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This song is for the music leader.

The Lord 's servant, David, wrote it.

David sang these words to the Lord when the Lord saved him from the power of his enemies. This was at the time when Saul was king.

Thank you, Lord ! [ a ]

18 I love you, Lord .
You make me strong.
2 The Lord keeps me safe.
He is my great rock and my strong place.
God is my high rock. [ b ]
I run to him to hide and be safe.
He keeps me safe like a soldier's shield.
He is the strong place where I can hide safely.
3 I praise the Lord because he deserves it!
When I called to him for help,
he saved me from my enemies.
4 Death was near enough to catch me!
Danger was like a river that poured over me.
5 Death was tying me up with ropes,
to pull me into the deep hole of the grave.
6 In my trouble, I prayed to the Lord .
I called to my God to help me.
He heard my voice from his home in heaven.
My prayer reached his ears.
7 Then the earth moved and it shook.
Even the strong mountains shook,
because God was angry.
8 He breathed out smoke from his nose.
Fire and hot coals came out from his mouth,
to destroy his enemies.
9 God caused the sky to bend as he came down.
Dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He sat on a cherub and he flew.
The wind carried him as he travelled.
11 God covered himself with darkness.
He hid himself in dark clouds that held rain.
12 Bright light went in front of him.
Hail and lightning fell from the clouds.
13 The Lord sent thunder from the sky.
People everywhere heard the voice of the Most High God.
14 The Lord shot his arrows of lightning.
He caused his enemies to run away.
15 When you shouted against your enemies, Lord ,
even the bottom of the deep sea appeared.
People could see the foundations of the earth,
when you breathed out in anger.
16 The Lord reached down to me from above.
He took hold of me and he pulled me up out of the deep water.
17 Yes, he saved me from my powerful enemies.
The people who hated me were too strong for me,
but the Lord saved me from their power.
18 They attacked me when I was in trouble,
but the Lord helped me.
19 He led me out to a place where I would be safe.
He saved me because I made him happy.

20 The Lord was kind to me
because I do things that please him.
He blesses me
because I am not guilty of bad things.
21 I have obeyed the Lord 's commands.
I have not turned against my God.
22 I understand all his rules,
and I do not refuse to obey them.
23 He knows that I have done nothing that is wrong.
I kept away from any sin.
24 The Lord has been kind to me,
because I did good things.
He sees that I am not guilty.

25 Lord , if people are faithful to you,
then you are faithful to them.
If people do nothing that is bad,
they can trust you to do nothing bad to them.
26 If people always do what is right,
they can trust you to be kind to them.
But if people are wicked,
you turn against them.
27 You save people who are humble.
But if people are proud, you bring them down very low.
28 Lord , you make my lamp burn brightly.
My God is my light in the dark.
29 You make me strong,
so that I can attack a whole army!
With the help of my God,
I can climb over any high wall. [ c ]

30 God's way is perfect.
Yes, the Lord 's promises are always true.
He keeps safe everyone who goes to him for help,
like a shield that keeps a soldier safe.
31 We know that the Lord is God,
and no one else.
Only our God can keep us safe,
like a strong rock!
32 It is God who makes me strong.
He shows me the safe way through my life.
33 He makes my feet stand strongly on the ground.
Like a deer,
I can stand on high mountains and not fall.
34 He teaches me how to fight in war.
He makes my arms strong
to shoot arrows from a metal bow. [ d ]
35 Lord , your power has helped me to be strong.
You have kept me safe, like a shield.
Your kind help has made me great.
36 You have helped me to move safely,
so that my feet do not slip.
37 I ran after my enemies and I caught them.
I did not turn back until I had killed them.
38 I knocked them down to the ground.
They could not get up again.
They fell under my feet.
39 You have made me strong to fight battles,
so that I win against my enemies.
40 You cause my enemies to turn around,
and they run away from me.
I can destroy those who hate me.
41 They call out for help,
but nobody is there to help them.
They call to the Lord ,
but he does not answer them.
42 I beat them into dust
that the wind blows away.
I walk over them,
like dirt that lies on the streets.

43 You have saved me from people who attacked me.
You made me a ruler of other nations.
People that I did not know before
now serve me as their ruler.
44 When foreign people hear about me,
they choose to obey me.
They cannot stand against me
because they are afraid.
45 They are not brave enough to fight me.
They shake with fear,
as they come out of their strong cities.

46 The Lord is alive! He is my strong Rock!
Everyone should praise him!
He rules as king!
He is the God who saves me.
47 He is the true God who punishes my enemies.
He makes the nations obey me.
48 He is the one who saves me from my enemies.
Yes, God, you give me power
to win against those who attack me.
You keep me safe from angry and cruel men.
49 Lord , I will thank you,
so that all the nations know about you.
I will sing to praise your name.
50 Yes, the Lord gives power to me, David, his king.
He gives me great strength to win against my enemies.
I am the special king that he has chosen. [ e ]
He will continue to be kind to me
and to my descendants for ever.

Footnotes

  1. 18:1 This Psalm also comes in 2 Samuel 22 . You can read there about the things that happened when David sang this song.
  2. 18:2 David calls God his ‘rock’ because a rock is a safe, strong place. If an enemy is chasing you, a rock is a good place to hide.
  3. 18:29 When an army attacked a city, the soldiers had to knock down the walls of the city or climb over them.
  4. 18:34 David would need to be very strong to bend a metal bow and shoot an arrow.
  5. 18:50 The Hebrew word for a king that God has chosen is ‘Messiah’. When we call Jesus Christ God's Messiah, we are saying that he is the special King that God has chosen. He is a descendant of King David.

[ a ] To the director: A song of David, the Lord ’s servant. He sang this song to the Lord when the Lord saved him from Saul and all his other enemies.

18 I love you, Lord !
You are my strength.

2 The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my place of safety.
He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection.
He is my shield; by his power I am saved. [ b ]
He is my hiding place high in the hills.

3 I called to the Lord for help,
and he saved me from my enemies!
He is worthy of my praise!
4 Death had its ropes wrapped around me.
A deadly flood was carrying me away.
5 The ropes of the grave wrapped around me.
Death set its trap right there in front of me.
6 In my trouble I called to the Lord .
Yes, I cried out to my God for help.
There in his temple he heard my voice.
He heard my cry for help.
7 The earth shook and shivered.
The foundations of the mountains trembled.
They shook because he was angry.
8 Smoke came from his nose.
Burning flames came from his mouth.
Red-hot coals fell from him.
9 He tore open the sky and came down!
He stood on a thick, dark cloud.
10 He flew across the sky, riding on a Cherub angel
racing on the wings of the wind.
11 He wrapped himself in darkness that covered him like a tent.
He was hidden by dark clouds heavy with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him,
hail broke through the clouds with flashes of lightning.
13 The Lord thundered from the sky;
God Most High let his voice be heard. [ c ]
14 He scattered his enemies with his arrows—
the lightning bolts that threw them into confusion.

15 Lord , you shouted your command,
and a powerful wind began to blow. [ d ]
Then the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the earth’s foundations were uncovered.

16 He reached down from above and grabbed me.
He pulled me from the deep water.
17 He saved me from my powerful enemies, who hated me.
They were too strong for me, so he saved me.
18 They attacked me in my time of trouble,
but the Lord was there to support me.
19 He was pleased with me, so he rescued me.
He took me to a safe place.
20 The Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
He was good to me because I am innocent.
21 The Lord did this because I have obeyed him.
I have not turned against my God.
22 I always remembered his laws.
I never rejected his rules.
23 He knows I did nothing that was wrong.
I have kept myself from sinning.
24 So the Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
He could see that I am innocent.

25 Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful.
You are good to those who are good.
26 You never do wrong to those who have done no wrong.
But you outsmart the wicked, no matter how clever they are.
27 You help those who are humble,
but you humiliate the proud.
28 Lord , you provide the flame for my lamp.
You, God, turn the darkness around me into light.
29 With your help I can defeat an army.
If my God is with me, I can climb over enemy walls.

30 God’s way is perfect.
The Lord ’s promise always proves to be true.
He protects those who trust in him.
31 There is no God except the Lord .
There is no Rock except our God.
32 God is the one who gives me strength.
He clears the path I need to take.
33 He makes my feet as steady as those of a deer.
Even on steep mountains he keeps me from falling.
34 He trains me for war
so that my arms can bend the most powerful bow.

35 Lord, you have given me your shield to protect me.
You support me with your right hand.
It is your help that has made me great.
36 You cleared a path for my feet
so that I could walk without stumbling.

37 I chased my enemies and caught them.
I did not stop until they were destroyed.
38 I struck them down, and they could not get up again.
They fell under my feet.
39 God, you made me strong in battle.
You made my enemies fall before me.
40 You made my enemies turn and run away.
I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out for help,
but there was no one to save them.
They cried out to the Lord ,
but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them to pieces like dust blown by the wind.
I smashed them like mud in the streets.

43 You saved me from those who fought against me.
You made me the ruler over nations.
People I never knew now serve me.
44 As soon as they heard about me, they were ready to obey.
Those foreigners fall helpless before me!
45 They lose all their courage
and come out of their hiding places shaking with fear.

46 The Lord lives!
I praise my Rock, the God who saves me.
How great he is!
47 He is the God who punishes my enemies for me,
the one who puts people under my control.
48 He saves me from my enemies!

You, Lord, help me defeat those who attack me.
You save me from cruel people.
49 Lord , that is why I praise you among the nations.
That is why I sing songs of praise to your name.

50 The Lord helps his king win battle after battle.
He shows his faithful love to his chosen one, [ e ]
to David and his descendants forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:1 Psalm 18 This song is also found in 2 Sam. 22.
  2. Psalm 18:2 by his power I am saved Literally, “He is the horn of my salvation.”
  3. Psalm 18:13 The ancient Greek version and some Hebrew copies add “with hailstones and bolts of lightning.”
  4. Psalm 18:15 and … blow Or “and a blast of breath came from your nose.”
  5. Psalm 18:50 his chosen one Literally, “his anointed one.”

18 I will love thee, O Lord , my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

3 I will call upon the Lord , who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord , and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord , at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.

19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

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

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

23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

24 Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

31 For who is God save the Lord ? or who is a rock save our God?

32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord , but he answered them not.

42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

46 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord , among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

The Lord Praised for Rescuing David.

For the music director. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord , [ a ] who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

18 “I love You, Lord , ( A ) my strength.”
2 The Lord is ( B ) my rock and ( C ) my fortress and my ( D ) savior,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My ( E ) shield and the ( F ) horn of my salvation, my ( G ) stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord , who is ( H ) worthy to be praised,
And I am ( I ) saved from my enemies.

4 The ( J ) ropes of death encompassed me,
And the ( K ) torrents of [ b ] destruction [ c ] terrified me.
5 The ( L ) ropes of [ d ] Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my ( M ) distress I called upon the Lord ,
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice ( N ) from His temple,
And my ( O ) cry for help before Him came into His ears.

7 Then the ( P ) earth shook and quaked;
And the ( Q ) foundations of the mountains were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up [ e ] out of His nostrils,
And ( R ) fire from His mouth was devouring;
Coals burned from it.
9 He also ( S ) bowed the heavens down low, and came down
With thick ( T ) darkness under His feet.
10 He rode on a ( U ) cherub and flew;
And He sped on the ( V ) wings of the wind.
11 He made ( W ) darkness His hiding place, ( X ) His [ f ] canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds.
12 From the ( Y ) brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and ( Z ) coals of fire.
13 The Lord also ( AA ) thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He ( AB ) sent out His arrows, and scattered them,
And lightning flashes in abundance, and [ g ] routed them.
15 Then the ( AC ) channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were exposed
By Your ( AD ) rebuke, Lord ,
At the blast of the ( AE ) breath of Your nostrils.

16 He ( AF ) sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of ( AG ) many waters.
17 He ( AH ) saved me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were ( AI ) too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in ( AJ ) the day of my disaster,
But ( AK ) the Lord was my support.
19 He also brought me out into an ( AL ) open place;
He rescued me, because ( AM ) He delighted in me.

20 The Lord has ( AN ) rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the ( AO ) cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.
21 For I have ( AP ) kept the ways of the Lord ,
And have ( AQ ) not acted wickedly against my God.
22 For all ( AR ) His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His ( AS ) statutes from me.
23 I was also [ h ] ( AT ) blameless with Him,
And I ( AU ) kept myself from my wrongdoing.
24 Therefore the Lord has ( AV ) repaid me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

25 With ( AW ) the faithful You show Yourself faithful;
With the [ i ] blameless ( AX ) You prove Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You show Yourself ( AY ) pure,
And with the crooked ( AZ ) You show Yourself [ j ] astute.
27 For You ( BA ) save an afflicted people,
But You humiliate ( BB ) haughty eyes.
28 For You ( BC ) light my lamp;
The Lord my God ( BD ) illumines my darkness.
29 For by You I can ( BE ) run at a [ k ] troop of warriors;
And by my God I can ( BF ) leap over a wall.

30 As for God, His way is [ l ] ( BG ) blameless;
The ( BH ) word of the Lord is refined;
He is a ( BI ) shield to all who take refuge in Him.
31 For ( BJ ) who is God, but the Lord ?
And who is a ( BK ) rock, except our God,
32 The God who ( BL ) encircles me with strength,
And [ m ] makes my way [ n ] ( BM ) blameless?
33 He ( BN ) makes my feet like deer’s feet ,
And ( BO ) sets me up on my high places.
34 He ( BP ) trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can ( BQ ) bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me ( BR ) the shield of Your salvation,
And Your ( BS ) right hand upholds me;
And ( BT ) Your [ o ] gentleness makes me great.
36 You ( BU ) enlarge my steps under me,
And my [ p ] ( BV ) feet have not slipped.

37 I ( BW ) pursued my enemies and overtook them,
And I did not turn back ( BX ) until they were consumed.
38 I shattered them, so that they were ( BY ) not able to rise;
They fell ( BZ ) under my feet.
39 For You have ( CA ) encircled me with strength for battle;
You have forced those who rose up against me ( CB ) to bow down under me.
40 You have also made my enemies ( CC ) turn their backs to me,
And I [ q ] ( CD ) destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried for help, but there was ( CE ) no one to save,
They cried to the Lord , but ( CF ) He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them fine like the ( CG ) dust before the wind;
I emptied them out like the mud of the streets.

43 You have rescued me from the ( CH ) contentions of the people;
You have placed me as ( CI ) head of the nations;
A ( CJ ) people whom I have not known serve me.
44 As soon as they hear, they obey me;
Foreigners ( CK ) pretend to obey me.
45 Foreigners ( CL ) lose heart,
And ( CM ) come trembling out of their [ r ] fortresses.

46 The Lord ( CN ) lives, and blessed be ( CO ) my rock;
And exalted be ( CP ) the God of my salvation,
47 The God who ( CQ ) executes vengeance for me,
And ( CR ) subdues peoples under me.
48 He ( CS ) rescues me from my enemies;
You indeed ( CT ) lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from a ( CU ) violent man.
49 Therefore I will ( CV ) give thanks to You among the nations, Lord ,
And I will ( CW ) sing praises to Your name.
50 He gives great [ s ] ( CX ) salvation to His king,
And shows faithfulness to ( CY ) His anointed,
To David and ( CZ ) his [ t ] descendants forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18 Title 2 Sam 22:1-51
  2. Psalm 18:4 Or ungodliness ; Heb Belial
  3. Psalm 18:4 Or were assailing ; or terrifying
  4. Psalm 18:5 I.e., the netherworld
  5. Psalm 18:8 Or in His wrath
  6. Psalm 18:11 Or pavilion
  7. Psalm 18:14 Lit confused
  8. Psalm 18:23 Lit complete ; or having integrity ; or perfect
  9. Psalm 18:25 See note v 23
  10. Psalm 18:26 Lit twisted
  11. Psalm 18:29 Or wall
  12. Psalm 18:30 Or perfect
  13. Psalm 18:32 Or has made
  14. Psalm 18:32 Lit complete ; or having integrity
  15. Psalm 18:35 Or condescension
  16. Psalm 18:36 Lit ankles
  17. Psalm 18:40 Or silenced
  18. Psalm 18:45 Or prisons
  19. Psalm 18:50 I.e., victories; lit salvations
  20. Psalm 18:50 Lit seed

Psalm 18 [ a ] ( A )

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:

1 I love you, Lord , my strength. ( B )

2 The Lord is my rock, ( C ) my fortress ( D ) and my deliverer; ( E )
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, ( F )
my shield [ b ] ( G ) and the horn [ c ] of my salvation, ( H ) my stronghold.

3 I called to the Lord , who is worthy of praise, ( I )
and I have been saved from my enemies. ( J )
4 The cords of death ( K ) entangled me;
the torrents ( L ) of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death ( M ) confronted me.

6 In my distress ( N ) I called to the Lord ; ( O )
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice; ( P )
my cry came ( Q ) before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled ( R ) and quaked, ( S )
and the foundations of the mountains shook; ( T )
they trembled because he was angry. ( U )
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; ( V )
consuming fire ( W ) came from his mouth,
burning coals ( X ) blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down; ( Y )
dark clouds ( Z ) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim ( AA ) and flew;
he soared ( AB ) on the wings of the wind. ( AC )
11 He made darkness his covering, ( AD ) his canopy ( AE ) around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence ( AF ) clouds advanced,
with hailstones ( AG ) and bolts of lightning. ( AH )
13 The Lord thundered ( AI ) from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded. [ d ]
14 He shot his arrows ( AJ ) and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning ( AK ) he routed them. ( AL )
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations ( AM ) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, ( AN ) Lord ,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils. ( AO )

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters. ( AP )
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, ( AQ )
from my foes, who were too strong for me. ( AR )
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, ( AS )
but the Lord was my support. ( AT )
19 He brought me out into a spacious place; ( AU )
he rescued me because he delighted in me. ( AV )

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; ( AW )
according to the cleanness of my hands ( AX ) he has rewarded me. ( AY )
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord ; ( AZ )
I am not guilty of turning ( BA ) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me; ( BB )
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless ( BC ) before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, ( BD )
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful ( BE ) you show yourself faithful, ( BF )
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure ( BG ) you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. ( BH )
27 You save the humble ( BI )
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. ( BJ )
28 You, Lord , keep my lamp ( BK ) burning;
my God turns my darkness into light. ( BL )
29 With your help ( BM ) I can advance against a troop [ e ] ;
with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect: ( BN )
The Lord ’s word is flawless; ( BO )
he shields ( BP ) all who take refuge ( BQ ) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord ? ( BR )
And who is the Rock ( BS ) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength ( BT )
and keeps my way secure. ( BU )
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; ( BV )
he causes me to stand on the heights. ( BW )
34 He trains my hands for battle; ( BX )
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains ( BY ) me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path ( BZ ) for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way. ( CA )

37 I pursued my enemies ( CB ) and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them ( CC ) so that they could not rise; ( CD )
they fell beneath my feet. ( CE )
39 You armed me with strength ( CF ) for battle;
you humbled my adversaries ( CG ) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs ( CH ) in flight,
and I destroyed ( CI ) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them ( CJ ) —
to the Lord , but he did not answer. ( CK )
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust; ( CL )
I trampled them [ f ] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations. ( CM )
People I did not know ( CN ) now serve me,
44 foreigners ( CO ) cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart; ( CP )
they come trembling ( CQ ) from their strongholds. ( CR )

46 The Lord lives! ( CS ) Praise be to my Rock! ( CT )
Exalted be God ( CU ) my Savior! ( CV )
47 He is the God who avenges ( CW ) me,
who subdues nations ( CX ) under me,
48 who saves ( CY ) me from my enemies. ( CZ )
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man ( DA ) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord , among the nations; ( DB )
I will sing ( DC ) the praises of your name. ( DD )

50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed, ( DE )
to David ( DF ) and to his descendants forever. ( DG )

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
  2. Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
  3. Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  4. Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
  5. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  6. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out
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