Psalms 18
18
Psalm 18
Praise for Deliverance
For the choir director. Of the servant of the Lord, David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the power of Saul.#2Sm 22 He said:
1I love you, Lord, my strength.
2The Lord is my rock,
my fortress, and my deliverer,#Ps 62:7; 94:22
my God, my rock where I seek refuge,
my shield#Gn 15:1; Dt 33:29; Ps 3:3; 5:12; 28:7; 119:114 and the horn of my salvation,#1Sm 2:1,10; Lk 1:69
my stronghold.
3I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,#Ps 48:1; 96:4; 145:3
and I was saved from my enemies.#Ps 138:7
4The ropes of death were wrapped around me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.#Ps 124:4
5The ropes of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.#Ps 116:3
6I called to the Lord in my distress,
and I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,#Ps 3:4
and my cry to him reached his ears.#Ps 34:15
7Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the mountains trembled;#Is 13:13; Hg 2:6
they shook because he burned with anger.
8Smoke rose from his nostrils,
and consuming fire came from his mouth;
coals were set ablaze by it.#18:8 Or him#Ps 21:9; 50:3
9He bent the heavens and came down,#Ps 144:5; Is 64:1
total darkness beneath his feet.
10He rode on a cherub and flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.#Ps 104:3
11He made darkness his hiding place,
dark storm clouds his canopy around him.#Ps 97:2
12From the radiance of his presence,#Ps 50:2; Is 60:3
his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals.
13The Lord thundered from#18:13 Some Hb mss, LXX, Tg, Jer; other Hb mss read in heaven;
the Most High made his voice heard.#18:13 Some Hb mss read voice, with hail and blazing coals#Ps 29:3; 104:7
14He shot his arrows and scattered them;
he hurled#18:14 Or multiplied lightning bolts and routed them.#Ps 144:6
15The depths of the sea became visible,
the foundations of the world were exposed,
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.#Ex 15:8; Ps 106:9; Nah 1:4
16He reached down from on high
and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of deep water.#Ps 144:7
17He rescued me from my powerful enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.#Ps 35:10; 59:1; 142:6
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.#Ps 55:22; 59:16
19He brought me out to a spacious place;#Ps 31:8; 118:5
he rescued me because he delighted in me.#Ps 41:11
20The Lord rewarded me
according to my righteousness;#Ps 7:8
he repaid me
according to the cleanness of my hands.#Ps 24:4
21For I have kept the ways of the Lord
and have not turned from my God to wickedness.#Jb 23:11; Ps 119:101
22Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me#18:22 Lit Indeed, all his ordinances have been in front of me
and have not disregarded his statutes.#Lv 18:4–5
23I was blameless toward him#Dt 18:13; Ps 37:18; 119:1
and kept myself from my iniquity.
24So the Lord repaid me
according to my righteousness,#2Ch 6:23
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.#Ps 24:4
25With the faithful
you prove yourself faithful,
with the blameless
you prove yourself blameless,
26with the pure
you prove yourself pure,
but with the crooked
you prove yourself shrewd.#Mt 16:27; Rv 22:12
27For you rescue an oppressed people,#Ps 72:12
but you humble those with haughty eyes.#Ps 138:6
28 Lord, you light my lamp;
my God illuminates my darkness.#Ps 112:4; Is 42:16
29With you I can attack a barricade,#18:29 Or a ridge, or raiders
and with my God I can leap over a wall.#Mt 19:26; Php 4:13
30God — his way is perfect;#Dt 32:4
the word of the Lord is pure.#Ps 19:7
He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.#Ps 91:4; 144:2
31For who is God besides the Lord?#Dt 32:39; 1Sm 2:2; Ps 86:8
And who is a rock? Only our God.#Ps 62:2
32God — he clothes me with strength#Is 45:5
and makes my way perfect.
33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer#Hab 3:19
and sets me securely on the heights.#18:33 Or on my high places#Dt 32:13; Is 58:14
34He trains my hands for war;#Ps 144:1
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.#Jb 29:20
35You have given me the shield of your salvation;
your right hand upholds me,#Ps 89:21
and your humility exalts me.
36You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps,#Ps 31:8; 118:5
and my ankles do not give way.#Ps 66:9; Pr 4:12
37I pursue my enemies and overtake them;
I do not turn back until they are wiped out.#Ps 44:5
38I crush them, and they cannot get up;
they fall beneath my feet.#Ps 36:12
39You have clothed me with strength for battle;#1Sm 2:4
you subdue my adversaries beneath me.#1Ch 17:10; Ps 81:14
40You have made my enemies retreat before me;#18:40 Or You gave me the necks of my enemies#Ex 23:27
I annihilate those who hate me.#Dt 7:10
41They cry for help, but there is no one to save them#Ps 50:22 —
they cry to the Lord, but he does not answer them.#Mc 3:4
42I pulverize them like dust before the wind;#2Kg 13:7
I trample them#18:42 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg; other Hb mss read I poured them out like mud in the streets.#Is 10:6; Mc 7:10
43You have freed me from the feuds among the people;
you have appointed me the head of nations;#2Sm 8:1–14
a people I had not known serve me.#Is 55:5
44Foreigners submit to me cringing;
as soon as they hear they obey me.#Dt 33:29; Ps 66:3
45Foreigners lose heart
and come trembling from their fortifications.#Mc 7:17
46The Lord lives — blessed be my rock!
The God of my salvation is exalted.#Ps 62:2,6
47God — he grants me vengeance#2Sm 4:8; Ps 94:1
and subdues peoples under me.#Ps 47:3; 144:2
48He frees me from my enemies.
You exalt me above my adversaries;
you rescue me from violent men.#Ps 59:1; 140:1
49Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord;
I will sing praises about your name.#Rm 15:9
50He gives great victories to his king;#Ps 144:10
he shows loyalty to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.#2Sm 7:12–13; Ps 89:4,29
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Psalms 18: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Psalm 18
18
The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, #Ps. 36, title; 89:3, 20; [2 Sam. 3:18; 7:5] the servant of the Lord, #See 2 Sam. 22 who addressed the words of this #Ex. 15:1; Deut. 31:30song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2The Lord is my #ver. 31, 46; Ps. 19:14; 31:3 rock and my #Ps. 91:2; 144:2 fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my #ver. 31, 46; Ps. 19:14; 31:3 rock, in #[Heb. 2:13] whom I take refuge,
my #ver. 30; Gen. 15:1 shield, and #Ps. 112:9; Luke 1:69 the horn of my salvation, my #See Ps. 9:9stronghold.
3I call upon the Lord, who is #Ps. 48:1; 96:4; 113:3; 145:3worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
4 #
Ps. 116:3; [Ps. 119:61] The cords of death encompassed me;
# See Ps. 32:6 the torrents of destruction assailed me;#18:4 Or terrified me
5 # [See ver. 4 above] the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 #
Ps. 66:14; 102:2; 120:1; [Jonah 2:2] In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his #See Ps. 11:4temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7Then the earth #[Judg. 5:4; Acts 4:31; 16:26]reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8Smoke went up from his nostrils,#18:8 Or in his wrath
and devouring #See Ps. 21:9fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9He #Ps. 144:5 bowed the heavens and #Isa. 64:1 came down;
# See Ex. 20:21 thick darkness was under his feet.
10He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on #Ps. 104:3the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his covering, his #Job 36:29; [Ps. 97:2] canopy around him,
thick clouds #[Ps. 29:3]dark with water.
12Out of the brightness before him
# [Ps. 148:8; Josh. 10:11] hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
13The Lord also #1 Sam. 2:10; 7:10; See Job 37:4 thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his #Isa. 30:30; See Ps. 29:3-9voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14And he sent out his #Ps. 7:13; 64:7; 77:17; 144:6; Deut. 32:23, 42; Hab. 3:11 arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and #Ex. 14:24; Josh. 10:10routed them.
15Then #Ps. 42:1; Joel 1:20 (Heb.); [Job 36:30] the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your #Ps. 106:9; Nah. 1:4 rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of #[Ex. 15:8]the breath of your nostrils.
16He #[Ps. 144:7] sent from on high, he took me;
he #[Ex. 2:10] drew me out of #See Ps. 32:6; Job 22:11many waters.
17He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were #Ps. 142:6too mighty for me.
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19He brought me out into #Ps. 31:8; 118:5; [ver. 36] a broad place;
he rescued me, because he #Ps. 22:8; 2 Sam. 15:26delighted in me.
20The Lord dealt with me #Ps. 7:8; 1 Sam. 24:19; 26:23; 1 Kgs. 8:32 according to my righteousness;
according to #See Job 22:30the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21For I have #[Gen. 18:19; Prov. 8:32]kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22For #Ps. 119:30, 102all his rules#18:22 Or just decrees were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23I was #Gen. 17:1; [1 Kgs. 14:8]blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25With #Matt. 5:7the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with #Ps. 81:12; Lev. 26:23, 24; Prov. 3:34; Acts 7:42; Rom. 1:28the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27For you save #[Ex. 3:7] a humble people,
but #See Ps. 101:5the haughty eyes you bring down.
28For it is you who light my #Ps. 132:17; 1 Kgs. 11:36; 15:4; 2 Kgs. 8:19; [2 Sam. 21:17]; See Job 18:5, 6lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can #[Isa. 35:6] leap over #See 2 Sam. 5:6-9a wall.
30This God—his way is #Deut. 32:4; Dan. 4:37; Matt. 5:48; [Rev. 15:3] perfect;#18:30 Or blameless
the word of the Lord #See Ps. 12:6 proves true;
he is #ver. 2 a shield for all those who #Ps. 17:7take refuge in him.
31For #[Ps. 86:8] who is God, but the Lord?
And who is #See ver. 2a rock, except our God?—
32the God who #1 Sam. 2:4; Isa. 45:5 equipped me with strength
and made my way #Ps. 101:2, 6; 119:1; Job 22:3blameless.
33He made my feet like the feet of a #Hab. 3:19 deer
and set me secure on #Deut. 32:13; Isa. 58:14the heights.
34He #Ps. 144:1trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand #Ps. 20:2 supported me,
and your #[Isa. 63:9]gentleness made me great.
36You #Ps. 31:8; Prov. 4:12; [ver. 19]gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40You made my enemies #Ex. 23:27; [Ps. 21:12]turn their backs to me,#18:40 Or You gave me my enemies’ necks
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 # See Job 27:9 They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42I beat them fine as #2 Kgs. 13:7 dust before the wind;
I cast them out like #Isa. 10:6; Mic. 7:10; Zech. 10:5the mire of the streets.
43You delivered me from #[2 Sam. 3:1; 19:9, 43; 20:1] strife with the people;
you made me #[Ps. 2:8]; See 2 Sam. 8:1-14 the head of the nations;
#
Isa. 55:5; [Ps. 22:27] people whom I had not known served me.
44As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
#
Ps. 144:7 foreigners #Ps. 66:3; 81:15; Deut. 33:29came cringing to me.
45 # [See ver. 44 above] Foreigners lost heart
and #Mic. 7:17came trembling out of their fortresses.
46The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47the God who gave me vengeance
and #Ps. 47:3; 144:2; [Isa. 45:1]subdued peoples under me,
48who rescued me from my enemies;
yes, you #Ps. 59:1 exalted me above those who rose against me;
you delivered me from #Ps. 140:1the man of violence.
49 # Cited Rom. 15:9 For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and #Ps. 66:4sing to your name.
50Great #Ps. 144:10 salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his #See Ps. 2:2 anointed,
to #[Ps. 89:29; 2 Sam. 7:12, 13, 29]David and his offspring forever.
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