς τηλαυγήσεως ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ αἱ νεφέλαι διῆλθον χάλαζα καὶ ἄνθρακες πυρός
Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
13 καὶ ἐβρόντησεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κύριος καὶ ὁ ὕψιστος ἔδωκεν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ
Then Yahweh [spoke in a loud voice] from the sky, and [his enemies] heard his voice that sounded like thunder.
14 καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν βέλη καὶ ἐσκόρπισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀστραπὰς ἐπλήθυνεν καὶ συνετάραξεν αὐτούς
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 καὶ ὤφθησαν αἱ πηγαὶ τῶν ὑδάτων καὶ ἀνεκαλύφθη τὰ θεμέλια τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀπὸ ἐπιτιμήσεώς σου κύριε ἀπὸ ἐμπνεύσεως πνεύματος ὀργῆς σου
The bottom of the ocean became visible, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when Yahweh rebuked his enemies when he snorted.
16 ἐξαπέστειλεν ἐξ ὕψους καὶ ἔλαβέν με προσελάβετό με ἐξ ὑδάτων πολλῶν
[It was as though] he reached down from heaven and grabbed me and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.
17 ῥύσεταί με ἐξ ἐχθρῶν μου δυνατῶν καὶ ἐκ τῶν μισούντων με ὅτι ἐστερεώθησαν ὑπὲρ ἐμέ
He rescued me from my strong enemies who hated me; they were very strong, with the result that I [could not defeat them].
18 προέφθασάν με ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακώσεώς μου καὶ ἐγένετο κύριος ἀντιστήριγμά μου
When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
19 καὶ ἐξήγαγέν με εἰς πλατυσμόν ῥύσεταί με ὅτι ἠθέλησέν με ῥύσεταί με ἐξ ἐχθρῶν μου δυνατῶν καὶ ἐκ τῶν μισούντων με
He led me to a place where I was safe; he rescued me because he was pleased with me.
20 καὶ ἀνταποδώσει μοι κύριος κατὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου καὶ κατὰ τὴν καθαριότητα τῶν χειρῶν μου ἀνταποδώσει μοι
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 ὅτι ἐφύλαξα τὰς ὁδοὺς κυρίου καὶ οὐκ ἠσέβησα ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ μου
I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
22 ὅτι πάντα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιόν μου καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀπέστησα ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ
My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
23 καὶ ἔσομαι ἄμωμος μετ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ φυλάξομαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας μου
He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
24 καὶ ἀνταποδώσει μοι κύριος κατὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου καὶ κατὰ τὴν καθαριότητα τῶν χειρῶν μου ἐνώπιον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ
So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
25 μετὰ ὁσίου ὁσιωθήσῃ καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρὸς ἀθῴου ἀθῷος ἔσῃ
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 καὶ μετὰ ἐκλεκτοῦ ἐκλεκτὸς ἔσῃ καὶ μετὰ στρεβλοῦ διαστρέψεις
You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
27 ὅτι σὺ λαὸν ταπεινὸν σώσεις καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑπερηφάνων ταπεινώσεις
You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
28 ὅτι σὺ φωτιεῖς λύχνον μου κύριε ὁ θεός μου φωτιεῖς τὸ σκότος μου
You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
29 ὅτι ἐν σοὶ ῥυσθήσομαι ἀπὸ πειρατηρίου καὶ ἐν τῷ θεῷ μου ὑπερβήσομαι τεῖχος
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 ὁ θεός μου ἄμωμος ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ τὰ λόγια κυρίου πεπυρωμένα ὑπερασπιστής ἐστιν πάντων τῶν ἐλπιζόντων ἐπ’ αὐτόν
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 ὅτι τίς θεὸς πλὴν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ τίς θεὸς πλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν
Yahweh is [RHQ] the only one who is God; only he is like an [overhanging] rock [under which we can be safe].
32 ὁ θεὸς ὁ περιζωννύων με δύναμιν καὶ ἔθετο ἄμωμον τὴν ὁδόν μου
God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.
33 ὁ καταρτιζόμενος τοὺς πόδας μου ὡς ἐλάφου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἱστῶν με
He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
34 διδάσκων χεῖράς μου εἰς πόλεμον καὶ ἔθου τόξον χαλκοῦν τοὺς βραχίονάς μου
He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.
35 καὶ ἔδωκάς μοι ὑπερασπισμὸν σωτηρίας μου καὶ ἡ δεξιά σου ἀντελάβετό μου καὶ ἡ παιδεία σου ἀνώρθωσέν με εἰς τέλος καὶ ἡ παιδεία σου αὐτή με διδάξει
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 ἐπλάτυνας τὰ διαβήματά μου ὑποκάτω μου καὶ οὐκ ἠσθένησαν τὰ ἴχνη μου
You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
37 καταδιώξω τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου καὶ καταλήμψομαι αὐτοὺς καὶ οὐκ ἀποστραφήσομαι ἕως ἂν ἐκλίπωσιν
I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
38 ἐκθλίψω αὐτούς καὶ οὐ μὴ δύνωνται στῆναι πεσοῦνται ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας μου
When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
39 καὶ περιέζωσάς με δύναμιν εἰς πόλεμον συνεπόδισας πάντας τοὺς ἐπανιστανομένους ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ὑποκάτω μου
You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
40 καὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου ἔδωκάς μοι νῶτον καὶ τοὺς μισοῦντάς με ἐξωλέθρευσας
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 ἐκέκραξαν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ σῴζων πρὸς κύριον καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν
They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
42 καὶ λεπτυνῶ αὐτοὺς ὡς χοῦν κατὰ πρόσωπον ἀνέμου ὡς πηλὸν πλατειῶν λεανῶ αὐτούς
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 ῥύσῃ με ἐξ ἀντιλογιῶν λαοῦ καταστήσεις με εἰς κεφαλὴν ἐθνῶν λαός ὃν οὐκ ἔγνων ἐδούλευσέν μοι
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 εἰς ἀκοὴν ὠτίου ὑπήκουσέν μοι υἱοὶ ἀλλότριοι ἐψεύσαντό μοι
When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
45 υἱοὶ ἀλλότριοι ἐπαλαιώθησαν καὶ ἐχώλαναν ἀπὸ τῶν τρίβων αὐτῶν
They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
46 ζῇ κύριος καὶ εὐλογητὸς ὁ θεός μου καὶ ὑψωθήτω ὁ θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου
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 ὁ θεὸς ὁ διδοὺς ἐκδικήσεις ἐμοὶ καὶ ὑποτάξας λαοὺς ὑπ’ ἐμέ
He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
48 ὁ ῥύστης μου ἐξ ἐχθρῶν μου ὀργίλων ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπανιστανομένων ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ὑψώσεις με ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς ἀδίκου ῥύσῃ με
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 διὰ τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι ἐν ἔθνεσιν κύριε καὶ τῷ ὀνόματί σου ψαλῶ
So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
50 μεγαλύνων τὰς σωτηρίας τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιῶν ἔλεος τῷ χριστῷ αὐτοῦ τῷ Δαυιδ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ ἕως αἰῶνος
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.
