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