Psalms 18

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of Dawid, the servant of יהוה, who spake unto יהוה the words of this song in the day that יהוה delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; And he said:

1 I will love You, O יהוה, my strength.

2 יהוה is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God (Eli), my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

3 I will call upon יהוה, 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 wickedness made me afraid.

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

6 In my distress I called upon יהוה, and cried unto my God (Elohim); 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 (keruv), 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 יהוה also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High (Elyon) 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 Your rebuke, O יהוה, at the blast of the breath of Your 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 disaster, but יהוה was my support.

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

20 יהוה 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 יהוה, and have not wickedly departed from my God (Elohim).

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 יהוה recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyesight.

25 With the merciful You wilt shew Yourself merciful; with an upright man You wilt shew Yourself upright;

26 With the pure You wilt shew Yourself pure; and with the perverse You wilt shew Yourself perverse.

27 For You wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down haughty looks.

28 For You wilt light my candle; יהוה my God (Elohim) will enlighten my darkness.

29 For by You I have run through a troop; and by my God (Elohim) have I leaped over a wall.

30 As for God (Elohim), His way is perfect; the word of יהוה is proven; He is a buckler to all those who trust in Him.

31 For who is God (Eloah) except יהוה? Or who is a Rock except our God (Elohim)?

32 It is God (Elohim) who 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 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; and Your right hand hath holden me up, and Your gentleness hath made me great.

36 You have 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 You have girded me with strength unto the battle; You have subdued under me those that rose up against me.

40 You have 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 יהוה, 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 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; and You have 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 יהוה liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God (Elohim) of my salvation be exalted.

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

48 He delivereth me from mine enemies; yea, You liftest me up above those that rise up against me; You have delivered me from the violent man.

49 Therefore will I give thanks unto You, O יהוה, among the heathen, and sing praises unto Your name.

50 Great deliverance giveth He to His king; and sheweth mercy to His anointed (mashiach), to Dawid, and to His seed forevermore.