Psalms 18
1 Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.
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 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].
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 called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.
I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.
4 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.
The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
5 [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)
The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me. (Sheol h7585)
6 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].
In my distress I called on the LORD, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears.
7 Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU] because Yahweh was angry.
Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
8 [It was as though] smoke poured out from his nostrils, and [as though] burning coals came out of his mouth.
Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
9 He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling [fast], blown along by the wind.
He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 Darkness was all around him [like a blanket] [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].
He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.
13 Then Yahweh [spoke in a loud voice] from the sky, and [his enemies] heard his voice that sounded like thunder.
The LORD also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.
14 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).
He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts.
15 The bottom of the ocean became visible, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when Yahweh rebuked his enemies when he snorted.
Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 [It was as though] he reached down from heaven and grabbed me and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.
He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemies who hated me; they were very strong, with the result that I [could not defeat them].
He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
18 When I (was distressed/had troubles), they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.
They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.
19 He led me to a place where I was safe; he rescued me because he was pleased with me.
He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 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).
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me.
21 I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.
For all his ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away his statutes from me.
23 He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.
I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.
Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 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.
With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
26 You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who (act perversely/do bad things).
With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
27 You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.
For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.
28 You give light to my [soul/spirit]; you take away the darkness of my soul.
For you will light my lamp, LORD. My God will light up my darkness.
29 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].
For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
30 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.
As for God, his way is perfect. The LORD’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31 Yahweh is [RHQ] the only one who is God; only he is like an [overhanging] rock [under which we can be safe].
For who is God, except the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God,
32 God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.
the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
33 He enables me to [walk swiftly without stumbling], like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.
He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places.
34 He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.
He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35 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.
You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.
You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
37 I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.
I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won’t turn away until they are consumed.
38 When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.
I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.
39 You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.
For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 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.
You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
41 They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.
They cried, but there was no one to save; even to the LORD, but he didn’t answer them.
42 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.
Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
43 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].
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 When foreigners hear about me, they (cringe/bow low before me) and they obey me.
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
45 They are no longer courageous, and from their forts [where they were hiding] they come [to me] trembling.
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.
46 Yahweh is alive! Praise the one who is like an [overhanging] rock [MET] [under which I am safe] Exalt the God who saves me!
The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
48 and he rescues me from my enemies. He has lifted me up high so that violent men could not reach me [and harm me].
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 So I praise him [and I tell] the nations [the great things that he has done].
Therefore I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
50 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.
He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.
