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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Psalm 18: ESV
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Psalms 18
18
2Sa 22:1–51
For the Music Director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord. He spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that 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.
2#Ps 63:1; 84:2 The Lord is my pillar, and 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.
3#Ps 79:10; 80:5 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I will be saved from my enemies.
4#Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8 The cords of death encircled me,
and the torrents of destruction terrified me.
5#Ps 42:11; 43:5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6#2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8–9 In my distress I called on the Lord,
and cried for help to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
and my cry for help came before Him to His ears.
7#Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3 Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the hills also moved;
they reeled because His anger burned.
8#Job 35:10; Ps 63:6 Smoke went up out of His nostrils,
and fire from His mouth devoured;
coals were kindled by it.
9#Ps 38:6; 18:2 He bent the heavens and came down,
and darkness was under His feet.
10#Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17 He rode on a cherub, and flew;
He flew swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11#Ps 42:5; 43:5 He made darkness His secret place;
His pavilion was surrounding Him,
dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12At the brightness before Him His thick clouds passed by,
hailstones and coals of fire.
13The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High gave His voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14He sent out His arrows and scattered them,
and He shot out lightning and distressed them.
15Then the channels of waters appeared,
and the foundations of the world were discovered
at Your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
16He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19He also brought me forth 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 He has repaid 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 my iniquity.
24Therefore the Lord has repaid me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in His view.
25With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
with the blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
26with the pure You will show Yourself pure;
and with the crooked You will show Yourself crooked.
27For You will save the afflicted people,
but will bring down prideful eyes.
28For You will cause my lamp to shine;
the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29For by You I can run through a troop,
and by my God I can leap a wall.
30As for God, His way has integrity;
the word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield
to all those who take refuge in Him.
31For who is God except the Lord?
Or who is a rock besides our God?
32It is God who clothes me with strength,
and gives my way integrity.
33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
and causes me to stand on my high places.
34He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35You have given me the shield of Your salvation,
and Your right hand has held me up,
and Your gentleness has made me great.
36You have lengthened my stride under me,
so that my feet did not slip.
37I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not return until they were destroyed.
38I wounded them, and they were not able to rise;
they are fallen under my feet.
39For You clothed me with strength for the battle;
You subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40You gave me the necks of my enemies,
and I destroyed those who hate me.
41They cried for help, but there was none to save them;
even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind;
I cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43You have delivered me from the hostilities of the people,
and You have made me the head of nations;
a people whom I have not known serve me.
44At hearing a report, they obey me;
foreigners come cringing to me.
45Foreigners fade away,
and come quaking out of their prisons.
46The Lord lives! And blessed be my Rock!
May the God of my salvation be exalted.
47It is God who avenges me
and subdues the people under me;
48He delivers me from my enemies.
You lift me up above those who rise up against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
49Therefore I will give thanks to You, OLord, among the nations,
and sing praises to Your name.
50He gives great deliverance to His king,
and shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
to David and to his descendants for evermore.
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