Psalm 18

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto 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,

1I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

2The 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.footnote a

3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.footnote b

5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.footnote c

6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.footnote d

9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.footnote e

17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

18They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.footnote f

24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.footnote g

25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.footnote h

27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.footnote i

29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.footnote j

30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.footnote k

31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

33He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.footnote l

36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.footnote m

37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.footnote n

40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

41They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

43Thou 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.

44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.footnote ofootnote pfootnote q

45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.footnote r

46The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.footnote sfootnote t

48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.footnote u

49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.footnote v

50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

The LORD Is My Rock

For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

1I love You, O LORD, my strength.

2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,my shield, and the horn of my salvation,my stronghold. 3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;so shall I be saved from my enemies.

4The cords of death encompassed me;the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. 5The cords of Sheol entangled me;the snares of death confronted me. 6In my distress I called upon the LORD;I cried to my God for help.From His temple He heard my voice,and my cry for His help reached His ears.

7Then the earth shook and quaked,and the foundations of the mountains trembled;they were shaken because He burned with anger. 8Smoke rose from His nostrils,and consuming fire came from His mouth;glowing coals blazed forth. 9He parted the heavens and came downwith dark clouds beneath His feet. 10He mounted a cherub and flew;He soared on the wings of the wind. 11He made darkness His hiding place,and storm clouds a canopy around Him. 12From the brightness of His presenceHis clouds advanced—hailstones and coals of fire.footnote a

13The LORD thundered from heaven;the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire.footnote b 14He shot His arrows and scattered the foes;He hurled lightning and routed them. 15The channels of the sea appeared,and the foundations of the world were exposed,at Your rebuke, O LORD,at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

16He reached down from on high and took hold of me;He drew me out of deep waters. 17He rescued me from my powerful enemy,from foes too mighty for me. 18They confronted me in my day of calamity,but the LORD was my support. 19He brought me out into the open;He rescued me because He delighted in me.

20The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands. 21For I have kept the ways of the LORDand have not wickedly departed from my God. 22For all His ordinances are before me;I have not disregarded His statutes. 23And I have been blameless before Himand kept myself from iniquity. 24So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness,according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

25To the faithful You show Yourself faithful,to the blameless You show Yourself blameless; 26to the pure You show Yourself pure,but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd. 27For You save an afflicted people,but You humble those with haughty eyes.

28For You, O LORD, light my lamp;my God lights up my darkness. 29For in You I can charge an army,and with my God I can scale a wall. 30As for God, His way is perfect;the word of the LORD is flawless.He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

31For who is God besides the LORD?And who is the Rock except our God? 32It is God who arms me with strengthand makes my way clear. 33He makes my feet like those of a deerand stations me upon the heights. 34He trains my hands for battle;my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35You have given me Your shield of salvation;Your right hand upholds me,and Your gentleness exalts me.footnote c 36You broaden the path beneath meso that my ankles do not give way. 37I pursued my enemies and overtook them;I did not turn back until they were consumed. 38I crushed them so they could not rise;they have fallen under my feet.

39You have armed me with strength for battle;You have subdued my foes beneath me. 40You have made my enemies retreat before me;I destroyed those who hated me. 41They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but He did not answer. 42I ground them as dust in the face of the wind;I trampled themfootnote dlike mud in the streets.

43You have delivered me from the strife of the people;You have made me the head of nations;a people I had not known shall serve me. 44When they hear me, they obey me;foreigners cower before me. 45Foreigners lose heartand come trembling from their strongholds.

46The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock!And may the God of my salvation be exalted— 47the God who avenges meand subdues nations beneath me, 48who delivers me from my enemies.You exalt me above my foes;You rescue me from violent men. 49Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations;I will sing praises to Your name.footnote e

50Great salvation He brings to His king.He shows loving devotion to His anointed,to David and his descendants forever.