Psalms 18

¹To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid the seruant of the Lord, which spake unto the Lord the wordes of this song (in the day that the Lord delivered him for the hande of all this enemies, and form the and of saul) and sayd, I will loue thee dearely, O Lord my strength.

²The Lord is my rocke, and my fortresse, and he that deliuereth me, my God and my strength: in him will I trust, my shield, the horne also of my saluation, and my refuge.

³I will call vpon the Lord, which is worthie to be praysed: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.

⁴The sorowes of death compassed me, and the floods of wickednes made me afraide.

⁵The sorowes of the graue haue compassed me about: the snares of death ouertooke me.

⁶But in my trouble did I call vpon the Lord, and cryed vnto my God: he heard my voyce out of his Temple, and my crye did come before him, euen into his eares.

⁷Then the earth trembled, and quaked: the foundations also of the mountaines mooued and shooke, because he was angrie.

⁸Smoke went out at his nostrels, and a consuming fire out of his mouth: coales were kindled thereat.

⁹He bowed the heauens also and came downe, and darkenes was vnder his feete.

¹⁰And he rode vpon Cherub and did flie, and he came flying vpon the wings of the winde.

¹¹He made darkenes his secrete place, and his pauilion round about him, euen darkenesse of waters, and cloudes of the ayre.

¹²At the brightnes of his presence his clouds passed, haylestones and coles of fire.

¹³The Lord also thundred in the heauen, and the Highest gaue his voyce, haylestones and coales of fire.

¹⁴Then hee sent out his arrowes and scattred them, and he increased lightnings and destroyed them.

¹⁵And the chanels of waters were seene, and the foundations of the worlde were discouered at thy rebuking, O Lord, at the blasting of the breath of thy nostrels.

¹⁶He hath sent downe from aboue and taken mee: hee hath drawen mee out of many waters.

¹⁷He hath deliuered mee from my strong enemie, and from them which hate me: for they were too strong for me.

¹⁸They preuented me in the day of my calamitie: but the Lord was my stay.

¹⁹Hee brought mee foorth also into a large place: hee deliuered mee because hee fauoured me.

²⁰The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnes: according to the purenes of mine hands he recompensed me:

²¹Because I kept the wayes of the Lord, and did not wickedly against my God.

²²For all his Lawes were before mee, and I did not cast away his commandements from mee.

²³I was vpright also with him, and haue kept me from my wickednes.

²⁴Therefore the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousnesse, and according to the purenes of mine hands in his sight.

²⁵With the godly thou wilt shewe thy selfe godly: with the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright.

²⁶With the pure thou wilt shewe thy selfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt shewe thy selfe froward.

²⁷Thus thou wilt saue the poore people, and wilt cast downe the proude lookes.

²⁸Surely thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God wil lighten my darkenes.

²⁹For by thee I haue broken through an hoste, and by my God I haue leaped ouer a wall.

³⁰The way of God is vncorrupt: the worde of the Lord is tried in the fire: he is a shield to all that trust in him.

³¹For who is God besides the Lord? and who is mightie saue our God?

³²God girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way vpright.

³³He maketh my feete like hindes feete, and setteth me vpon mine high places.

³⁴He teacheth mine hands to fight: so that a bowe of brasse is broken with mine armes.

³⁵Thou hast also giuen me the shield of thy saluation, and thy right hand hath stayed me, and thy louing kindenes hath caused me to increase.

³⁶Thou hast enlarged my steps vnder mee, and mine heeles haue not slid.

³⁷I haue pursued mine enemies, and taken them, and haue not turned againe till I had consumed them.

³⁸I haue wounded them, that they were not able to rise: they are fallen vnder my feete.

³⁹For thou hast girded me with strength to battell: them, that rose against me, thou hast subdued vnder me.

⁴⁰And thou hast giuen me the neckes of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.

⁴¹They cryed but there was none to saue them, euen vnto the Lord, but hee answered them not.

⁴²Then I did beate them small as the dust before the winde: I did treade them flat as the clay in the streetes.

⁴³Thou hast deliuered me from the contentions of the people: thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people, whom I haue not knowen, shall serue me.

⁴⁴As soone as they heare, they shall obey me: the strangers shall be in subiection to me.

⁴⁵Strangers shall shrinke away, and feare in their priuie chambers.

⁴⁶Let the Lord liue, and blessed be my strength, and the God of my saluation be exalted.

⁴⁷It is God that giueth me power to auenge me, and subdueth the people vnder me.

⁴⁸O my deliuerer from mine enemies, euen thou hast set mee vp from them, that rose against me: thou hast deliuered mee from the cruell man.

⁴⁹Therefore I will prayse thee, O Lord, among the nations, and wil sing vnto thy Name.

⁵⁰Great deliuerances giueth hee vnto his King, and sheweth mercie to his anoynted, euen to Dauid, and to his seede for euer.

Psalms 18

¹I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.

²The 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.

³I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

⁴The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

⁵The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

⁶In 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.

⁷Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

⁸There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

⁹He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

¹⁰And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

¹¹He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

¹²At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

¹³The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

¹⁴Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

¹⁵Then 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.

¹⁶He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

¹⁷He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

¹⁸They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.

¹⁹He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²⁰The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

²¹For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

²²For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

²³I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

²⁴Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

²⁵With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

²⁶With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

²⁷For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

²⁸For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

²⁹For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

³⁰As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

³¹For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?

³²It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

³³He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

³⁴He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

³⁵Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

³⁶Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

³⁷I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

³⁸I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

³⁹For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

⁴⁰Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

⁴¹They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.

⁴²Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

⁴³Thou 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.

⁴⁴As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

⁴⁵The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

⁴⁶The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

⁴⁷It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

⁴⁸He 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.

⁴⁹Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

⁵⁰Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.