18:1 [To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David, the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day [that] the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,] I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
18:2 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.
18:3 I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies.
18:4 The sorrows of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
18:5 The sorrows of hell surrounded me: the snares of death seized me.
18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, [even] into his ears.
18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was angry.
18:8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness [was] under his feet.
18:10 And he rode upon a cherub, and flew: yea, he flew upon the wings of the wind.
18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion around him [was] dark waters [and] thick clouds of the skies.
18:12 At the brightness [that was] before him his thick clouds passed, hail [stones] and coals of fire.
18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail [stones] and coals of fire.
18:14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and destroyed them.
18:15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
18:16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them who hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18:18 They came upon me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
18:19 He brought me forth also in a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
18:22 For all his judgments [were] before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
18:23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.
18:24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
18:25 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright;
18:26 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt contend.
18:27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
18:28 For thou wilt light my lamp: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
18:29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
18:30 [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.
18:31 For who [is] God except the LORD? or who [is] a rock except our God?
18:32 [It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds [feet], and setteth me upon my high places.
18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms.
18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
18:36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
18:37 I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
18:38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they have fallen under my feet.
18:39 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
18:40 Thou hast also given me the necks of my enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
18:41 They cried, but [there was] none to save [them: even] to the LORD, but he answered them not.
18:42 Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
18:43 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.
18:44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves to me.
18:45 The strangers shall fade away, and come trembling out of their fortresses.
18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
18:47 [It is] God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
18:48 He delivereth me from my enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
18:49 Therefore will I give thanks to thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises to thy name.
18:50 He giveth great deliverance to his king; and showeth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.