Psalm 18:4-18

English Standard Version

^4 (A)The cords of death encompassed me;
    ^(B)the torrents of destruction assailed me;^[a]
5 (C)the cords of Sheol entangled me;
    the snares of death confronted me.

^6 (D)In my distress I called upon the Lord;
    to my God I cried for help.
From his ^(E)temple he heard my voice,
    and my cry to him reached his ears.

⁷ Then the earth ^(F)reeled and rocked;
    the foundations also of the mountains trembled
    and quaked, because he was angry.
⁸ Smoke went up from his nostrils,^[b]
    and devouring ^(G)fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
⁹ He ^(H)bowed the heavens and ^(I)came down;
    ^(J)thick darkness was under his feet.
¹⁰ He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly on ^(K)the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his ^(L)canopy around him,
    thick clouds ^(M)dark with water.
¹² Out of the brightness before him
    ^(N)hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

¹³ The Lord also ^(O)thundered in the heavens,
    and the Most High uttered his ^(P)voice,
    hailstones and coals of fire.
¹⁴ And he sent out his ^(Q)arrows and scattered them;
    he flashed forth lightnings and ^(R)routed them.
¹⁵ Then ^(S)the channels of the sea were seen,
    and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your ^(T)rebuke, O Lord,
    at the blast of ^(U)the breath of your nostrils.

¹⁶ He ^(V)sent from on high, he took me;
    he ^(W)drew me out of ^(X)many waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were ^(Y)too mighty for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.