Psalm 18:3-15

English Standard Version

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

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

⁷ Then the earth ^(G)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 ^(H)fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
⁹ He ^(I)bowed the heavens and ^(J)came down;
    ^(K)thick darkness was under his feet.
¹⁰ He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly on ^(L)the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his ^(M)canopy around him,
    thick clouds ^(N)dark with water.
¹² Out of the brightness before him
    ^(O)hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

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