Add parallel Print Page Options

A Song of Victory

For the director of music. By the Lord’s servant, David. David sang this song to the Lord. He sang it when the Lord had saved him from Saul and all his other enemies.

18 I love you, Lord. You are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior.
    My God is my rock.
    I can run to him for safety.
    He is my shield and my saving strength, my high tower.
I will call to the Lord.
    He is worthy of praise.
    And I will be saved from my enemies.

The ropes of death bound me.
    The deadly rivers overwhelmed me.
The ropes of death wrapped around me.
    The traps of death were before me.
In my trouble I called to the Lord.
    I cried out to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice.
    My call for help reached his ears.

The earth trembled and shook.
    The foundations of the mountains began to shake.
    They shook because the Lord was angry.
Smoke came out of his nose.
    Burning fire came out of his mouth.
    Burning coals went before him.
He tore open the sky and came down.
    Dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He rode a creature with wings and flew.
    He flew on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his shelter around him,
    surrounded by fog and clouds.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence came clouds.
    They came with hail and lightning.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven.
    God Most High raised his voice.
    And there was hail and lightning.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies.
    His many bolts of lightning confused them with fear.
15 Lord, you spoke strongly.
    The wind blew from your nose.
The valleys of the sea appeared.
    The foundations of the earth were seen.

16 The Lord reached down from above and took me.
    He pulled me from the deep water.
17 He saved me from my powerful enemies.
    Those who hated me were too strong for me.
18 They attacked me at my time of trouble.
    But the Lord supported me.
19 He took me to a safe place.
    Because he delights in me, he saved me.

20 The Lord spared me because I did what was right.
    Because I have not done evil, he has rewarded me.
21 I have followed the ways of the Lord.
    I have not done evil by turning away from my God.
22 I remember all his laws.
    I have not broken his rules.
23 I am innocent before him.
    I have kept myself from doing evil.
24 The Lord rewarded me because I did what was right.
    I did what the Lord said was right.

25 Lord, you are loyal to those who are loyal.
    You are good to those who are good.
26 You are pure to those who are pure.
    But you are against those who are bad.
27 You save those who are not proud.
    But you make humble those who are proud.
28 Lord, you give light to my lamp.
    My God brightens the darkness around me.
29 With your help I can attack an army.
    With God’s help I can jump over a wall.

30 The ways of God are without fault.
    The Lord’s words are pure.
He is a shield to those who trust him.
31 Who is God? Only the Lord.
    Who is the Rock? Only our God.
32 God is my protection.
    He makes my way free from fault.
33 He makes me like a deer, which does not stumble.
    He helps me stand on the steep mountains.
34 He trains my hands for battle.
    So my arms can bend a bronze bow.
35 You protect me with your saving shield.
    You support me with your right hand.
    You have stooped to make me great.
36 You give me a wide path on which to walk.
    My feet have not slipped.
37 I chased my enemies and caught them.
    I did not quit till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them so they couldn’t rise up again.
    They fell beneath my feet.
39 You gave me strength in battle.
    You made my enemies bow before me.
40 You made my enemies turn back.
    I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They called for help,
    but no one came to save them.
They called to the Lord,
    but he did not answer them.
42 I beat my enemies into pieces.
    They were like dust in the wind.
    I poured them out like mud in the streets.

43 You saved me when the people attacked me.
    You made me the leader of nations.
    People I never knew serve me.
44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me.
    Foreigners obey me.
45 They all become afraid.
    They tremble in their hiding places.

46 The Lord lives!
    May my Rock be praised.
    Praise the God who saves me!
47 God gives me victory over my enemies.
    He brings people under my rule.
48 He saves me from my enemies.

You set me over those who hate me.
    You saved me from cruel men.
49 So I will praise you, Lord, among the nations.
    I will sing praises to your name.
50 The Lord gives great victories to his king.
    He is loyal to his appointed king,
    to David and his descendants forever.

Psalm 18[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

I love you, Lord, my strength.(B)

The Lord is my rock,(C) my fortress(D) and my deliverer;(E)
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(F)
    my shield[b](G) and the horn[c] of my salvation,(H) my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(I)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.(J)
The cords of death(K) entangled me;
    the torrents(L) of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death(M) confronted me.

In my distress(N) I called to the Lord;(O)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(P)
    my cry came(Q) before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled(R) and quaked,(S)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;(T)
    they trembled because he was angry.(U)
Smoke rose from his nostrils;(V)
    consuming fire(W) came from his mouth,
    burning coals(X) blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down;(Y)
    dark clouds(Z) were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim(AA) and flew;
    he soared(AB) on the wings of the wind.(AC)
11 He made darkness his covering,(AD) his canopy(AE) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence(AF) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones(AG) and bolts of lightning.(AH)
13 The Lord thundered(AI) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.[d]
14 He shot his arrows(AJ) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning(AK) he routed them.(AL)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations(AM) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,(AN) Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.(AO)

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.(AP)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(AQ)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.(AR)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(AS)
    but the Lord was my support.(AT)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(AU)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.(AV)

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(AW)
    according to the cleanness of my hands(AX) he has rewarded me.(AY)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(AZ)
    I am not guilty of turning(BA) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(BB)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(BC) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(BD)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(BE) you show yourself faithful,(BF)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(BG) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(BH)
27 You save the humble(BI)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(BJ)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(BK) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(BL)
29 With your help(BM) I can advance against a troop[e];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(BN)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(BO)
    he shields(BP) all who take refuge(BQ) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(BR)
    And who is the Rock(BS) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(BT)
    and keeps my way secure.(BU)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(BV)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(BW)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(BX)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(BY) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(BZ) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(CA)

37 I pursued my enemies(CB) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(CC) so that they could not rise;(CD)
    they fell beneath my feet.(CE)
39 You armed me with strength(CF) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(CG) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(CH) in flight,
    and I destroyed(CI) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(CJ)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(CK)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(CL)
    I trampled them[f] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(CM)
People I did not know(CN) now serve me,
44     foreigners(CO) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(CP)
    they come trembling(CQ) from their strongholds.(CR)

46 The Lord lives!(CS) Praise be to my Rock!(CT)
    Exalted be God(CU) my Savior!(CV)
47 He is the God who avenges(CW) me,
    who subdues nations(CX) under me,
48     who saves(CY) me from my enemies.(CZ)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(DA) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(DB)
    I will sing(DC) the praises of your name.(DD)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(DE)
    to David(DF) and to his descendants forever.(DG)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
  2. Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
  3. Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  4. Psalm 18:13 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, / amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
  5. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  6. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out