Psalm 18

1He said, “I love you, Yahweh, my strength.”

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

3I call on Yahweh, worthy of praise, and am saved from my enemies.

4The bonds of death surrounded me, and the torrents of wickedness terrified me.

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

6In my distress I called to Yahweh and cried to my God; he heard my voice from his temple, and my cry came before him into his ears.

7The earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the mountains trembled and shook, because he burned with anger.

8Smoke rose from his nostrils, and fire from his mouth devoured; coals burned from it.

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

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

11He arrayed darkness as his covering, his encircling booth—dark waters, thick clouds of the heavens.

12From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hail and coals of fire.

13Yahweh thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave his voice—hail and burning coals.

14He sent his arrows and scattered them; he shot abundant lightnings and crushed them.

15The channels of water appeared, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at your rebuke, Yahweh, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

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

17He rescued me from my mighty enemy and from my haters, for they were stronger than me.

18They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but Yahweh was my support.

19He led me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20Yahweh has dealt bountifully with me according to my righteousness; according to the purity of my hands he repays me.

21For I have observed the ways of Yahweh and have not acted wickedly against my God.

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

23I was upright before him, and I guarded myself from my iniquity.

24Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the purity 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 perverse you show yourself perverse.

27For you will save humble people, but haughty eyes you will bring down.

28For you will kindle my lamp; Yahweh my God will brighten my darkness.

29For by you I charge a troop, and by my God I leap a wall.

30God’s way is perfect; Yahweh’s word is refined; he is a shield to all who take refuge in him.

31For who is God other than Yahweh? Who is a rock apart from our God?

32God girds me with strength and perfects my way.

33He makes my feet like the hinds and stations me on my high places.

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

35You have given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand sustains me, and your gentleness has made me great.

36You enlarged my steps beneath me, and my feet did not slip.

37I pursued my enemies and overtook them, nor did I turn back until they were consumed.

38I will crush them so they cannot rise; they fall beneath my feet.

39You have armed me with strength for battle; you have cast down beneath me those who rose up against me.

40You have given my enemies' backs to me, and I have destroyed those who hate me.

41They cried out, but there was no deliverer; even to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.

42I ground them like dust before the wind; like street mire I cast them out.

43You delivered me from the contentions of the people; you made me head of the nations. A people I have not known will serve me.

44When my report reaches their ears, they obey me; foreigners submit to me.

45Foreigners will wither and tremble from their strongholds.

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

47The God who gives me vengeance and subdues peoples under me.

48You rescue me from my enemies; indeed, you exalt me above those who rise against me; you deliver me from the man of violence.

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

50He greatly magnifies deliverances to his king and extends mercy to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.