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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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
PSALM 18
To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David, the servant of Jehovah, who spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul. And he said,
1I will love thee, O Jehovah, my strength. 2Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my ·God#GodHebrew: El my rock, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. 3I will call upon Jehovah, who is to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4The bands of death encompassed me, and torrents of Belial made me afraid. 5The bands of Sheol surrounded me, the cords of death encountered me. 6In my distress I called upon Jehovah, and I cried out to my God#GodHebrew: Elohim he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, into his ears. 7Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled and shook, because he was wroth. 8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals burned forth from it. 9And he bowed the heavens, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. 10And he rode upon a cherub and did fly; yea, he flew fast upon the wings of the wind. 11He made darkness his secret place, his tent round about him: darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 12From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed forth: hail and coals of fire. 13And Jehovah thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice: hail and coals of fire. 14And he sent his arrows, and scattered mine enemies; and he shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them. 15And the beds of the waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at thy rebuke, Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. 16He reached forth from above, he took me, he drew me out of great waters: 17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me; for they were mightier than I. 18They encountered me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my stay. 19And he brought me forth into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 21For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, and have not wickedly departed from my God#GodHebrew: Elohim 22For all his ordinances were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me; 23And I was upright with him, and kept myself from mine iniquity. 24And Jehovah hath recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25With the gracious thou dost shew thyself gracious; with the upright man thou dost shew thyself upright; 26With the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; and with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary. 27For it is thou that savest the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes wilt thou bring down. 28For it is thou that makest my lamp to shine: Jehovah my God#GodHebrew: Elohim enlighteneth my darkness.
29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God#GodHebrew: Elohim have I leaped over a wall. 30As for ·God#GodHebrew: El his way is perfect; the word of Jehovah is tried: he is a shield to all that trust in him. 31For who is +God#GodHebrew: Eloah save Jehovah? and who is a rock if not our God#GodHebrew: Elohim 32The ·God#GodHebrew: El who girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect, 33Who maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places; 34Who teacheth my hands to war, and mine arms bend a bow of brass; 35And thou didst give me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand held me up; and thy condescending gentleness hath made me great. 36Thou didst enlarge my steps under me, and mine ankles have not wavered. 37I pursued mine enemies, and overtook them; and I turned not again till they were consumed. 38I crushed them, and they were not able to rise: they fell under my feet. 39And thou girdedst me with strength to battle; thou didst subdue under me those that rose up against me. 40And mine enemies didst thou make to turn their backs unto me, and those that hated me I destroyed. 41They cried, and there was none to save; — unto Jehovah, and he answered them not. 42And I did beat them small as dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets. 43Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; thou hast made me the head of the nations: a people I knew not doth serve me. 44At the hearing of the ear, they obey me: strangers come cringing unto me. 45Strangers have faded away, and they come trembling forth from their close places. 46Jehovah liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God#GodHebrew: Elohim of my salvation, 47The ·God#GodHebrew: El who hath avenged me, and hath subjected the peoples to me; 48Who hath delivered me from mine enemies: yea, thou hast lifted me up above them that rose up against me; from the man of violence hast thou delivered me. 49Therefore will I give thanks to thee, Jehovah, among the nations, and will sing psalms to thy name. 50It is he who giveth great deliverances to his king, and sheweth loving-kindness to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.