Psalms 18
1 I will love you, O LORD, my strength.
[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.
2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
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.
3 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies.
I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The waves of death surrounded me, and the currents of ungodliness overwhelmed me.
The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me. (Sheol h7585)
6 In my distress I called on the LORD, and cried to my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out 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 hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
10 And he rode on a cherub, and did fly: yes, he did fly on the wings of the wind.
He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
He made darkness his hiding place, his canopy around him thick clouds dark with water.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed on, with hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice.
14 Yes, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightning, and discomfited them.
And he sent out arrows and scattered them, and he shot lightning bolts and routed them.
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
And the depths of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 He sent from above, 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, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he 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 the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
For all his ordinances were before me. I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.
I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore has the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
Therefore the LORD has rewarded 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 an upright man you will show yourself upright;
With the faithful you show yourself faithful. With the innocent you show yourself innocent.
26 With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the fraudulent you will show yourself devious.
With the pure you show yourself pure. And with the crooked you show yourself tortuous.
27 For you will save the afflicted people; but will bring down high looks.
For you will save a humble people, but the eyes of the proud you will bring low.
28 For you will light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
For you light my lamp. The LORD my God lights up my darkness.
29 For by you I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the LORD is pure. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
For who is God, except the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God,
32 It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect.
the God who girds me with strength, and makes my way blameless?
33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places.
He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places.
34 He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms.
He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation: and your right hand has held me up, and your gentleness has made me great.
You have also given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand holds me up, and your help has made me great.
36 You have enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
37 I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and I did not turn back until they were destroyed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
I struck them through, so that they did not rise. They fell beneath my feet.
39 For you have girded me with strength to the battle: you have subdued under me those that rose up against me.
For you have equipped me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
You 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 none to save them: even to the LORD, but he answered them not.
They cried, but there was none to save; even to the LORD, but he did not answer them.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
Then I ground them as fine as the dust on the surface of a path. Like the mud in the streets, I trampled them.
43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; and you have made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
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;
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves to me.
as soon as they hear of me they obey me. Foreigners come cringing to me;
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
they are not bound in chains.
46 The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 It is God that avenges me, and subdues the people under me.
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
48 He delivers me from my enemies: yes, you lift me up above those that rise up against me: you have delivered me from the violent man.
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.
49 Therefore will I give thanks to you, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises to your name.
Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
50 Great deliverance gives he to his king; and shows mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for ever more.
He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his descendants, until forever.
