Psalms 18 — WEBC

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,

18Verse 1I love you, Yahweh, my strength.
^{Verse 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.^{Verse 3}I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised;and I am saved from my enemies.^{Verse 4}The cords of death surrounded me.The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.^{Verse 5}The cords of Sheol⁺were around me.The snares of death came on me.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 7}Then the earth shook and trembled.The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken,
because he was angry.^{Verse 8}Smoke went out of his nostrils.Consuming fire came out of his mouth.
Coals were kindled by it.^{Verse 9}He bowed the heavens also, and came down.Thick darkness was under his feet.^{Verse 10}He rode on a cherub, and flew.Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.^{Verse 11}He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him,darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.^{Verse 12}At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed,hailstones and coals of fire.^{Verse 13}Yahweh also thundered in the sky.The Most High uttered his voice:
hailstones and coals of fire.^{Verse 14}He sent out his arrows, and scattered them.He routed them with great lightning bolts.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 16}He sent from on high.He took me.
He drew me out of many waters.^{Verse 17}He delivered me from my strong enemy,from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.^{Verse 18}They came on me in the day of my calamity,but Yahweh was my support.^{Verse 19}He brought me out also into a large place.He delivered me, because he delighted in me.^{Verse 20}Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness.According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me.^{Verse 21}For I have kept the ways of Yahweh,and have not wickedly departed from my God.^{Verse 22}For all his ordinances were before me.I didn’t put away his statutes from me.^{Verse 23}I was also blameless with him.I kept myself from my iniquity.^{Verse 24}Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness,according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.^{Verse 25}With the merciful you will show yourself merciful.With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.^{Verse 26}With the pure, you will show yourself pure.With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.^{Verse 27}For you will save the afflicted people,but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.^{Verse 28}For you will light my lamp, Yahweh.My God will light up my darkness.^{Verse 29}For by you, I advance through a troop.By my God, I leap over a wall.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 31}For who is God, except Yahweh?Who is a rock, besides our God,
^{Verse 32}the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?^{Verse 33}He makes my feet like deer’s feet,and sets me on my high places.^{Verse 34}He teaches my hands to war,so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.^{Verse 35}You have also given me the shield of your salvation.Your right hand sustains me.
Your gentleness has made me great.^{Verse 36}You have enlarged my steps under me,My feet have not slipped.^{Verse 37}I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them.I won’t turn away until they are consumed.^{Verse 38}I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise.They shall fall under my feet.^{Verse 39}For you have armed me with strength to the battle.You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.^{Verse 40}You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,that I might cut off those who hate me.^{Verse 41}They cried, but there was no one to save;even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.^{Verse 42}Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind.I cast them out as the mire of the streets.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 44}As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me.
The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.^{Verse 45}The foreigners shall fade away,and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.^{Verse 46}Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock.Exalted be the God of my salvation,^{Verse 47}even the God who executes vengeance for me,and subdues peoples under me.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 49}Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations,and will sing praises to your name.^{Verse 50}He gives great deliverance to his king,and shows loving kindness to his anointed,
to David and to his offspring,⁺forever more.