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.
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 18
18
Psalm 18
Royal Thanksgiving for Victory
To the leader. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 #
Ps 9.9; 11.1; 19.14; 40.17; 59.11; 75.10; 91.2 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 stronghold.
3 #
Num 10.9; Ps 48.1 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
so I shall be saved from my enemies.
4 #
Ps 116.3; 124.3, 4 The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of perdition assailed me;
5 #
Ps 116.3; Prov 14.27 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 #
Ps 11.4; 34.15; 86.7 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 #
Ps 68.7, 8; 114.4, 6 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and reeled because he was angry.
8Smoke went up from his nostrils
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 #
Ex 20.21; Ps 144.5 He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10 #
Ps 80.1; 104.3 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.
11 #
Ps 97.2
He made darkness his covering around him,
his canopy thick clouds dark with water.
12 #
Ps 104.2; 140.10 Out of the brightness before him
there broke through his clouds
hailstones and coals of fire.
13 #
Ps 29.3; 104.7 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice.#18.13 Gk: Heb adds hailstones and coals of fire
14 #
Ex 14.24; Judg 4.15; Ps 7.13; 144.6 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
15 #
Ex 15.8; Ps 76.6; 106.9 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 #
Ps 144.7
He reached down from on high; he took me;
he drew me out of mighty waters.
17 #
v 48
; Ps 35.10He delivered me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 #
Ps 31.8; 37.23; 118.5 He brought me out into a broad place;
he delivered me because he delighted in me.
20 #
1 Kings 8.32; Ps 7.8 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
21 #
Ps 119.33
For I have kept the ways of the Lord
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 #
Ps 119.30, 83 For all his ordinances were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
24 #
1 Sam 26.23
Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 #
Mt 5.7
With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless you show yourself blameless;
26 #
Job 25.5; Prov 3.34 with the pure you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
27 #
Ps 72.12; Prov 6.17 For you deliver a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 #
Job 18.6; 29.3 It is you who light my lamp;
the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 #
2 Cor 12.9; Heb 11.34 By you I can outrun a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 #
Deut 32.4; Ps 12.6; 17.7 This God—his way is perfect;
the promise of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
31 #
Deut 32.31, 39; Ps 86.8–10; Isa 45.5 For who is God except the Lord?
And who is a rock besides our God?
32The God who has girded me with strength
and made my way safe.#18.32 Meaning of Heb uncertain
33 #
Deut 32.13; Hab 3.19 He made my feet like the feet of a deer
and set me secure on the heights.
34 #
Job 20.24; Ps 144.1 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand has supported me;
your help#18.35 Or gentleness has made me great.
36You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37 #
Ps 37.20; 44.5 I pursued my enemies and overtook them
and did not turn back until they were consumed.
38 #
Ps 36.12; 47.3; 110.6 I struck them down so that they were unable to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 #
vv 32, 47
For you girded me with strength for the battle;
you made my assailants sink under me.
40 #
Ps 94.23
You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 #
Ps 50.22; Prov 1.28 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 #
Ps 83.13
I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
43 #
Ps 35.1; Isa 55.5 You delivered me from strife with the peoples;#18.43 Gk Tg: Heb people
you made me head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
44As soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me;
foreigners came cringing to me.
45 #
Ps 37.2; Mic 7.17 Foreigners lost heart
and came trembling out of their strongholds.
46 #
Ps 42.2; 51.14 The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 #
Ps 47.3; 94.1 the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me,
48 #
Ps 27.6; 140.1, 4 who delivered me from my enemies;
indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;
you delivered me from the violent.
49 #
Ps 108.1; Rom 15.9 For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations
and sing praises to your name.
50 #
Ps 28.8; 89.4, 29; 144.10 Great triumphs he gives to his king
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
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