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:

I love you, Lord, my strength.(B)

The 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.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(I)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.(J)

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Footnotes

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

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)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade

18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you;
    you forgot(A) the God who gave you birth.

19 The Lord saw this and rejected them(B)
    because he was angered by his sons and daughters.(C)
20 “I will hide my face(D) from them,” he said,
    “and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,(E)
    children who are unfaithful.(F)

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28 They are a nation without sense,
    there is no discernment(A) in them.
29 If only they were wise and would understand this(B)
    and discern what their end will be!(C)
30 How could one man chase a thousand,
    or two put ten thousand to flight,(D)
unless their Rock had sold them,(E)
    unless the Lord had given them up?(F)
31 For their rock is not like our Rock,(G)
    as even our enemies concede.(H)
32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom(I)
    and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,(J)
    and their clusters with bitterness.(K)
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
    the deadly poison of cobras.(L)

34 “Have I not kept this in reserve
    and sealed it in my vaults?(M)
35 It is mine to avenge;(N) I will repay.(O)
    In due time their foot will slip;(P)
their day of disaster is near
    and their doom rushes upon them.(Q)

36 The Lord will vindicate his people(R)
    and relent(S) concerning his servants(T)
when he sees their strength is gone
    and no one is left, slave(U) or free.[a]
37 He will say: “Now where are their gods,
    the rock they took refuge in,(V)
38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
    and drank the wine of their drink offerings?(W)
Let them rise up to help you!
    Let them give you shelter!

39 “See now that I myself am he!(X)
    There is no god besides me.(Y)
I put to death(Z) and I bring to life,(AA)
    I have wounded and I will heal,(AB)
    and no one can deliver out of my hand.(AC)

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 32:36 Or and they are without a ruler or leader

Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches(A) of the wisdom and[a] knowledge of God!(B)
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!(C)
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”[b](D)
35 “Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”[c](E)
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.(F)
    To him be the glory forever! Amen.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the
  2. Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
  3. Romans 11:35 Job 41:11

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