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.
Currently Selected:
Psalm 18: ESV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV:
Psalms 18
18
Psalm 18#18.0 This poem also occurs in 2 Sam 22 with some variations.
For the music leader. Of David the LORD’s servant, who spoke the words of this song to the LORD after the LORD delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from Saul.
1He said: I love you, LORD, my strength.
2The LORD is my solid rock,
my fortress, my rescuer.
My God is my rock—
I take refuge in him!—
he’s my shield,
my salvation’s strength,
my place of safety.
3Because he is praiseworthy,#18.3 Heb uncertain
I cried out to the LORD,
and I was saved from my enemies.
4Death’s cords were wrapped around me;
rivers of wickedness terrified me.
5The cords of the grave#18.5 Heb Sheol surrounded me;
death’s traps held me tight.
6In my distress I cried out to the LORD;
I called to my God for help.
God heard my voice from his temple;
I called to him for help,
and my call reached his ears.
7The earth rocked and shook;
the bases of the mountains trembled and reeled
because of God’s anger.
8Smoke went up from God’s nostrils;
out of his mouth came a devouring fire;
flaming coals blazed out in front of him!
9God parted the skies and came down;
thick darkness was beneath his feet.
10God mounted the heavenly creatures and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11God made darkness cloak him;
his covering was dark water and dense cloud.
12God’s clouds went ahead
of the brightness before him;
hail and coals of fire went too.
13The LORD thundered in heaven;
the Most High made his voice heard
with hail and coals of fire.
14God shot his arrows, scattering the enemy;
he sent the lightning and threw them into confusion.
15The seabeds were exposed;
the earth’s foundations were laid bare
at your rebuke, LORD,
at the angry blast of air coming from your nostrils.
16From on high God reached down and grabbed me;
he took me out of all that water.
17God saved me from my powerful enemy,
saved me from my foes,
who were too much for me.
18They came at me on the very day of my distress,
but the LORD was my support.
19He brought me out to wide-open spaces;
he pulled me out safe
because he is pleased with me.
20The LORD rewarded me for my righteousness;
he restored me because my hands are clean,
21because I have kept the LORD’s ways.
I haven’t acted wickedly against my God.
22All his rules are right in front of me;
I haven’t turned away from any of his laws.
23I have lived with integrity before him;
I’ve kept myself from wrongdoing.
24And so the LORD restored me for my righteousness
because my hands are clean in his eyes.
25You deal faithfully with the faithful;
you show integrity
toward the one who has integrity.
26You are pure toward the pure,
but toward the crooked, you are tricky.
27You are the one who saves people who suffer
and brings down those with proud eyes.
28You are the one who lights my lamp—
the LORD my God illumines my darkness.
29With you I can charge into battle;
with my God I can leap over a wall.
30God! His way is perfect;
the LORD’s word is tried and true.
He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
31Now really, who is divine except the LORD?
And who is a rock but our God?
32Only God! The God who equips me with strength
and makes my way perfect,
33who makes my step as sure as the deer’s,
who lets me stand securely on the heights,
34who trains my hands for war
so my arms can bend a bronze bow.
35You’ve given me the shield of your salvation;
your strong hand has supported me;
your help has made me great.
36You’ve let me walk fast and safe,
without even twisting an ankle.
37I chased my enemies and caught them!
I didn’t come home until I finished them off.
38I struck them down;
they couldn’t get up again;
they fell under my feet.
39You equipped me with strength for war;
you brought my adversaries down underneath me.
40You made my enemies turn tail from me;
I destroyed my foes.
41They cried for help,
but there was no one to save them.
They cried for help to the LORD,
but he wouldn’t answer them.
42I crushed them
like dust blown away by the wind;
I threw them out
like mud dumped in the streets.
43You delivered me from struggles with many people;
you appointed me the leader of many nations.
Strangers come to serve me.
44After hearing about me, they obey me;
foreigners grovel before me.
45Foreigners lose their nerve;
they come trembling out of their fortresses.#18.45 Or prisons
46The LORD lives! Bless God, my rock!
Let the God of my salvation be lifted high!
47This is the God who avenges on my behalf,
who subdues people before me,
48who delivers me from my enemies.
Yes, you lifted me high above my adversaries;
you delivered me from violent people.
49That’s why I thank you, LORD,
in the presence of the nations.
That’s why I sing praises to your name.
50You are the one who gives great victories to your king,
who shows faithful love to your anointed one—
to David and to his descendants forever.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.