Psalm 18
World English Bible
For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of Yahweh, who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said,
18 I love you, Yahweh, my strength.
2 Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer;
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
3 I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised;
and I am saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death surrounded me.
The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The cords of Sheol[a] were around me.
The snares of death came on me.
6 In my distress I called on Yahweh,
and cried to my God.
He heard my voice out of his temple.
My cry before him came into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled.
The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken,
because he was angry.
8 Smoke went out of his nostrils.
Consuming fire came out of his mouth.
Coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down.
Thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub, and flew.
Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him,
darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed,
hailstones and coals of fire.
13 Yahweh also thundered in the sky.
The Most High uttered his voice:
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He sent out his arrows, and scattered them.
He routed them with great lightning bolts.
15 Then the channels of waters appeared.
The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 He sent from on high.
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 mighty for me.
18 They came on me in the day of my calamity,
but Yahweh was my support.
19 He brought me out also into a large place.
He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 Yahweh has 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 Yahweh,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his ordinances were before me.
I didn’t put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless with him.
I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful.
With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
26 With the pure, you will show yourself pure.
With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
27 For you will save the afflicted people,
but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.
28 For you will light my lamp, Yahweh.
My God will light up my darkness.
29 For by you, I advance through a troop.
By my God, I leap over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect.
Yahweh’s word is tried.
He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God, except Yahweh?
Who is a rock, besides our God,
32 the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
33 He makes my feet like deer’s feet,
and sets me on my high places.
34 He teaches my hands to war,
so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation.
Your right hand sustains me.
Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You have enlarged my steps under me,
My feet have not slipped.
37 I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them.
I won’t turn away until they are consumed.
38 I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise.
They shall fall under my feet.
39 For you have armed me with strength to the battle.
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,
that I might cut off those who hate me.
41 They cried, but there was no one to save;
even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.
42 Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind.
I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people.
You have made me the head of the nations.
A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me.
The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
45 The foreigners shall fade away,
and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.
46 Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock.
Exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 even the God who executes vengeance for me,
and subdues peoples under me.
48 He rescues me from my enemies.
Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me.
You deliver me from the violent man.
49 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations,
and will sing praises to your name.
50 He gives great deliverance to his king,
and shows loving kindness to his anointed,
to David and to his offspring,[b] forever more.
Psalm 18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 18
Royal Thanksgiving for Victory
To the leader. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this 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:
1 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.(A)
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
so I shall be saved from my enemies.(B)
4 The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of perdition assailed me;(C)
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.(D)
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.(E)
7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and reeled because he was angry.(F)
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.(G)
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.(H)
11 He made darkness his covering around him,
his canopy thick clouds dark with water.(I)
12 Out of the brightness before him
there broke through his clouds
hailstones and coals of fire.(J)
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice.[a](K)
14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.(L)
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.(M)
16 He reached down from on high; he took me;
he drew me out of mighty waters.(N)
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.(O)
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
he delivered me because he delighted in me.(P)
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.(Q)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord
and have not wickedly departed from my God.(R)
22 For all his ordinances were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.(S)
23 I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.(T)
25 With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless you show yourself blameless;(U)
26 with the pure you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you show yourself shrewd.(V)
27 For you deliver a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.(W)
28 It is you who light my lamp;
the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.(X)
29 By you I can outrun a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.(Y)
30 This God—his way is perfect;
the promise of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.(Z)
31 For who is God except the Lord?
And who is a rock besides our God?(AA)
32 The God who has girded me with strength
and made my way safe.[b]
33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer
and set me secure on the heights.(AB)
34 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.(AC)
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand has supported me;
your help[c] has made me great.
36 You gave me 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 until they were consumed.(AD)
38 I struck them down so that they were unable to rise;
they fell under my feet.(AE)
39 For you girded me with strength for the battle;
you made my assailants sink under me.(AF)
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.(AG)
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.(AH)
42 I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets.(AI)
43 You delivered me from strife with the peoples;[d]
you made me head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.(AJ)
44 As soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me;
foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart
and came trembling out of their strongholds.(AK)
46 The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation,(AL)
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me,(AM)
48 who delivered me from my enemies;
indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;
you delivered me from the violent.(AN)
2 Samuel 22
World English Bible
22 David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, 2 and he said:
“Yahweh is my rock,
my fortress,
and my deliverer, even mine;
3 God is my rock in whom I take refuge;
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my high tower, and my refuge.
My savior, you save me from violence.
4 I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
5 For the waves of death surrounded me.
The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
6 The cords of Sheol[a] were around me.
The snares of death caught me.
7 In my distress, I called on Yahweh.
Yes, I called to my God.
He heard my voice out of his temple.
My cry came into his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled.
The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken,
because he was angry.
9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils.
Consuming fire came out of his mouth.
Coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down.
Thick darkness was under his feet.
11 He rode on a cherub, and flew.
Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness a shelter around himself:
gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
13 At the brightness before him,
coals of fire were kindled.
14 Yahweh thundered from heaven.
The Most High uttered his voice.
15 He sent out arrows and scattered them,
lightning and confused them.
16 Then the channels of the sea appeared.
The foundations of the world were laid bare by Yahweh’s rebuke,
at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He sent from on high and he took me.
He drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
19 They came on me in the day of my calamity,
but Yahweh was my support.
20 He also brought me out into a large place.
He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21 Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness.
He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.
22 For I have kept Yahweh’s ways,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his ordinances were before me.
As for his statutes, I didn’t depart from them.
24 I was also perfect toward him.
I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness in his eyesight.
26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful.
With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect.
27 With the pure you will show yourself pure.
With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
28 You will save the afflicted people,
But your eyes are on the arrogant, that you may bring them down.
29 For you are my lamp, Yahweh.
Yahweh will light up my darkness.
30 For by you, I run against a troop.
By my God, I leap over a wall.
31 As for God, his way is perfect.
Yahweh’s word is tested.
He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God, besides Yahweh?
Who is a rock, besides our God?
33 God is my strong fortress.
He makes my way perfect.
34 He makes his feet like hinds’ feet,
and sets me on my high places.
35 He teaches my hands to war,
so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation.
Your gentleness has made me great.
37 You have enlarged my steps under me.
My feet have not slipped.
38 I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them.
I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.
39 I have consumed them,
and struck them through,
so that they can’t arise.
Yes, they have fallen under my feet.
40 For you have armed me with strength for the battle.
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
41 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,
that I might cut off those who hate me.
42 They looked, but there was no one to save;
even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.
43 Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth.
I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.
44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people.
You have kept me to be the head of the nations.
A people whom I have not known will serve me.
45 The foreigners will submit themselves to me.
As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.
46 The foreigners will fade away,
and will come trembling out of their close places.
47 Yahweh lives!
Blessed be my rock!
Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,
48 even the God who executes vengeance for me,
who brings down peoples under me,
49 who brings me away from my enemies.
Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me.
You deliver me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations,
and will sing praises to your name.
51 He gives great deliverance to his king,
and shows loving kindness to his anointed,
to David and to his offspring, forever more.”
Footnotes
- 22:6 Sheol is the place of the dead.
2 Samuel 22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
David’s Song of Thanksgiving
22 David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.(A) 2 He said,
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,(B)
3 my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.(C)
4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.(D)
5 For the waves of death encompassed me;
the torrents of perdition assailed me;(E)
6 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.(F)
7 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry came to his ears.(G)
8 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations of the heavens trembled
and reeled because he was angry.(H)
9 Smoke went up from his nostrils
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.(I)
10 He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.(J)
11 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he was seen upon the wings of the wind.(K)
12 He made darkness around him a canopy,
thick clouds, a gathering of water.(L)
13 Out of the brightness before him
coals of fire flamed forth.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the Most High uttered his voice.(M)
15 He sent out arrows and scattered them,
lightning and routed them.
16 Then the channels of the sea were seen;
the foundations of the world were laid bare
at the rebuke of the Lord,
at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.(N)
17 He reached from on high; he took me;
he drew me out of mighty waters.(O)
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
19 They came upon me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my stay.(P)
20 He brought me out into a broad place;
he delivered me because he delighted in me.(Q)
21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.(R)
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord
and have not wickedly departed from my God.(S)
23 For all his ordinances were before me,
and from his statutes I did not turn aside.(T)
24 I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.(U)
25 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight.(V)
26 With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless[a] you show yourself blameless;(W)
27 with the pure you show yourself pure,
and with the crooked you show yourself shrewd.(X)
28 You deliver a humble people,
but your eyes are upon the haughty to bring them down.(Y)
29 Indeed, you are my lamp, O Lord;
the Lord lightens my darkness.(Z)
30 By you I can outrun a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
31 This God—his way is perfect;
the promise of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.(AA)
32 For who is God but the Lord?
And who is a rock except our God?(AB)
33 The God who has girded me with strength[b]
has opened wide my path.[c](AC)
34 He made my feet like the feet of deer
and set me secure on the heights.(AD)
35 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.(AE)
36 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your help[d] has made me great.
37 You have made me stride freely,
and my feet do not slip;(AF)
38 I pursued my enemies and destroyed them
and did not turn back until they were consumed.
39 I consumed them; I struck them down so that they did not rise;
they fell under my feet.(AG)
40 For you girded me with strength for the battle;
you made my assailants sink under me.(AH)
41 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
those who hated me, and I destroyed them.(AI)
42 They looked, but there was no one to save them;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.(AJ)
43 I beat them fine like the dust of the earth;
I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets.(AK)
44 You delivered me from strife with the peoples;[e]
you kept me as the head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.(AL)
45 Foreigners came cringing to me;
as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.(AM)
46 Foreigners lost heart
and came trembling out[f] of their strongholds.(AN)
47 The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,(AO)
48 the God who gave me vengeance
and brought down peoples under me,(AP)
49 who brought me out from my enemies;
you exalted me above my adversaries;
you delivered me from the violent.(AQ)
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