Psalms 18
18
PSALM 18
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
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,
1Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength.
2My fortress is the Lord,
My rock, and he that doth to me
deliverance afford:
My God, my strength, whom I will trust,
a buckler unto me,
The horn of my salvation,
and my high tow'r, is he.
3Upon the Lord, who worthy is
of praises, will I cry;
And then shall I preserved be
safe from mine enemy.
4Floods of ill men affrighted me,
death's pangs about me went;
5Hell's sorrows me environed;
death's snares did me prevent.
6In my distress I call'd on God,
cry to my God did I;
He from his temple heard my voice,
to his ears came my cry.
7Th' earth, as affrighted, then did shake,
trembling upon it seiz'd:
The hills' foundations moved were,
because he was displeas'd.
8Up from his nostrils came a smoke,
and from his mouth there came
Devouring fire, and coals by it
were turned into flame.
9He also bowed down the heav'ns,
and thence he did descend;
And thickest clouds of darkness did
under his feet attend.
10And he upon a cherub rode,
and thereon he did fly;
Yea, on the swift wings of the wind
his flight was from on high.
11He darkness made his secret place:
about him, for his tent,
Dark waters were, and thickest clouds
of th' airy firmament.
12And at the brightness of that light,
which was before his eye,
His thick clouds pass'd away, hailstones
and coals of fire did fly.
13The Lord God also in the heav'ns
did thunder in his ire;
And there the Highest gave his voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14Yea, he his arrows sent abroad,
and them he scattered;
His lightnings also he shot out,
and them discomfited.
15The waters' channels then were seen,
the world's foundations vast
At thy rebuke discover'd were,
and at thy nostrils' blast.
16And from above the Lord sent down,
and took me from below;
From many waters he me drew,
which would me overflow.
17He me reliev'd from my strong foes,
and such as did me hate;
Because he saw that they for me
too strong were, and too great.
18They me prevented in the day
of my calamity;
But even then the Lord himself
a stay was unto me.
19He to a place where liberty
and room was hath me brought;
Because he took delight in me,
he my deliv'rance wrought.
20According to my righteousness
he did me recompense,
He me repaid according to
my hands' pure innocence.
21For I God's ways kept, from my God
did not turn wickedly.
22His judgments were before me, I
his laws put not from me.
23Sincere before him was my heart;
with him upright was I;
And watchfully I kept myself
from mine iniquity.
24After my righteousness the Lord
hath recompensed me,
After the cleanness of my hands
appearing in his eye.
25Thou gracious to the gracious art,
to upright men upright:
26Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth'st
unto the froward wight.
27For thou wilt the afflicted save
in grief that low do lie:
But wilt bring down the countenance
of them whose looks are high.
28The Lord will light my candle so,
that it shall shine full bright:
The Lord my God will also make
my darkness to be light.
29By thee through troops of men I break,
and them discomfit all;
And, by my God assisting me,
I overleap a wall.
30As for God, perfect is his way:
the Lord his word is try'd;
He is a buckler to all those
who do in him confide.
31Who but the Lord is God? but he
who is a rock and stay?
32'Tis God that girdeth me with strength,
and perfect makes my way.
33He made my feet swift as the hinds,
set me on my high places.
34Mine hands to war he taught, mine arms
brake bows of steel in pieces.
35The shield of thy salvation
thou didst on me bestow:
Thy right hand held me up, and great
thy kindness made me grow.
36And in my way my steps thou hast
enlarged under me,
That I go safely, and my feet
are kept from sliding free.
37Mine en'mies I pursued have,
and did them overtake;
Nor did I turn again till I
an end of them did make.
38I wounded them, they could not rise;
they at my feet did fall.
39Thou girdedst me with strength for war;
my foes thou brought'st down all:
40And thou hast giv'n to me the necks
of all mine enemies;
That I might them destroy and slay,
who did against me rise.
41They cried out, but there was none
that would or could them save;
Yea, they did cry unto the Lord,
but he no answer gave.
42Then did I beat them small as dust
before the wind that flies;
And I did cast them out like dirt
upon the street that lies.
43Thou mad'st me free from people's strife,
and heathen's head to be:
A people whom I have not known
shall service do to me.
44At hearing they shall me obey,
to me they shall submit.
45Strangers for fear shall fade away,
who in close places sit.
46God lives, bless'd be my Rock; the God
of my health praised be.
47God doth avenge me, and subdues
the people under me.
48He saves me from mine enemies;
yea, thou hast lifted me
Above my foes; and from the man
of vi'lence set me free.
49Therefore to thee will I give thanks
the heathen folk among;
And to thy name, O Lord, I will
sing praises in a song.
50He great deliv'rance gives his king:
he mercy doth extend
To David, his anointed one,
and his seed without end.
Currently Selected:
Psalms 18: MP1650
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 18
18
Psalm 18
Praise for Deliverance
For the choir director. Of the servant of the Lord, David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the power of Saul.#2Sm 22 He said:
1I love you, Lord, my strength.
2The Lord is my rock,
my fortress, and my deliverer,#Ps 62:7; 94:22
my God, my rock where I seek refuge,
my shield#Gn 15:1; Dt 33:29; Ps 3:3; 5:12; 28:7; 119:114 and the horn of my salvation,#1Sm 2:1,10; Lk 1:69
my stronghold.
3I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,#Ps 48:1; 96:4; 145:3
and I was saved from my enemies.#Ps 138:7
4The ropes of death were wrapped around me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.#Ps 124:4
5The ropes of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.#Ps 116:3
6I called to the Lord in my distress,
and I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,#Ps 3:4
and my cry to him reached his ears.#Ps 34:15
7Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;#Is 13:13; Hg 2:6
they shook because he burned with anger.
8Smoke rose from his nostrils,
and consuming fire came from his mouth;
coals were set ablaze by it.#18:8 Or him#Ps 21:9; 50:3
9He bent the heavens and came down,#Ps 144:5; Is 64:1
total darkness beneath his feet.
10He rode on a cherub and flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.#Ps 104:3
11He made darkness his hiding place,
dark storm clouds his canopy around him.#Ps 97:2
12From the radiance of his presence,#Ps 50:2; Is 60:3
his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals.
13The Lord thundered from#18:13 Some Hb mss, LXX, Tg, Jer; other Hb mss read in heaven;
the Most High made his voice heard.#18:13 Some Hb mss read voice, with hail and blazing coals#Ps 29:3; 104:7
14He shot his arrows and scattered them;
he hurled#18:14 Or multiplied lightning bolts and routed them.#Ps 144:6
15The depths of the sea became visible,
the foundations of the world were exposed,
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.#Ex 15:8; Ps 106:9; Nah 1:4
16He reached down from on high
and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of deep water.#Ps 144:7
17He rescued me from my powerful enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.#Ps 35:10; 59:1; 142:6
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.#Ps 55:22; 59:16
19He brought me out to a spacious place;#Ps 31:8; 118:5
he rescued me because he delighted in me.#Ps 41:11
20The Lord rewarded me
according to my righteousness;#Ps 7:8
he repaid me
according to the cleanness of my hands.#Ps 24:4
21For I have kept the ways of the Lord
and have not turned from my God to wickedness.#Jb 23:11; Ps 119:101
22Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me#18:22 Lit Indeed, all his ordinances have been in front of me
and have not disregarded his statutes.#Lv 18:4–5
23I was blameless toward him#Dt 18:13; Ps 37:18; 119:1
and kept myself from my iniquity.
24So the Lord repaid me
according to my righteousness,#2Ch 6:23
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.#Ps 24:4
25With the faithful
you prove yourself faithful,
with the blameless
you prove yourself blameless,
26with the pure
you prove yourself pure,
but with the crooked
you prove yourself shrewd.#Mt 16:27; Rv 22:12
27For you rescue an oppressed people,#Ps 72:12
but you humble those with haughty eyes.#Ps 138:6
28 Lord, you light my lamp;
my God illuminates my darkness.#Ps 112:4; Is 42:16
29With you I can attack a barricade,#18:29 Or a ridge, or raiders
and with my God I can leap over a wall.#Mt 19:26; Php 4:13
30God — his way is perfect;#Dt 32:4
the word of the Lord is pure.#Ps 19:7
He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.#Ps 91:4; 144:2
31For who is God besides the Lord?#Dt 32:39; 1Sm 2:2; Ps 86:8
And who is a rock? Only our God.#Ps 62:2
32God — he clothes me with strength#Is 45:5
and makes my way perfect.
33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer#Hab 3:19
and sets me securely on the heights.#18:33 Or on my high places#Dt 32:13; Is 58:14
34He trains my hands for war;#Ps 144:1
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.#Jb 29:20
35You have given me the shield of your salvation;
your right hand upholds me,#Ps 89:21
and your humility exalts me.
36You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps,#Ps 31:8; 118:5
and my ankles do not give way.#Ps 66:9; Pr 4:12
37I pursue my enemies and overtake them;
I do not turn back until they are wiped out.#Ps 44:5
38I crush them, and they cannot get up;
they fall beneath my feet.#Ps 36:12
39You have clothed me with strength for battle;#1Sm 2:4
you subdue my adversaries beneath me.#1Ch 17:10; Ps 81:14
40You have made my enemies retreat before me;#18:40 Or You gave me the necks of my enemies#Ex 23:27
I annihilate those who hate me.#Dt 7:10
41They cry for help, but there is no one to save them#Ps 50:22 —
they cry to the Lord, but he does not answer them.#Mc 3:4
42I pulverize them like dust before the wind;#2Kg 13:7
I trample them#18:42 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg; other Hb mss read I poured them out like mud in the streets.#Is 10:6; Mc 7:10
43You have freed me from the feuds among the people;
you have appointed me the head of nations;#2Sm 8:1–14
a people I had not known serve me.#Is 55:5
44Foreigners submit to me cringing;
as soon as they hear they obey me.#Dt 33:29; Ps 66:3
45Foreigners lose heart
and come trembling from their fortifications.#Mc 7:17
46The Lord lives — blessed be my rock!
The God of my salvation is exalted.#Ps 62:2,6
47God — he grants me vengeance#2Sm 4:8; Ps 94:1
and subdues peoples under me.#Ps 47:3; 144:2
48He frees me from my enemies.
You exalt me above my adversaries;
you rescue me from violent men.#Ps 59:1; 140:1
49Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord;
I will sing praises about your name.#Rm 15:9
50He gives great victories to his king;#Ps 144:10
he shows loyalty to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.#2Sm 7:12–13; Ps 89:4,29
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers