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 This song is also found in 2 Sam. 22. To the director: A song of David, the Lord’s servant. He sang this song to the Lord when the Lord saved him from Saul and all his other enemies.
1I love you, Lord!
You are my strength.
2The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my place of safety.
He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection.
He is my shield; by his power I am saved.#18:2 by his power I am saved Literally, “He is the horn of my salvation.”
He is my hiding place high in the hills.
3I called to the Lord for help,
and he saved me from my enemies!
He is worthy of my praise!
4Death had its ropes wrapped around me.
A deadly flood was carrying me away.
5The ropes of the grave wrapped around me.
Death set its trap right there in front of me.
6In my trouble I called to the Lord.
Yes, I cried out to my God for help.
There in his temple he heard my voice.
He heard my cry for help.
7The earth shook and shivered.
The foundations of the mountains trembled.
They shook because he was angry.
8Smoke came from his nose.
Burning flames came from his mouth.
Red-hot coals fell from him.
9He tore open the sky and came down!
He stood on a thick, dark cloud.
10He flew across the sky, riding on a Cherub angel
racing on the wings of the wind.
11He wrapped himself in darkness that covered him like a tent.
He was hidden by dark clouds heavy with water.
12Out of the brightness before him,
hail broke through the clouds with flashes of lightning.
13The Lord thundered from the sky;
God Most High let his voice be heard.#18:13 The ancient Greek version and some Hebrew copies add “with hailstones and bolts of lightning.”
14He scattered his enemies with his arrows—
the lightning bolts that threw them into confusion.
15Lord, you shouted your command,
and a powerful wind began to blow.#18:15 and … blow Or “and a blast of breath came from your nose.”
Then the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the earth’s foundations were uncovered.
16He reached down from above and grabbed me.
He pulled me from the deep water.
17He saved me from my powerful enemies, who hated me.
They were too strong for me, so he saved me.
18They attacked me in my time of trouble,
but the Lord was there to support me.
19He was pleased with me, so he rescued me.
He took me to a safe place.
20The Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
He was good to me because I am innocent.
21The Lord did this because I have obeyed him.
I have not turned against my God.
22I always remembered his laws.
I never rejected his rules.
23He knows I did nothing that was wrong.
I have kept myself from sinning.
24So the Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
He could see that I am innocent.
25Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful.
You are good to those who are good.
26You never do wrong to those who have done no wrong.
But you outsmart the wicked, no matter how clever they are.
27You help those who are humble,
but you humiliate the proud.
28Lord, you provide the flame for my lamp.
You, God, turn the darkness around me into light.
29With your help I can defeat an army.
If my God is with me, I can climb over enemy walls.
30God’s way is perfect.
The Lord’s promise always proves to be true.
He protects those who trust in him.
31There is no God except the Lord.
There is no Rock except our God.
32God is the one who gives me strength.
He clears the path I need to take.
33He makes my feet as steady as those of a deer.
Even on steep mountains he keeps me from falling.
34He trains me for war
so that my arms can bend the most powerful bow.
35Lord, you have given me your shield to protect me.
You support me with your right hand.
It is your help that has made me great.
36You cleared a path for my feet
so that I could walk without stumbling.
37I chased my enemies and caught them.
I did not stop until they were destroyed.
38I struck them down, and they could not get up again.
They fell under my feet.
39God, you made me strong in battle.
You made my enemies fall before me.
40You made my enemies turn and run away.
I destroyed those who hated me.
41They cried out for help,
but there was no one to save them.
They cried out to the Lord,
but he did not answer them.
42I beat them to pieces like dust blown by the wind.
I smashed them like mud in the streets.
43You saved me from those who fought against me.
You made me the ruler over nations.
People I never knew now serve me.
44As soon as they heard about me, they were ready to obey.
Those foreigners fall helpless before me!
45They lose all their courage
and come out of their hiding places shaking with fear.
46The Lord lives!
I praise my Rock, the God who saves me.
How great he is!
47He is the God who punishes my enemies for me,
the one who puts people under my control.
48He saves me from my enemies!
You, Lord, help me defeat those who attack me.
You save me from cruel people.
49Lord, that is why I praise you among the nations.
That is why I sing songs of praise to your name.
50The Lord helps his king win battle after battle.
He shows his faithful love to his chosen one,#18:50 his chosen one Literally, “his anointed one.”
to David and his descendants forever.
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