Psalms 18

1For the Leader. [A Psalm] of David the servant of YHWH, who spoke unto YHWH the words of this song in the day that YHWH delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; And he said: I love thee, O YHWH, my strength.

2YHWH is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in Him I take refuge; My shield, and my horn of salvation, my high tower.

3Praised, I cry, is YHWH, And I am saved from mine enemies.

4The cords of Death compassed me, And the floods of Belial [That is, the nether-world] assailed me.

5The cords of Sheol [That is, the nether-world] surrounded me; The snares of Death confronted me.

6In my distress I called upon YHWH, And cried unto my God; Out of His temple He heard my voice, And my cry came before Him unto His ears.

7Then the earth did shake and quake, The foundations also of the mountains did tremble; They were shaken, because He was wroth.

8Smoke arose up in His nostrils, And fire out of His mouth did devour; Coals flamed forth from Him.

9He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And thick darkness was under His feet.

10And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

12At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds Hailstones and coals of fire.

13YHWH also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High gave forth His voice; Hailstones and coals of fire.

14And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; And He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.

15And the channels of waters appeared, And the foundations of the world were laid bare, At Thy rebuke, O YHWH, At the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils.

16He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

17He delivered me from mine enemy most strong, And from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

18They confronted me in the day of my calamity; But YHWH was a stay unto me.

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

20YHWH rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me.

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

22For all His ordinances were before me, And I put not away His statutes from me.

23And I was single-hearted with Him, And I kept myself from mine iniquity.

24Therefore hath YHWH recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

25With the merciful Thou dost show Thyself merciful, With the upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright;

26With the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; And with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle.

27For Thou dost save the afflicted people; But the haughty eyes Thou dost humble.

28For Thou dost light my lamp; YHWH my God doth lighten my darkness.

29For by Thee I run upon a troop; And by my God do I scale a wall.

30As for God, His way is perfect; The word of YHWH is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in Him.

31For who is God, save YHWH? And who is a Rock, except our God?

32The God that girdeth me with strength, And maketh my way straight;

33Who maketh my feet like hinds’, And setteth me upon my high places;

34Who traineth my hands for war, So that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.

35Thou hast also given me Thy shield of salvation, And Thy right hand hath holden me up; And Thy condescension hath made me great.

36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.

37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back till they were consumed.

38I have smitten them through, so that they are not able to rise; They are fallen under my feet.

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

40Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, And I did cut off them that hate me.

41They cried, but there was none to save; Even unto YHWH, but He answered them not.

42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets.

43Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people; Thou hast made me the head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me.

44As soon as they hear of me, they obey me; The sons of the stranger dwindle away before me.

45The sons of the stranger fade away, And come trembling out of their close places.

46YHWH liveth, and blessed be my Rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation;

47Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, And subdueth peoples under me.

48He delivereth me from mine enemies; Yea, Thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.

49Therefore I will give thanks unto Thee, O YHWH, among the nations, And will sing praises unto Thy name.

50Great salvation giveth He to His king; And showeth mercy to His anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.