Psalm 18
English Standard Version
The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, (A)the servant of the Lord, (B)who addressed the words of this (C)song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:
18 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my (D)rock and my (E)fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my (F)rock, in (G)whom I take refuge,
my (H)shield, and (I)the horn of my salvation, my (J)stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is (K)worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
4 (L)The cords of death encompassed me;
(M)the torrents of destruction assailed me;[a]
5 (N)the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 (O)In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his (P)temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth (Q)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 (R)fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He (S)bowed the heavens and (T)came down;
(U)thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on (V)the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his (W)canopy around him,
thick clouds (X)dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
(Y)hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
13 The Lord also (Z)thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his (AA)voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his (AB)arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and (AC)routed them.
15 Then (AD)the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your (AE)rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of (AF)the breath of your nostrils.
16 He (AG)sent from on high, he took me;
he (AH)drew me out of (AI)many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were (AJ)too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into (AK)a broad place;
he rescued me, because he (AL)delighted in me.
20 The Lord dealt with me (AM)according to my righteousness;
according to (AN)the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21 For I have (AO)kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For (AP)all his rules[c] were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was (AQ)blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 With (AR)the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with (AS)the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27 For you save (AT)a humble people,
but (AU)the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my (AV)lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can (AW)leap over (AX)a wall.
30 This God—his way is (AY)perfect;[d]
the word of the Lord (AZ)proves true;
he is (BA)a shield for all those who (BB)take refuge in him.
31 For (BC)who is God, but the Lord?
And who is (BD)a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who (BE)equipped me with strength
and made my way (BF)blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a (BG)deer
and set me secure on (BH)the heights.
34 He (BI)trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand (BJ)supported me,
and your (BK)gentleness made me great.
36 You (BL)gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies (BM)turn their backs to me,[e]
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 (BN)They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as (BO)dust before the wind;
I cast them out like (BP)the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from (BQ)strife with the people;
you made me (BR)the head of the nations;
(BS)people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
(BT)foreigners (BU)came cringing to me.
45 (BV)Foreigners lost heart
and (BW)came trembling out of their fortresses.
46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and (BX)subdued peoples under me,
48 who rescued me from my enemies;
yes, you (BY)exalted me above those who rose against me;
you delivered me from (BZ)the man of violence.
49 (CA)For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and (CB)sing to your name.
50 Great (CC)salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his (CD)anointed,
to (CE)David and his offspring forever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 18:4 Or terrified me
- Psalm 18:8 Or in his wrath
- Psalm 18:22 Or just decrees
- Psalm 18:30 Or blameless
- Psalm 18:40 Or You gave me my enemies' necks
Psalm 18
New King James Version
God the Sovereign Savior(A)
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David (B)the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of (C)this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:
18 I (D)will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my [a]strength, (E)in whom I will trust;
My shield and the [b]horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, (F)who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
4 (G)The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of [c]ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.
7 (H)Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 (I)He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
10 (J)And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
(K)He flew upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His secret place;
(L)His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
12 (M)From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered (N)His voice,
[d]Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 (O)He sent out His arrows and scattered [e]the foe,
Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
16 (P)He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.
19 (Q)He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
20 (R)The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless [f]before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 (S)Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
25 (T)With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And (U)with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
27 For You will save the humble people,
But will bring down (V)haughty looks.
28 (W)For You will light my lamp;
The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by You I can [g]run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, (X)His way is perfect;
(Y)The word of the Lord is [h]proven;
He is a shield (Z)to all who trust in Him.
31 (AA)For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
32 It is God who (AB)arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
33 (AC)He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And (AD)sets me on my high places.
34 (AE)He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You enlarged my path under me,
(AF)So my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
38 I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [i]subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out, but there was none to save;
(AG)Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I (AH)cast them out like dirt in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
(AI)You have made me the head of the [j]nations;
(AJ)A people I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners [k]submit to me.
45 (AK)The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.
46 The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God who avenges me,
(AL)And subdues the peoples under me;
48 He delivers me from my enemies.
(AM)You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
49 (AN)Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the [l]Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.
50 (AO)Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his [m]descendants forevermore.
Footnotes
- Psalm 18:2 Lit. rock
- Psalm 18:2 Strength
- Psalm 18:4 Lit. Belial
- Psalm 18:13 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; a few Heb. mss., LXX omit Hailstones and coals of fire
- Psalm 18:14 Lit. them
- Psalm 18:23 with
- Psalm 18:29 Or run through
- Psalm 18:30 Lit. refined
- Psalm 18:39 Lit. caused to bow
- Psalm 18:43 Gentiles
- Psalm 18:44 feign submission
- Psalm 18:49 nations
- Psalm 18:50 Lit. seed
Psaltaren 18
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015
Kungens tack för räddning och seger
18 (A) För körledaren. Av Herrens tjänare David, som sjöng denna sång till Herren när Herrenhade räddat honom från alla hans fiender[a] och ur Sauls våld. 2 (B) Han sade:
Hjärtligt kär har jag dig,
Herre min styrka,
3 (C) Herre mitt bergfäste,
min borg och min räddare,
min Gud, min klippa
och min tillflykt,
min sköld och min frälsnings horn[b],
mitt värn!
4 (D) Jag ropar till Herren,
den högt lovade,
och jag blir frälst från mina fiender.
5 (E) Dödens band omgav mig,
fördärvets strömmar
skrämde mig,
6 dödsrikets band omslöt mig,
dödens snaror mötte mig.
7 (F) I min nöd åkallade jag Herren,
jag ropade till min Gud.
Från sitt tempel
hörde han min röst,
mitt rop till honom
nådde hans öron.
8 (G) Då skakade jorden och bävade,
bergens grundvalar darrade,
de skakade av hans brinnande
vrede.
9 (H) Rök steg ur hans näsa
och förtärande eld ur hans mun,
det gnistrade av glöd från honom.
10 Han sänkte himlen och steg ner
med mörka moln under sina fötter,
11 (I) han red på keruben och flög,
han svävade fram
på vindens vingar.
12 (J) Han gjorde mörker till sitt skydd,
till sin hydda runt omkring honom:
mörka vatten, tjocka moln.
13 Ur glansen framför honom
bröt molnen fram
med hagel och glödande kol.
14 (K) Herren dundrade i himlen,
den Högste höjde sin röst
med hagel och glödande kol[c].
15 (L) Han sköt sina pilar
och skingrade dem,
blixtar i mängd och förvirrade dem.
16 Flodbäddar blev synliga,
jordens grundvalar blottades
för din tillrättavisning, Herre,
för din vredes stormvind.
17 (M) Han räckte sin hand från höjden
och grep tag i mig,
han drog mig upp
ur de väldiga vattnen.
18 (N) Han räddade mig
från min mäktige fiende,
från dem som hatade mig
och var starkare än jag.
19 (O) De anföll mig på min olyckas dag,
men Herren var mitt stöd.
20 Han förde mig ut på rymlig plats,
han räddade mig
eftersom han älskar mig.
21 (P) Herren var god mot mig
efter min rättfärdighet,
han lönade mig
efter mina händers renhet,
22 för jag har hållit mig
på Herrens vägar
och inte avfallit
från min Gud.
23 Jag har haft alla hans domar
för ögonen
och inte avvisat hans stadgar.
24 (Q) Jag har varit fullkomlig
inför honom
och aktat mig för synd.
25 (R) Därför har Herren lönat mig
efter min rättfärdighet,
efter mina händers renhet
inför hans ögon.
26 Mot den trogne är du trofast,
mot den fullkomlige
är du fullkomlig.
27 (S) Mot den rene är du ren,
men mot den falske är du vrång.
28 (T) Ja, du frälser ett förtryckt folk,
men stolta ögon ödmjukar du.
29 (U) Du låter min lampa brinna klart,
Herren min Gud
lyser upp mitt mörker.
30 (V) Med dig slår jag ner en armé[d],
med min Gud stormar jag murar.
31 (W) Guds väg är fullkomlig,
Herrens ord är rent.
Han är en sköld
för alla som flyr till honom.
32 (X) Vem är Gud förutom Herren,
vem är en klippa utom vår Gud?
33 (Y) Gud, du rustar mig med kraft
och gör min väg fullkomlig,
34 du gör mina fötter
som hindens
och ställer mig på mina höjder.
35 (Z) Du lär mina händer att strida,
mina armar att spänna
kopparbågen.
36 (AA) Du ger mig din frälsnings sköld,
din högra hand
stöder mig.
Din ödmjukhet gör mig stor.
37 (AB) Du gör plats för mina steg
där jag går,
mina fötter vacklar inte.
38 Jag förföljde mina fiender
och hann upp dem,
jag vände inte
förrän jag gjort slut på dem.
39 (AC) Jag krossade dem
så att de inte kunde resa sig,
de föll under mina fötter.
40 Du rustade mig med kraft
för striden,
du böjde mina motståndare
under mig.
41 Mina fiender drev du på flykten
för mig,
dem som hatade mig
förintade jag.
42 (AD) De ropade,
men ingen räddare fanns,
till Herren,
men han svarade dem inte.
43 Jag malde dem
till stoft för vinden,
jag slängde ut[e] dem
som smuts på gatan.
44 (AE) Du räddade mig
ur folkets strider,
du satte mig till huvud
över hednafolk,
folk som jag inte kände
blev mina tjänare.
45 (AF) Så snart de hörde om mig
lydde de mig,
främlingar kröp för mig.
46 Främlingarnas mod
vissnade bort,
bävande lämnade de sina fästen.
47 Herren lever!
Lovad är min klippa,
upphöjd är min frälsnings Gud!
48 (AG) Gud, du har gett mig hämnd
och lagt folken under mig.
49 Du har befriat mig
från mina fiender,
du har upphöjt mig
över mina motståndare
och räddat mig från våldsmän.
50 (AH) Därför vill jag tacka dig
bland hednafolken, Herre,
och lovsjunga ditt namn,[f]
51 (AI) för du ger stora segrar
till din kung
och visar nåd mot din smorde,
mot David och hans ätt[g]
till evig tid.
Footnotes
- 18:1 när Herren hade räddat honom från alla hans fiender Troligen vid slutet av Davids liv. En snarlik version av denna psalm återfinns i 2 Sam 22.
- 18:3 horn Symbol för styrka.
- 18:14 med hagel och glödande kol Orden saknas i vissa handskrifter och i 2 Sam 22:14.
- 18:30 slår jag ner en armé Annan översättning: "rusar jag fram mot vallar".
- 18:43 slängde ut Andra handskrifter (så Septuaginta och 2 Sam 22:43): "trampade ner".
- 18:50 Citeras av Paulus i Rom 15:9 som profetia om missionen bland hedningarna.
- 18:51 ätt Annan översättning: "ättling" (alltså Messias, Davids son).
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015, Copyright © 2015 by Svenska Folkbibeln Foundation