psalms18
- 1I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
- 2The 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.
- 3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
- 4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
- 5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
- 6In 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.
- 7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
- 8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
- 9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
- 10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
- 11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
- 12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
- 13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
- 14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
- 15Then 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.
- 16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
- 17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
- 18They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
- 19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
- 20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
- 21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
- 22For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
- 23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
- 24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
- 25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
- 26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
- 27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
- 28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
- 29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
- 30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
- 31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
- 32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
- 33He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
- 34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
- 35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
- 36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
- 37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
- 38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
- 39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
- 40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
- 41They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
- 42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
- 43Thou 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.
- 44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
- 45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
- 46The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
- 47It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
- 48He 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.
- 49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
- 50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.