18:1 | I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. |
18:2 | 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. |
18:3 | I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. |
18:4 | The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. |
18:5 | The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. |
18:6 | 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. |
18:7 | Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. |
18:8 | There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. |
18:9 | He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. |
18:10 | And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. |
18:11 | He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. |
18:12 | At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. |
18:13 | The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. |
18:14 | Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. |
18:15 | 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. |
18:16 | He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. |
18:17 | He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. |
18:18 | They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. |
18:19 | He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. |
18:20 | The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. |
18:21 | For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. |
18:22 | For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. |
18:23 | I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. |
18:24 | Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. |
18:25 | With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; |
18:26 | With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. |
18:27 | For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. |
18:28 | For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. |
18:29 | For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. |
18:30 | 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. |
18:31 | For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? |
18:32 | It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. |
18:33 | He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. |
18:34 | He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. |
18:35 | 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. |
18:36 | Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. |
18:37 | I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. |
18:38 | I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. |
18:39 | For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. |
18:40 | Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. |
18:41 | They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. |
18:42 | Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. |
18:43 | 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. |
18:44 | As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. |
18:45 | The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. |
18:46 | The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. |
18:47 | It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. |
18:48 | 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. |
18:49 | Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. |
18:50 | Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. |