Psalms 18
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of 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: And he said, I will love thee, 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 upon 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 surrounded me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
The cords of Sheol (Sheol h7585) were around me. The snares of death came on me.
6 In my distress I called upon 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 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 shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was angry.
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 upon a cherub, and flew: yea, he flew upon 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 around him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, 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: hailstones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and destroyed them.
He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts.
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
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 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 who 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 came upon 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 in a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
He brought me out 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 hath he recompensed me.
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has 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 hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright;
With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
26 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt contend.
With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.
28 For thou wilt light my lamp: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
For you will light my lamp, LORD. My God will light up my darkness.
29 For by thee 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 LORD’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God except the LORD? or who is a rock except our God?
For who is God, except the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God,
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
33 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places.
34 He teacheth 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 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
36 Thou hast 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 will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I will not turn away until they are consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they have fallen under my feet.
I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 Thou hast 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 no one to save; even to the LORD, but he did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast 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 shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
45 The strangers shall fade away, and come trembling out of their fortresses.
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.
46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
48 He delivereth me from my enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast 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 thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises to thy name.
Therefore I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
50 He giveth great deliverance to his king; and showeth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.
