Psalm 18
1 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.
