Chapter 18

To the chief Musician,¹⁸ [A Psalm] of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake¹⁴ unto the LORD the words of this song in the day [that] the LORD delivered⁵² him from the hand of all his enemies,⁶ and from the hand of Saul: And he said,
⁴ I will love⁴ thee, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;¹⁸ my God, my strength, in whom I will trust;⁴ my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower.

I will call⁴ upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised:³⁰ so shall I be saved¹¹ from mine enemies.⁶

The sorrows of death compassed¹ me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.¹⁷

The sorrows of hell compassed me about:¹ the snares of death prevented¹⁴ me.

In my distress I called⁴ upon the LORD, and cried¹⁷ unto my God: he heard⁴ my voice out of his temple, and my cry came⁴ before him, [even] into his ears.

Then the earth shook⁴ and trembled;⁴ the foundations also of the hills moved⁴ and were shaken,¹⁰¹ because he was wroth.¹

There went up¹ a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured:⁴ coals were kindled¹ by it.

He bowed⁴ the heavens also, and came down:⁴ and darkness [was] under his feet.

And he rode⁴ upon a cherub, and did fly:⁴ yea, he did fly⁴ upon the wings of the wind.

He made⁴ darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him [were] dark waters [and] thick clouds of the skies.

At the brightness [that was] before him his thick clouds passed,¹ hail [stones] and coals of fire.

The LORD also thundered⁵⁵ in the heavens, and the Highest gave⁴ his voice; hail [stones] and coals of fire.

Yea, he sent out⁴ his arrows, and scattered⁵⁵ them; and he shot out¹ lightnings, and discomfited⁴ them.

Then the channels of waters were seen,¹¹ and the foundations of the world were discovered¹¹ at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

He sent⁴ from above, he took⁴ me, he drew⁵⁵ me out of many waters.

He delivered⁵⁵ me from my strong enemy,⁶ and from them which hated⁶ me: for they were too strong¹ for me.

They prevented¹⁷ me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

He brought me forth⁵⁵ also into a large place; he delivered¹⁷ me, because he delighted¹ in me.

The LORD rewarded⁴ me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed⁵⁵ me.

For I have kept¹ the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed¹ from my God.

For all his judgments [were] before me, and I did not put away⁵⁵ his statutes from me.

I was also upright before him, and I kept¹⁰¹ myself from mine iniquity.

Therefore hath the LORD recompensed⁵⁵ me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful;¹⁰¹ with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;¹⁰¹

With the pure¹² thou wilt shew thyself pure;¹⁰¹ and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.¹⁰¹

For thou wilt save⁵⁵ the afflicted people; but wilt bring down⁵⁵ high⁶ looks.

For thou wilt light⁵⁵ my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten⁵⁵ my darkness.

For by thee I have run through⁴ a troop; and by my God have I leaped¹⁷ over a wall.

[As for] God, his way [is] perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:⁷ he [is] a buckler to all those that trust⁶ in him.

For who [is] God save the LORD? or who [is] a rock save our God?

[It is] God that girdeth¹⁸ me with strength, and maketh⁴ my way perfect.

He maketh my feet like¹⁸ hinds' [feet], and setteth⁵⁵ me upon my high places.

He teacheth¹⁸ my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken¹⁴ by mine arms.

Thou hast also given⁴ me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up,⁴ and thy gentleness hath made me great.⁵⁵

Thou hast enlarged⁵⁵ my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.¹

I have pursued⁴ mine enemies,⁶ and overtaken⁵⁵ them: neither did I turn again⁴ till they were consumed.¹⁵

I have wounded⁴ them that they were not able⁴ to rise:² they are fallen⁴ under my feet.

For thou hast girded¹⁷ me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued⁵⁵ under me those that rose up⁵ against me.

Thou hast also given¹ me the necks of mine enemies;⁶ that I might destroy⁵⁵ them that hate¹⁸ me.

They cried,¹⁷ but [there was] none to save⁵⁶ [them: even] unto the LORD, but he answered¹ them not.

Then did I beat⁴ them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out⁵⁵ as the dirt in the streets.

Thou hast delivered¹⁷ me from the strivings of the people; [and] thou hast made⁴ me the head of the heathen: a people [whom] I have not known¹ shall serve⁴ me.

As soon as they hear ²⁴¹ of me, they shall obey¹¹ me: the strangers ⁵²³⁶ shall submit¹⁷ themselves unto me.

The strangers ⁵²³⁶ shall fade away,⁴ and be afraid⁴ out of their close places.

The LORD liveth; and blessed⁷ [be] my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.⁴

[It is] God that avengeth^{6 5360} me, and subdueth⁵⁵ the people under me.

He delivereth¹⁸ me from mine enemies:⁶ yea, thou liftest me up³⁴ above those that rise up⁵ against me: thou hast delivered⁵⁵ me from the violent man.

Therefore will I give thanks⁵⁵ unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises¹⁷ unto thy name.

Great⁵⁶ deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth⁶ mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.