Psalms 18
1. <<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 * ,>> I will love * thee, O 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.
3. I will call * upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised * : so shall I be saved * from mine enemies * .
4. The sorrows of death compassed * me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid * .
5. The sorrows of hell compassed me about * : the snares of death prevented * me.
6. In 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.
7. Then the earth shook * and trembled * ; the foundations also of the hills moved * and were shaken * , because he was wroth * .
8. There went up * a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured * : coals were kindled * by it.
9. He bowed * the heavens also, and came down * : and darkness was under his feet.
10. And he rode * upon a cherub, and did fly * : yea, he did fly * upon 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.
12. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed * , hail stones and coals of fire.
13. The LORD also thundered * in the heavens, and the Highest gave * his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14. Yea, he sent out * his arrows, and scattered * them; and he shot out * lightnings, and discomfited * them.
15. Then 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.
16. He sent * from above, 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.
18. They prevented * me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
19. 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 hath he recompensed * me.
21. 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.
23. I was also upright before him, and I kept * myself from mine iniquity.
24. Therefore hath the LORD recompensed * me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25. With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful * ; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright * ;
26. With the pure * thou wilt shew thyself pure * ; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward * .
27. For thou wilt save * the afflicted people; but wilt bring down * high * looks.
28. For thou wilt light * my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten * my darkness.
29. For by thee I have run through * a troop; and by my God have I leaped 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.
31. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
32. It is God that girdeth * me with strength, and maketh * my way perfect.
33. He maketh * my feet like hinds'feet, and setteth * me upon my high places.
34. He teacheth * my hands to war,so that a bow of steel is broken * by mine arms.
35. Thou hast also given * me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up * , and thy gentleness hath made me great * .
36. Thou hast enlarged * my steps under me, that my feet did not slip * .
37. I have pursued * mine enemies * , and overtaken * them: neither did I turn again * till they were consumed * .
38. I have wounded * them that they were not able * to rise * : they are fallen * under my feet.
39. For thou hast girded * me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued * under me those that rose up * against me.
40. Thou hast also given * me the necks of mine enemies * ; that I might destroy * them that hate * me.
41. They cried * , but there was none to save * them: even unto the LORD, but he answered * them not.
42. Then did I beat * them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out * as the dirt in 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.
44. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey * me: the strangers shall submit * themselves unto me.
45. The strangers shall fade away * , and be afraid * out of their close places.
46. The LORD liveth; and blessed * be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted * .
47. It is God that avengeth * me, and subdueth * the people under me.
48. He 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.
49. Therefore will I give thanks * unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises * unto thy name.
50. Great * deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth * mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
