18:1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn [Horn here symbolises strength.] of my salvation, my stronghold.
18:3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
18:4 The cords of death entangled me the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
18:5 The cords of the grave [Hebrew: Sheol] coiled around me the snares of death confronted me.
18:6 In my distress I called to the LORD I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice my cry came before him, into his ears.
18:7 The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook they trembled because he was angry.
18:8 Smoke rose from his nostrils consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
18:9 He parted the heavens and came down dark clouds were under his feet.
18:10 He mounted the cherubim and flew he soared on the wings of the wind.
18:11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him the dark rain clouds of the sky.
18:12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
18:13 The LORD thundered from heaven the voice of the Most High resounded. [Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14) most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, amid hailstones and bolts of lightning]
18:14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them.
18:15 The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
18:16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me he drew me out of deep waters.
18:17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18:18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.
18:19 He brought me out into a spacious place he rescued me because he delighted in me.
18:20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD I have not done evil by turning from my God.
18:22 All his laws are before me I have not turned away from his decrees.
18:23 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
18:24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
18:25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
18:26 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
18:27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
18:28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning my God turns my darkness into light.
18:29 With your help I can advance against a troop [Or can run through a barricade] with my God I can scale a wall.
18:30 As for God, his way is perfect the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
18:31 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
18:32 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
18:33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer he enables me to stand on the heights.
18:34 He trains my hands for battle my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
18:35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me you stoop down to make me great.
18:36 You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn over.
18:37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
18:38 I crushed them so that they could not rise they fell beneath my feet.
18:39 You armed me with strength for battle you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
18:40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.
18:41 They cried for help, but there was no-one to save them to the LORD, but he did not answer.
18:42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind I poured them out like mud in the streets.
18:43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people you have made me the head of nations people I did not know are subject to me.
18:44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me foreigners cringe before me.
18:45 They all lose heart they come trembling from their strongholds.
18:46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Saviour!
18:47 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me,
18:48 who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes from violent men you rescued me.
18:49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD I will sing praises to your name.
18:50 He gives his king great victories he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants for ever.19 FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. A PSALM OF DAVID.