Psalms 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. He said:
1I love you, Lord, my strength.23The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.4
5I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.6
7The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.8
9The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.10
11I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.12
13Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook because he burned with anger.14
15Smoke rose from his nostrils, and consuming fire came from his mouth; coals were set ablaze by it.16
17He bent the heavens and came down, total darkness beneath his feet.18
19He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.20
21He made darkness his hiding place, dark storm clouds his canopy around him.22
23From the radiance of his presence, his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals.24
25The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice heard.26
27He shot his arrows and scattered them; he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.28
29The 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.30
31He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he pulled me out of deep water.32
33He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.34
35They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.36
37He brought me out to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.38
39The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; he repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.40
41For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not turned from my God to wickedness.42
43Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me and have not disregarded his statutes.44
45I was blameless toward him and kept myself from my iniquity.46
47So the Lord repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.48
49With the faithful you prove yourself faithful, with the blameless you prove yourself blameless,50
51with the pure you prove yourself pure, but with the crooked you prove yourself shrewd.52
53For you rescue an oppressed people, but you humble those with haughty eyes.54
55Lord, you light my lamp; my God illuminates my darkness.56
57With you I can attack a barricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall.58
59God — his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.60
61For who is God besides the Lord? And who is a rock? Only our God.62
63God — he clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.64
65He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.66
67He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.68
69You have given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand upholds me, and your humility exalts me.70
71You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.72
73I pursue my enemies and overtake them; I do not turn back until they are wiped out.74
75I crush them, and they cannot get up; they fall beneath my feet.76
77You have clothed me with strength for battle; you subdue my adversaries beneath me.78
79You have made my enemies retreat before me; I annihilate those who hate me.80
81They cry for help, but there is no one to save them — they cry to the Lord, but he does not answer them.82
83I pulverize them like dust before the wind; I trample them like mud in the streets.84
85You have freed me from the feuds among the people; you have appointed me the head of nations; a people I had not known serve me.86
87Foreigners submit to me cringing; as soon as they hear they obey me.88
89Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their fortifications.90
91The Lord lives — blessed be my rock! The God of my salvation is exalted.92
93God — he grants me vengeance and subdues peoples under me.94
95He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; you rescue me from violent men.96
97Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about your name.98
99He gives great victories to his king; he shows loyalty to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.100