Psalm 18:1-12

Common English Bible

Psalm 18^[a]

For the music leader. Of David the Lord’s servant, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord after the Lord delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from Saul.

18 He said: I love you, Lord, my strength.
²The Lord is my solid rock,
    my fortress, my rescuer.
My God is my rock—
I take refuge in him!—
        he’s my shield,
        my salvation’s strength,
        my place of safety.
³Because he is praiseworthy,^[b]
    I cried out to the Lord,
    and I was saved from my enemies.
⁴Death’s cords were wrapped around me;
    rivers of wickedness terrified me.
⁵The cords of the grave^[c] surrounded me;
    death’s traps held me tight.
⁶In my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    I called to my God for help.
God heard my voice from his temple;
    I called to him for help,
    and my call reached his ears.

⁷The earth rocked and shook;
    the bases of the mountains trembled and reeled
    because of God’s anger.
⁸Smoke went up from God’s nostrils;
    out of his mouth came a devouring fire;
    flaming coals blazed out in front of him!
⁹God parted the skies and came down;
    thick darkness was beneath his feet.
¹⁰God mounted the heavenly creatures and flew;
    he soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹God made darkness cloak him;
    his covering was dark water and dense cloud.
¹²God’s clouds went ahead
    of the brightness before him;
    hail and coals of fire went too.