37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
38 I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [a]subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out, but there was none to save;
(A)Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I (B)cast them out like dirt in the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
(C)You have made me the head of the [b]nations;
(D)A people I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners [c]submit to me.
45 (E)The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:39 Lit. caused to bow
  2. Psalm 18:43 Gentiles
  3. Psalm 18:44 feign submission

37 I pursued my enemies(A) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(B) so that they could not rise;(C)
    they fell beneath my feet.(D)
39 You armed me with strength(E) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(F) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(G) in flight,
    and I destroyed(H) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(I)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(J)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(K)
    I trampled them[a] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(L)
People I did not know(M) now serve me,
44     foreigners(N) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(O)
    they come trembling(P) from their strongholds.(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out