< Psalmorum 18 >
1 In finem, puero Domini David, qui locutus est Domino verba cantici huius, in die, qua eripuit eum Dominus de manu omnium inimicorum eius, et de manu Saul, et dixit: Diligam te Domine fortitudo mea:
For the leader. Of David, the servant of the Lord, who recited the words of this song to the Lord after the Lord had saved him from the power of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 Dominus firmamentum meum, et refugium meum, et liberator meus. Deus meus adiutor meus, et sperabo in eum. Protector meus, et cornu salutis meæ, et susceptor meus.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, deliverer, my God, my rock, where I take refuge, my shield, my defender, my tower.
3 Laudans invocabo Dominum: et ab inimicis meis salvus ero.
Worthy of praise is the Lord whom I call on, he rescues me from all my foes.
4 Circumdederunt me dolores mortis: et torrentes iniquitatis conturbaverunt me.
The waves of death broke about me, fearful floods of chaos.
5 Dolores inferni circumdederunt me: præoccupaverunt me laquei mortis. (Sheol )
Sheol threw cords around me, snares of death came to meet me. (Sheol )
6 In tribulatione mea invocavi Dominum, et ad Deum meum clamavi: et exaudivit de templo sancto suo vocem meam: et clamor meus in conspectu eius, introivit in aures eius.
In distress I cried to the Lord, and shouted for help to my God; in his temple he heard my voice, into his ears came my cry.
7 Commota est, et contremuit terra: fundamenta montium conturbata sunt, et commota sunt, quoniam iratus est eis.
Then the earth shook and quaked, mountains trembled to their foundations, and quaked because of his wrath.
8 Ascendit fumus in ira eius: et ignis a facie eius exarsit: carbones succensi sunt ab eo.
Smoke went up from his nostrils, devouring fire from his mouth, coals were kindled by it.
9 Inclinavit cælos, et descendit: et caligo sub pedibus eius.
Then he bent the sky and came down, thick darkness was under his feet.
10 Et ascendit super cherubim, et volavit: volavit super pennas ventorum.
He rode on a cherub and flew, darting on wings of wind,
11 Et posuit tenebras latibulum suum, in circuitu eius tabernaculum eius: tenebrosa aqua in nubibus aeris.
with his screen of darkness about him, in thick dark clouds of water.
12 Præ fulgore in conspectu eius nubes transierunt, grando et carbones ignis.
At the radiance before him there passed hailstones and coals of fire.
13 Et intonuit de cælo Dominus, et Altissimus dedit vocem suam: grando et carbones ignis.
The Lord thundered from heaven, the Most High uttered his voice.
14 Et misit sagittas suas, et dissipavit eos: fulgura multiplicavit, et conturbavit eos.
He shot his arrows and scattered them, flashed lightnings, and routed them.
15 Et apparuerunt fontes aquarum, et revelata sunt fundamenta orbis terrarum: Ab increpatione tua Domine, ab inspiratione Spiritus iræ tuæ.
The channels of the sea were revealed, the world was laid bare to its base, at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 Misit de summo, et accepit me: et assumpsit me de aquis multis.
He stretched from on high, he seized me, drew me up from the mighty waters,
17 Eripuit me de inimicis meis fortissimis, et ab his qui oderunt me: quoniam confortati sunt super me.
and saved me from those who hated me – fierce foes, too mighty for me.
18 Prævenerunt me in die afflictionis meæ: et factus est Dominus protector meus.
In my day of distress they assailed me, but the Lord proved my support.
19 Et eduxit me in latitudinem: salvum me fecit, quoniam voluit me.
To a spacious place he brought me, and, for love of me, he saved me.
20 Et retribuet mihi Dominus secundum iustitiam meam, et secundum puritatem manuum mearum retribuet mihi:
The Lord repays my innocence, he rewards my cleanness of hands.
21 Quia custodivi vias Domini, nec impie gessi a Deo meo.
For I kept the ways of the Lord, nor have wickedly strayed from my God.
22 Quoniam omnia iudicia eius in conspectu meo: et iustitias eius non repuli a me.
His commandments were all before me, his statutes I put not away.
23 Et ero immaculatus cum eo: et observabo me ab iniquitate mea.
And I was blameless before him, guarding myself from sin.
24 Et retribuet mihi Dominus secundum iustitiam meam: et secundum puritatem manuum mearum in conspectu oculorum eius.
So the Lord repaid my innocence, my cleanness of hands in his sight.
25 Cum sancto sanctus eris, et cum viro innocente innocens eris:
With the loyal you are loyal, and with the blameless blameless.
26 et cum electo electus eris: et cum perverso perverteris.
With the pure you show yourself pure, but shrewd with the devious.
27 Quoniam tu populum humilem salvum facies: et oculos superborum humiliabis.
For the lowly people you save, but haughty eyes you abase.
28 Quoniam tu illuminas lucernam meam Domine: Deus meus illumina tenebras meas.
You are my lamp, Lord, my God who enlightens my darkness.
29 Quoniam in te eripiar a tentatione, et in Deo meo transgrediar murum.
With you I can storm a rampart, with my God I can leap a wall.
30 Deus meus impolluta via eius: eloquia Domini igne examinata: protector est omnium sperantium in se.
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is shield to all who take refuge in him.
31 Quoniam quis Deus præter Dominum? aut quis Deus præter Deum nostrum?
For who is God but the Lord? And who is a rock but our God?
32 Deus qui præcinxit me virtute: et posuit immaculatam viam meam.
The God who arms me with strength, who cleared and smoothed my way.
33 Qui perfecit pedes meos tamquam cervorum, et super excelsa statuens me.
He made my feet like hinds’ feet, and set me up on the heights.
34 Qui docet manus meas ad prælium: et posuisti, ut arcum æreum, brachia mea.
He taught my hands how to fight, and my arms how to bend a bronze bow.
35 Et dedisti mihi protectionem salutis tuæ: et dextera tua suscepit me: Et disciplina tua correxit me in finem: et disciplina tua ipsa me docebit.
The shield of your help you gave me, your right hand supports me, you stoop down to make me great.
36 Dilatasti gressus meos subtus me: et non sunt infirmata vestigia mea:
In your strength I took giant strides, and my feet never slipped.
37 Persequar inimicos meos, et comprehendam illos: et non convertar donec deficiant.
So I chased the foe till I caught them, and turned not, till I made an end of them.
38 Confringam illos, nec poterunt stare: cadent subtus pedes meos.
I smashed them, they could not rise, they fell beneath my feet.
39 Et præcinxisti me virtute ad bellum: et supplantasti insurgentes in me subtus me.
You did arm me with strength for war, you did bow my assailants beneath me.
40 Et inimicos meos dedisti mihi dorsum, et odientes me disperdidisti.
You made my foes turn their back to me, and those who did hate me I finished.
41 Clamaverunt, nec erat qui salvos faceret, ad Dominum: nec exaudivit eos.
They cried for help, but none saved them; to the Lord, but he answered them not.
42 Et comminuam eos, ut pulverem ante faciem venti: ut lutum platearum delebo eos.
I beat them like dust of the market-place, stamped them like mud of the streets.
43 Eripies me de contradictionibus populi: constitues me in caput Gentium.
From the strife of the peoples you saved me, you made me head of the nations, peoples I knew not did serve me.
44 Populus, quem non cognovi, servivit mihi: in auditu auris obedivit mihi.
On the instant they hear, they obey me, foreigners come to me cringing.
45 Filii alieni mentiti sunt mihi, filii alieni inveterati sunt, et claudicaverunt a semitis suis.
Foreigners lose courage, and come out of their strongholds trembling.
46 Vivit Dominus, et benedictus Deus meus, et exaltetur Deus salutis meæ.
The Lord is alive! Blest be my rock! Exalted be God, my protector!
47 Deus qui das vindictas mihi, et subdis populos sub me, liberator meus de inimicis meis iracundis.
The God who gave me revenge, and brought down nations beneath me,
48 Et ab insurgentibus in me exaltabis me: a viro iniquo eripies me.
who saved me from angry foes, and set me above my assailants, safe from the violent.
49 Propterea confitebor tibi in nationibus Domine: et nomini tuo psalmum dicam,
For this I will praise you among the nations, making music, O Lord, to your name:
50 magnificans salutes regis eius, et faciens misericordiam christo suo David, et semini eius usque in sæculum.
for great triumphs he grants to his king, and faithful love he shows his anointed, to David and his seed evermore.