Psalms 18

1I love you, LORD, my strength.

2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I trust; my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my stronghold.

3I call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.

4The ropes of death surrounded me; the floods of destruction overwhelmed me.

5The ropes of the grave surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me.

6In my distress I called on the LORD; I cried to my God for help. The LORD heard my voice from the LORD's temple; my cry came before the LORD, into the LORD's ears.

7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the mountains quaked, because the LORD was angry.

8Smoke rose from the LORD's nostrils; consuming fire came from the LORD's mouth; burning coals blazed out of it.

9The LORD parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under the LORD's feet.

10The LORD rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.

11The LORD made darkness a hiding place, a canopy around the LORD, dark waters and thick clouds.

12Out of the brightness before the LORD, thick clouds burst, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

13The LORD also thundered in the heavens; the Most High spoke with a mighty voice — hailstones and bolts of lightning.

14The LORD shot arrows and scattered the enemy; the LORD flashed lightning and routed them.

15Then the beds of the seas were seen, and the foundations of the world were exposed, LORD, at your rebuke, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16The LORD reached down from on high and took hold of me; the LORD drew me out of deep waters.

17The LORD rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.

18They confronted me on the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.

19The LORD brought me out into a spacious place; the LORD rescued me because the LORD delighted in me.

20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands the LORD repaid me.

21Because I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned wickedly from my God.

22Because all the LORD's judgments were before me, and I did not put away the LORD's statutes.

23I was blameless before the LORD, and I kept myself from my sin.

24So the LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in the LORD's sight.

25To the merciful you show yourself merciful; to the blameless you show yourself blameless;

26To the pure you show yourself pure; but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

27Because you save the humble people, but you bring down proud looks.

28Because you light my lamp; the LORD my God lights up my darkness.

29Because with you I can charge through a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.

30As for God, God's way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless; the LORD is a shield to all who take refuge in the LORD.

31Because who is God besides the LORD? Who is the Rock except our God?

32It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

33God makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and sets me secure on the heights.

34God trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35You have also given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand sustains me, and your gentleness has made me great.

36You have made a spacious path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.

37I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until they were destroyed.

38I struck them down so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.

39You have armed me with strength for battle; you have made those who rise against me bow at my feet.

40You have made my enemies turn their backs to me, and I destroyed those who hated me.

41They cried out, but there was no one to save them; they cried to the LORD, but the LORD did not answer them.

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

43You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of the nations. People I did not know now serve me.

44As soon as they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cringe before me.

45Foreigners lose heart, and come trembling out of their strongholds.

46The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted!

47It is God who avenges me and subdues nations under me,

48Who rescues me from my enemies. You have lifted me above those who rise against me; you have rescued me from the violent.

49Therefore I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations, and I will sing praises to your name.

50The LORD gives great victories to the LORD's king, and shows mercy to the LORD's anointed one, to David and his descendants forever.