Psalms 18

For the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of Yahweh, who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song on the day when Yahweh rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

1And he said, “I love you, O Yahweh, my strength.”

2Yahweh is my crag and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

4The cords of death surrounded me, and the torrents of destruction terrified me.

5The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me.

6In my distress I call on Yahweh, and to my God I cry for help. He hears my voice from his temple, and my cry before him comes into his ears.

7Then the earth reeled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled and reeled, because he was angry.

8Smoke rose from his nostrils, and fire from his mouth devoured; coals blazed from him.

9He bent the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.

10He rode on a cherub and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness his hiding place, his shelter around him—dark waters, thick clouds of the skies.

12Out of the brightness before him, his clouds passed by—hail and coals of fire.

13Yahweh thundered in the heavens, and the Most High made his voice heard—hail and coals of fire.

14He sent out his arrows and scattered them; with abundant lightning he threw them into confusion.

15Then the channels of water were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh, at the blast of the breath from your nostrils.

16He reached down from on high and took me; he drew me out of many waters.

17He 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 Yahweh was my support.

19He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has repaid me.

21For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put his statutes away from me.

23I was blameless with him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.

24Yahweh repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.

25With the faithful you show yourself faithful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless.

26With the pure you show yourself pure, and with the crooked you deal shrewdly.

27For you save an afflicted people, but you bring haughty eyes low.

28For you light my lamp; Yahweh my God lights up my darkness.

29For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.

30As for God, his way is blameless; the word of Yahweh is refined; he is a shield to all who take refuge in him.

31For who is God besides Yahweh? And who is a rock except our God?

32God is the one who equips me with strength and makes my way blameless.

33He makes my feet like a deer’s, and sets me on my heights.

34He trains my hands for battle, and my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35You gave me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your humility made me great.

36You broaden my steps beneath me, and my ankles have not given way.

37I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and I did not turn back until they were consumed.

38I crushed them, and they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.

39You equipped me with strength for battle; you made those who rose against me bow beneath me.

40You made my enemies turn their backs; I destroyed those who hated me.

41They cried for help, but there was no one to save them; they cried to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.

42I beat them fine like dust before the wind; like mud in the streets I poured them out.

43You rescue me from the disputes of the people; you set me at the head of nations; a people I have not known serve me.

44As soon as they hear, they obey me; foreigners feign obedience to me.

45Foreigners fade away and come trembling out of their strongholds.

46Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock, and may the God of my salvation be exalted.

47the God who carries out acts of vengeance for me and subdues peoples under me.

48the one who rescues me from my enemies; indeed, you lift me up above those who rise against me; you deliver me from a violent man.

49Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, O Yahweh, and I will sing praise to your name.

50He makes his king’s victories great and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.