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20 The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
    he restored me because of my innocence.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
22 I have followed all his regulations;
    I have never abandoned his decrees.
23 I am blameless before God;
    I have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
    He has seen my innocence.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
    to those with integrity you show integrity.
26 To the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
27 You rescue the humble,
    but you humiliate the proud.
28 You light a lamp for me.
    The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 In your strength I can crush an army;
    with my God I can scale any wall.

30 God’s way is perfect.
    All the Lord’s promises prove true.
    He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
31 For who is God except the Lord?
    Who but our God is a solid rock?
32 God arms me with strength,
    and he makes my way perfect.
33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
    enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
    he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
35 You have given me your shield of victory.
    Your right hand supports me;
    your help[a] has made me great.
36 You have made a wide path for my feet
    to keep them from slipping.

37 I chased my enemies and caught them;
    I did not stop until they were conquered.
38 I struck them down so they could not get up;
    they fell beneath my feet.
39 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
    you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
40 You placed my foot on their necks.
    I have destroyed all who hated me.
41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue.
    They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
42 I ground them as fine as dust in the wind.
    I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
43 You gave me victory over my accusers.
    You appointed me ruler over nations;
    people I don’t even know now serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit;
    foreign nations cringe before me.
45 They all lose their courage
    and come trembling from their strongholds.

46 The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
    May the God of my salvation be exalted!
47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
    he subdues the nations under me
48     and rescues me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
    you save me from violent opponents.
49 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
    I will sing praises to your name.
50 You give great victories to your king;
    you show unfailing love to your anointed,
    to David and all his descendants forever.

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Footnotes

  1. 18:35 Hebrew your humility; compare 2 Sam 22:36.

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(A)
    according to the cleanness of my hands(B) he has rewarded me.(C)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(D)
    I am not guilty of turning(E) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(F)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(G) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(H)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

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

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(R)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(S)
    he shields(T) all who take refuge(U) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(V)
    And who is the Rock(W) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(X)
    and keeps my way secure.(Y)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(Z)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(AA)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(AB)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(AC) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(AD) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(AE)

37 I pursued my enemies(AF) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(AG) so that they could not rise;(AH)
    they fell beneath my feet.(AI)
39 You armed me with strength(AJ) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(AK) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(AL) in flight,
    and I destroyed(AM) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(AN)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(AO)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(AP)
    I trampled them[b] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(AQ)
People I did not know(AR) now serve me,
44     foreigners(AS) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(AT)
    they come trembling(AU) from their strongholds.(AV)

46 The Lord lives!(AW) Praise be to my Rock!(AX)
    Exalted be God(AY) my Savior!(AZ)
47 He is the God who avenges(BA) me,
    who subdues nations(BB) under me,
48     who saves(BC) me from my enemies.(BD)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(BE) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(BF)
    I will sing(BG) the praises of your name.(BH)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(BI)
    to David(BJ) and to his descendants forever.(BK)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  2. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out