Psalm 18

1 {to the chief musician, a psalm of david, the servant of the lord, who spake unto the lord the words of this song in the day that the lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of saul and he said,} i will love thee, o lord, my strength 2 the lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my god, my strength, in whom i will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower 3 i will call upon the lord, who is worthy to be praised so shall i be saved from mine enemies 4 the sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid 5 the sorrows of hell compassed me about the snares of death prevented me 6 in my distress i called upon the lord, and cried unto my god he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears 7 then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth 8 there went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured coals were kindled by it 9 he bowed the heavens also, and came down and darkness was under his feet 10 and he rode upon a cherub, and did fly yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind 11 he made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies 12 at the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire 13 the lord also thundered in the heavens, and the highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire 14 yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them 15 then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, o lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils 16 he sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters 17 he delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me for they were too strong for me 18 they prevented me in the day of my calamity but the lord was my stay 19 he brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me 20 the lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me 21 for i have kept the ways of the lord, and have not wickedly departed from my god 22 for all his judgments were before me, and i did not put away his statutes from me 23 i was also upright before him, and i kept myself from mine iniquity 24 therefore hath the lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight 25 with the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26 with the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward 27 for thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks 28 for thou wilt light my candle the lord my god will enlighten my darkness 29 for by thee i have run through a troop; and by my god have i leaped over a wall 30 as for god, his way is perfect the word of the lord is tried he is a buckler to all those that trust in him 31 for who is god save the lord? or who is a rock save our god? 32 it is god that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect 33 he maketh my feet like hinds' feet , and setteth me upon my high places 34 he teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms 35 thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great 36 thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip 37 i have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them neither did i turn again till they were consumed 38 i have wounded them that they were not able to rise they are fallen under my feet 39 for thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me 40 thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that i might destroy them that hate me 41 they cried, but there was none to save them even unto the lord, but he answered them not 42 then did i beat them small as the dust before the wind i did cast them out as the dirt in the streets 43 thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen a people whom i have not known shall serve me 44 as soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me the strangers shall submit themselves unto me 45 the strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places 46 the lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the god of my salvation be exalted 47 it is god that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me 48 he delivereth me from mine enemies yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me thou hast delivered me from the violent man 49 therefore will i give thanks unto thee, o lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name 50 great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to david, and to his seed for evermore