1 I love you, O LORD , my strength. |
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn1 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength. of my salvation, my stronghold. |
3 I call to the LORD , who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies. |
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. |
5 The cords of the grave2 18:5 Hebrew Sheol coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me. |
6 In my distress I called to the LORD ;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears. |
7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry. |
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it. |
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet. |
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind. |
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him-
the dark rain clouds of the sky. |
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning. |
13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.3 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning |
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them. |
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O LORD ,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils. |
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters. |
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me. |
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support. |
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me. |
20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. |
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD ;
I have not done evil by turning from my God. |
22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees. |
23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin. |
24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. |
25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless, |
26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. |
27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. |
28 You, O LORD , keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light. |
29 With your help I can advance against a troop4 18:29 Or can run through a barricade ;
with my God I can scale a wall. |
30 As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him. |
31 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God? |
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect. |
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights. |
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze. |
35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great. |
36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn. |
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed. |
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet. |
39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet. |
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes. |
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them-
to the LORD , but he did not answer. |
42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind;
I poured them out like mud in the streets. |
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations;
people I did not know are subject to me. |
44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me;
foreigners cringe before me. |
45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds. |
46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior! |
47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me, |
48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me. |
49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD ;
I will sing praises to your name. |
50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever. |
