Psalm 18
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
I love you, Jehovah, my strength and my power.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress afield;
my God, I seek refuge within your high tower,
protect me and save me, my buckler and shield.
I call on the LORD, who deserves my devotion;
so I, from my enemies' grip, will be saved.
Engulfed in the billows of death's endless ocean;
the flood of the godless rolls over in waves.
Entangled in cords of the grave that have tightened,
as death lays its snares as a trap in my way.
Distressed, I cry out to the LORD — I'm so frightened;
for God's intervention do I hope and pray.
He heard my lone voice from his heavenly temple;
he hears with his ears every cry that I make.
The earth moves and shudders, the mountaintops tremble;
God's anger has caused their foundations to shake.
His nostrils blew smoke; from his mouth, fire consuming,
coals kindled and blazing and spewing their heat.
He parted the heavens, and there, in the glooming,
descended with thick, dark clouds under his feet.
He mounted the back of a cherub, then riding
he glided and soared on the wings of the wind.
He shrouded himself in the darkness, in hiding;
dark waters and clouds veil his structure therein.
From brightness before him, his thick clouds surrounding,
come hailstones and coals that have been set aflame.
The LORD Most High thundered from heaven, resounding
as hailstones and burning coals poured down like rain.
He sent forth his arrows, men ran in commotion;
they fled from his lightning bolts hurling through air.
The blast of your breath, LORD, uncovered the ocean;
rebuked, the foundations of earth were laid bare.
He reached down from heaven and gently withdrew me
from out of the depths of the deep rolling sea.
He saved me from powerful foes who pursue me;
the hateful and those who are stronger than me.
Attacked at a time I had nothing to hope in,
the LORD has protected me from every foe.
He led me to safety, a place in the open,
he saved me because I delighted him so.
The LORD has rewarded my deeds as he's weighed them;
because of my innocence I am restored.
I've kept all the ways of the LORD and obeyed them;
I've not turned from God nor abandoned my LORD.
For all of his rules and his judgments before me,
I've never abandoned his stated decrees.
I'm blameless before him of sin, uniformly;
I've guarded my heart with a life on my knees.
So, I've been rewarded for godly deeds, solely,
the LORD knows my hands have been clean in his sight.
With those who are holy, you've shown yourself holy;
to people upright, shown yourself as upright.
With those who are pure, shown yourself to be pure, then;
but those who are crooked you’ve shown yourself wise.
You rescue the humble, afflicted and poor men,
but bring down the haughty with pride in their eyes.
LORD, you keep my candle lit, burning flame dancing;
my God lights the dark, so all gloom is unveiled.
In you I can crush any army advancing;
with God, every wall that I leap can be scaled.
For God's way is blameless; the LORD's word, perfection.
He shields and protects those who give him their trust.
Indeed, who is God but the LORD in reflection?
And who is the Rock but our God who is just?
The God who equipped me with strength and with power,
removes every hurdle and makes my way plain.
He makes me as swift as the deer in the flower,
sure-footed in mountains and rugged terrain.
For hand-to-hand combat, he's laid the foundation;
the strength of my arm bends the bronze bow I hold.
You've given me, LORD, your great shield of salvation;
your right hand supports me and makes me extolled.
You’ve broadened the pathway and road that I’ve stepped on,
my feet do not slip as the way has been broomed.
Pursuing my enemies, running, I kept on
and did not turn back until they were consumed.
I crushed them completely, and put down the rabble,
and now they lay desolate under my feet.
For you have equipped me with strength for the battle;
those rising against me you've thoroughly beat.
You've shown me their necks when they turned and retreated,
with those who have hated me, sentenced to die.
They cried out for mercy, but none interceded;
they cried to the LORD, but he did not reply.
I've ground them to dust blown in windy conditions;
and into the gutter like dirt, they were thrown.
You saved me from strife from the people's seditions;
made me lead a nation of people unknown.
As soon as they hear me, they kneel in submission;
the foreigners cower when they venture near.
The strangers lose heart when they see their position,
and leave from their fortifications in fear.
Oh, let the LORD live! To my Rock, I give glory!
The God of salvation — exalted is he!
The God who avenges, the one fighting for me;
subduing the nations and peoples to me.
You lifted me over my foes' domination;
delivered me from the most violent of men.
For this, O LORD, I will praise you among nations,
and I will sing praises about your name, then.
Salvation he brings to his king and appointed,
great victories given from heaven descend;
unfailing to show his love to his anointed,
to David and to his descendants no end.
I love you, Jehovah, my strength and my power.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress afield;
my God, I seek refuge within your high tower,
protect me and save me, my buckler and shield.
I call on the LORD, who deserves my devotion;
so I, from my enemies' grip, will be saved.
Engulfed in the billows of death's endless ocean;
the flood of the godless rolls over in waves.
Entangled in cords of the grave that have tightened,
as death lays its snares as a trap in my way.
Distressed, I cry out to the LORD — I'm so frightened;
for God's intervention do I hope and pray.
He heard my lone voice from his heavenly temple;
he hears with his ears every cry that I make.
The earth moves and shudders, the mountaintops tremble;
God's anger has caused their foundations to shake.
His nostrils blew smoke; from his mouth, fire consuming,
coals kindled and blazing and spewing their heat.
He parted the heavens, and there, in the glooming,
descended with thick, dark clouds under his feet.
He mounted the back of a cherub, then riding
he glided and soared on the wings of the wind.
He shrouded himself in the darkness, in hiding;
dark waters and clouds veil his structure therein.
From brightness before him, his thick clouds surrounding,
come hailstones and coals that have been set aflame.
The LORD Most High thundered from heaven, resounding
as hailstones and burning coals poured down like rain.
He sent forth his arrows, men ran in commotion;
they fled from his lightning bolts hurling through air.
The blast of your breath, LORD, uncovered the ocean;
rebuked, the foundations of earth were laid bare.
He reached down from heaven and gently withdrew me
from out of the depths of the deep rolling sea.
He saved me from powerful foes who pursue me;
the hateful and those who are stronger than me.
Attacked at a time I had nothing to hope in,
the LORD has protected me from every foe.
He led me to safety, a place in the open,
he saved me because I delighted him so.
The LORD has rewarded my deeds as he's weighed them;
because of my innocence I am restored.
I've kept all the ways of the LORD and obeyed them;
I've not turned from God nor abandoned my LORD.
For all of his rules and his judgments before me,
I've never abandoned his stated decrees.
I'm blameless before him of sin, uniformly;
I've guarded my heart with a life on my knees.
So, I've been rewarded for godly deeds, solely,
the LORD knows my hands have been clean in his sight.
With those who are holy, you've shown yourself holy;
to people upright, shown yourself as upright.
With those who are pure, shown yourself to be pure, then;
but those who are crooked you’ve shown yourself wise.
You rescue the humble, afflicted and poor men,
but bring down the haughty with pride in their eyes.
LORD, you keep my candle lit, burning flame dancing;
my God lights the dark, so all gloom is unveiled.
In you I can crush any army advancing;
with God, every wall that I leap can be scaled.
For God's way is blameless; the LORD's word, perfection.
He shields and protects those who give him their trust.
Indeed, who is God but the LORD in reflection?
And who is the Rock but our God who is just?
The God who equipped me with strength and with power,
removes every hurdle and makes my way plain.
He makes me as swift as the deer in the flower,
sure-footed in mountains and rugged terrain.
For hand-to-hand combat, he's laid the foundation;
the strength of my arm bends the bronze bow I hold.
You've given me, LORD, your great shield of salvation;
your right hand supports me and makes me extolled.
You’ve broadened the pathway and road that I’ve stepped on,
my feet do not slip as the way has been broomed.
Pursuing my enemies, running, I kept on
and did not turn back until they were consumed.
I crushed them completely, and put down the rabble,
and now they lay desolate under my feet.
For you have equipped me with strength for the battle;
those rising against me you've thoroughly beat.
You've shown me their necks when they turned and retreated,
with those who have hated me, sentenced to die.
They cried out for mercy, but none interceded;
they cried to the LORD, but he did not reply.
I've ground them to dust blown in windy conditions;
and into the gutter like dirt, they were thrown.
You saved me from strife from the people's seditions;
made me lead a nation of people unknown.
As soon as they hear me, they kneel in submission;
the foreigners cower when they venture near.
The strangers lose heart when they see their position,
and leave from their fortifications in fear.
Oh, let the LORD live! To my Rock, I give glory!
The God of salvation — exalted is he!
The God who avenges, the one fighting for me;
subduing the nations and peoples to me.
You lifted me over my foes' domination;
delivered me from the most violent of men.
For this, O LORD, I will praise you among nations,
and I will sing praises about your name, then.
Salvation he brings to his king and appointed,
great victories given from heaven descend;
unfailing to show his love to his anointed,
to David and to his descendants no end.
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