Psalm 18:1-6

New International Version

Psalm 18^[a]^(A)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

¹I love you, Lord, my strength.^(B)

²The Lord is my rock,^(C) my fortress^(D) and my deliverer;^(E)
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,^(F)
my shield^[b]^(G) and the horn^[c] of my salvation,^(H) my stronghold.

³I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,^(I)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.^(J)
⁴The cords of death^(K) entangled me;
    the torrents^(L) of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death^(M) confronted me.

⁶In my distress^(N) I called to the Lord;^(O)
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;^(P)
my cry came^(Q) before him, into his ears.

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Footnotes

Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.

Psalm 18:16-30

New International Version

¹⁶He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.^(A)
¹⁷He rescued me from my powerful enemy,^(B)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.^(C)
¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my disaster,^(D)
    but the Lord was my support.^(E)
¹⁹He brought me out into a spacious place;^(F)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.^(G)

²⁰The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;^(H)
    according to the cleanness of my hands^(I) he has rewarded me.^(J)
²¹For I have kept the ways of the Lord;^(K)
    I am not guilty of turning^(L) from my God.
²²All his laws are before me;^(M)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
²³I have been blameless^(N) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
²⁴The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,^(O)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵To the faithful^(P) you show yourself faithful,^(Q)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
²⁶to the pure^(R) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.^(S)
²⁷You save the humble^(T)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.^(U)
²⁸You, Lord, keep my lamp^(V) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.^(W)
²⁹With your help^(X) I can advance against a troop^[a];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

³⁰As for God, his way is perfect:^(Y)
The Lord’s word is flawless;^(Z)
he shields^(AA) all who take refuge^(AB) in him.

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Footnotes

Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade

Matthew 25:31-46

New International Version

The Sheep and the Goats

³¹“When the Son of Man comes^(A) in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.^(B) ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate^(C) the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.^(D) ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom^(E) prepared for you since the creation of the world.^(F) ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,^(G) ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me,^(H) I was sick and you looked after me,^(I) I was in prison and you came to visit me.’^(J)

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’^(K)

⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,^(L) you who are cursed, into the eternal fire^(M) prepared for the devil and his angels.^(N) ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’