Psalms 18
18:1 <> I love you, Yahweh, my strength.
18:2 Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
18:3 I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; And I am saved from my enemies.
18:4 The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
18:5 The cords of Sheol were round about me; The snares of death came on me.
18:6 In my distress I called on Yahweh, And cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple, My cry before him came into his ears.
18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, Because he was angry.
18:8 Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
18:10 He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.
18:11 He made darkness his hiding-place, his pavilion around him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
18:12 At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, Hailstones and coals of fire.
18:13 Yahweh also thundered in the sky, The Most High uttered his voice: Hailstones and coals of fire.
18:14 He sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them.
18:15 Then the channels of waters appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh, At the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
18:16 He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.
18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
18:18 They came on me in the day of my calamity, But Yahweh was my support.
18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
18:20 Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
18:21 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, And have not wickedly departed from my God.
18:22 For all his ordinances were before me. I didn't put away his statutes from me.
18:23 I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
18:24 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
18:25 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
18:26 With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
18:27 For you will save the afflicted people, But the haughty eyes you will bring down.
18:28 For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness.
18:29 For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
18:30 As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
18:31 For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God,
18:32 The God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
18:33 He makes my feet like deer's feet, And sets me on my high places.
18:34 He teaches my hands to war; So that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
18:35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
18:36 You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
18:37 I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again until they are consumed.
18:38 I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.
18:39 For you have girded me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
18:40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, That I might cut off those who hate me.
18:41 They cried, but there was none to save; Even to Yahweh, but he didn't answer them.
18:42 Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
18:43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
18:44 As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
18:45 The foreigners shall fade away, And shall come trembling out of their close places.
18:46 Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
18:47 Even the God who executes vengeance for me, And subdues peoples under me.
18:48 He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.
18:49 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, And will sing praises to your name.
18:50 He gives great deliverance to his king, And shows loving kindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, forevermore.