Psalm 18 | King James Version

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he 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 upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

33 He maketh my feet like hinds'feet , and setteth me upon my high places.

34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

King James Bible (1769). Public Domain. Please note the following exceptions for use and publication in the United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press

New International Reader’s Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang the words of this song to the Lord. He sang them when the Lord saved him. He saved him from the power of all his enemies and of Saul. David said,

1 I love you, LORD. You give me strength.

2 The LORD is my rock and my place of safety. He is the God who saves me. My God is my rock. I go to him for safety. He is like a shield to me. He’s the power that saves me. He’s my place of safety.

3 I called out to the LORD. He is worthy of praise. He saved me from my enemies.

4 The ropes of death were almost wrapped around me. A destroying flood swept over me.

5 The ropes of the grave were tight around me. Death set its trap in front of me.

6 When I was in trouble, I called out to the LORD. I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice. My cry for help reached his ears.

7 The earth trembled and shook. The base of the mountains rocked to and fro. It trembled because the LORD was angry.

8 Smoke came out of his nose. Flames of fire came out of his mouth. Burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He opened the heavens and came down. Dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He stood on the cherubim and flew. The wings of the wind lifted him up.

11 He covered himself with darkness. The dark rain clouds of the sky were like a tent around him.

12 Clouds came out of the brightness that was all around him. They came with hailstones and flashes of lightning.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven. The voice of the Most High God was heard.

14 He shot his arrows and scattered our enemies. He sent great flashes of lightning and chased the enemies away.

15 The bottom of the sea could be seen. The foundations of the earth were uncovered. LORD, it happened when your anger blazed out. It came like a blast of breath from your nose.

16 He reached down from heaven. He took hold of me. He lifted me out of deep waters.

17 He saved me from my powerful enemies. He set me free from those who were too strong for me.

18 They opposed me when I was in trouble. But the LORD helped me.

19 He brought me out into a wide and safe place. He saved me because he was pleased with me.

20 The LORD has been good to me because I do what is right. He has rewarded me because I lead a pure life.

21 I have lived the way the LORD wanted me to. I am not guilty of turning away from my God.

22 I keep all his laws in mind. I haven’t turned away from his commands.

23 He knows that I am without blame. He knows I’ve kept myself from sinning.

24 The LORD has rewarded me for doing what is right. He has rewarded me because I haven’t done anything wrong.

25 LORD, to those who are faithful you show that you are faithful. To those who are without blame you show that you are without blame.

26 To those who are pure you show that you are pure. But to those whose paths are crooked you show that you are clever.

27 You save those who aren’t proud. But you bring down those whose eyes are proud.

28 LORD, you keep the lamp of my life burning brightly. You are my God. You bring light into my darkness.

29 With your help I can attack a troop of soldiers. With the help of my God I can climb over a wall.

30 God’s way is perfect. The LORD’s word doesn’t have any flaws. He is like a shield to all who go to him for safety.

31 Who is God except the LORD? Who is the Rock except our God?

32 God gives me strength for the battle. He keeps my way secure.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He causes me to stand on the highest places.

34 He trains my hands to fight every battle. My arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 LORD, you are like a shield that keeps me safe. Your strong right hand keeps me going. Your help has made me great.

36 You give me a wide path to walk on so that I don’t twist my ankles.

37 I chased my enemies and caught them. I didn’t turn back until they were destroyed.

38 I crushed them so that they couldn’t get up. They fell under my feet.

39 LORD, you gave me strength to fight the battle. You made my enemies humble in front of me.

40 You made them turn their backs and run away. So I destroyed my enemies.

41 They cried out for help. But there was no one to save them. They called out to the LORD. But he didn’t answer them.

42 I beat them as fine as dust blown by the wind. I trampled on them like mud in the streets.

43 You saved me when my own people attacked me. You made me the ruler over nations. People I didn’t know serve me now.

44 People from other lands bow down to me in fear. As soon as they hear me, they obey me.

45 All of them give up hope. They come trembling out of their hiding places.

46 The LORD lives! Give praise to my Rock! Give honour to God my Saviour!

47 He is the God who pays back my enemies. He brings the nations under my control.

48 He saves me from my enemies. You have honoured me more than them. You have saved me from a man who wanted to hurt me.

49 LORD, I will praise you among the nations. I will sing the praises of your name.

50 The LORD helps his king win great battles. He shows his faithful love to his anointed king. He shows it to David and to his family for ever.

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