PSALM 18 [†] I love you, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my  i rock and my  j fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my  i rock, in  k whom I take refuge,

my  l shield, and  m the horn of my salvation, my  n stronghold.

3 I call upon the LORD, who is  o worthy to be praised,

and I am saved from my enemies.

4[^][†]  p The cords of death encompassed me;

 q the torrents of destruction assailed me; [1]

5  p the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

6[†]  r In my distress I called upon the LORD;

to my God I cried for help.

From his  s temple he heard my voice,

and my cry to him reached his ears.

7[†] Then the earth  t reeled and rocked;

the foundations also of the mountains trembled

and quaked, because he was angry.

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, [2]

and devouring  u fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

9 He  v bowed the heavens and  w came down;

 x thick darkness was under his feet.

10 He rode on a cherub and flew;

he came swiftly on  z the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his  a canopy around him,

thick clouds  b dark with water.

12 Out of the brightness before him

 c hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The LORD also  d thundered in the heavens,

and the Most High uttered his  e voice,

hailstones and coals of fire.

14 And he sent out his  f arrows and scattered them;

he flashed forth lightnings and  g routed them.

15 Then  h the channels of the sea were seen,

and the foundations of the world were laid bare

at your  i rebuke, O LORD,

at the blast of  j the breath of your nostrils.

16 He  k sent from on high, he took me;

he  l drew me out of  m many waters.

17[^] He rescued me from my strong enemy

and from those who hated me,

for they were  n too mighty for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

but the LORD was my support.

19 He brought me out into  o a broad place;

he rescued me, because he  p delighted in me.

20[^][†] The LORD dealt with me  q according to my righteousness;

according to  r the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

21 For I have  s kept the ways of the LORD,

and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22 For  t all his rules [3] were before me,

and his statutes I did not put away from me.

23 I was  u blameless before him,

and I kept myself from my guilt.

24 So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 With  v the merciful you show yourself merciful;

with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;

26 with the purified you show yourself pure;

and with  w the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

27 For you save  x a humble people,

but  y the haughty eyes you bring down.

28 For it is you who light my  z lamp;

the LORD my God lightens my darkness.

29 For by you I can run against a troop,

and by my God I can  a leap over  b a wall.

30[†] This God—his way is  c perfect; [4]

the word of the LORD  d proves true;

he is  e a shield for all those who  f take refuge in him.

31[†] For  g who is God, but the LORD?

And who is  h a rock, except our God?—

32 the God who  i equipped me with strength

and made my way  j blameless.

33 He made my feet like the feet of a  k deer

and set me secure on  l the heights.

34[^] He  m trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your right hand  n supported me,

and your  o gentleness made me great.

36 You  p gave a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,

and did not turn back till they were consumed.

38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;

they fell under my feet.

39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;

you made those who rise against me sink under me.

40 You made my enemies  q turn their backs to me, [5]

and those who hated me I destroyed.

41  r They cried for help, but there was none to save;

they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.

42 I beat them fine as  s dust before the wind;

I cast them out like  t the mire of the streets.

43 You delivered me from  u strife with the people;

you made me  v the head of the nations;

 w people whom I had not known served me.

44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;

 x foreigners  y came cringing to me.

45  x Foreigners lost heart

and  z came trembling out of their fortresses.

46[†] The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation—

47 the God who gave me vengeance

and  a subdued peoples under me,

48 who delivered me from my enemies;

yes, you  b exalted me above those who rose against me;

you rescued me from  c the man of violence.

49[^][†]  d For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations,

and  e sing to your name.

50[^][†] Great  f salvation he brings to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his  g anointed,

to  h David and his offspring forever.

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.