Psalm 18
← Psalm 17 | Psalm | Psalm 19 →
v1
I love you, Yahweh, my strength.
v2
Yahweh 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.
v3
I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.
v4
The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
v5
The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me.
v6
In my distress I called on Yahweh, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears.
v7
Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
v8
Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
v9
He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
v10
He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.
v11
He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
v12
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.
v13
Yahweh also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.
v14
He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts.
v15
Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
v16
He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.
v17
He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
v18
They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support.
v19
He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
v20
Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me.
v21
For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
v22
For all his ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away his statutes from me.
v23
I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
v24
Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
v25
With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
v26
With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
v27
For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.
v28
For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness.
v29
For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
v30
As for God, his way is perfect. Yahweh’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
v31
For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God,
v32
the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
v33
He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places.
v34
He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
v35
You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
v36
You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
v37
I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won’t turn away until they are consumed.
v38
I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.
v39
For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
v40
You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
v41
They cried, but there was no one to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.
v42
Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
v43
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.
v44
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
v45
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.
v46
Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
v47
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
v48
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.
v49
Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
v50
He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.