Tehillim 18

Orthodox Jewish Bible

18 (For the one directing. Of Dovid Eved Hashem who sang to Hashem the lyrics of this shirah on the day Hashem delivered him from the hand of all his oyevim and from the hand of Sha’ul; and he said) I will love Thee, Hashem, my strength.

²⁽³⁾Hashem is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; Eli my Tzur (rock), in whom I take refuge; my mogen, and the keren of my salvation, and my misgav (high place as a refuge).

³⁽⁴⁾I will call upon Hashem, Who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from mine oyevim.

⁴⁽⁵⁾The chevlei mavet entangled me, and the floods of Beliya’al terrorized me.

⁵⁽⁶⁾The chevlei Sheol snaked around me; the snares of mavet confronted me.

⁶⁽⁷⁾In my distress I called upon Hashem, and cried unto Elohai; He heard my voice out of His Heikhal, and my cry came before Him, even into His ears.

⁷⁽⁸⁾Ha’aretz shook and trembled; the foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because He was angry.

⁸⁽⁹⁾Smoke went up from His nostrils, and eish out of His mouth devoured; coals were kindled by it.

⁹⁽¹⁰⁾He parted Shomayim, and descended, and dark clouds were under His feet.

¹⁰⁽¹¹⁾And He rode upon a keruv (cherub), and did fly; yea, He soared upon the wings of the ruach.

¹¹⁽¹²⁾He made choshech His secret place; His sukkah round about Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

¹²⁽¹³⁾Out of the brightness that was before Him there broke through barad (hailstones) and coals of eish out of His clouds.

¹³⁽¹⁴⁾Hashem also thundered in Shomayim, and Elyon gave His voice amid barad and coals of eish.

¹⁴⁽¹⁵⁾Yea, He sent out His khitzim (arrows), and scattered them; and He shot out great lightning bolts, and did put them to rout.

¹⁵⁽¹⁶⁾Then the channels of waters were exposed, and the foundations of the tevel (world) were laid bare at Thy rebuke, Hashem, at the blast of the ruach of Thy nostrils.

¹⁶⁽¹⁷⁾He sent from on high, He took hold of me, He drew me out of mayim rabbim (many waters).

¹⁷⁽¹⁸⁾He delivered me from my strong oyev, and from them which hated me; for they were too strong for me.

¹⁸⁽¹⁹⁾They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but Hashem was my stay.

¹⁹⁽²⁰⁾He brought me forth also into a place merkhav (spacious); He delivered me, because He delighted in me.

²⁰⁽²¹⁾Hashem dealt with me according to my tzedek; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me.

²¹⁽²²⁾For I have been shomer regarding the Darkhei Hashem, and have not wickedly departed from Elohai.

²²⁽²³⁾For all His mishpatim were before me, and I did not put away His chukkot from me.

²³⁽²⁴⁾I was also tamim (blameless) before Him, and I kept myself from mine avon.

²⁴⁽²⁵⁾Therefore hath Hashem recompensed me according to my tzedek, according to the cleanness of my hands before His eyes.

²⁵⁽²⁶⁾With the chasid Thou wilt show Thyself chesed; with a perfect man Thou wilt show Thyself perfect;

²⁶⁽²⁷⁾With the pure Thou wilt show Thyself pure; and with the ikesh (crooked, perverted, false) Thou wilt show Thyself shrewd.

²⁷⁽²⁸⁾For Thou wilt save the ani (poor); but wilt bring down low haughty looks.

²⁸⁽²⁹⁾For Thou wilt light my ner; Hashem Elohai will enlighten my choshech.

²⁹⁽³⁰⁾For by Thee have I scattered a troop; and by Elohai have I leaped over a wall.

³⁰⁽³¹⁾As for El, His derech is tamim (perfect); the word of Hashem is tzerufah (tested and proved flawless, inerrant); He is a mogen to all those that take refuge in Him.

³¹⁽³²⁾For who is Elohim besides Hashem? Or who is Tzur but Eloheinu?

³²⁽³³⁾It is El that armeth me with chayil, and maketh my derech tamim (perfect).

³³⁽³⁴⁾He maketh my raglayim like deer feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

³⁴⁽³⁵⁾He traineth my hands for milchamah, so that a keshet-nechushah mine arms can bend.

³⁵⁽³⁶⁾Thou hast also given me the mogen of Thy salvation; and Thy right hand hath held me up, and Thy lowliness hath made me great.

³⁶⁽³⁷⁾Thou hast made rakhav (broad) the place for my footsteps under me, that my ankles did not turn.

³⁷⁽³⁸⁾I have pursued mine oyevim, and overtaken them; neither did I turn back till they were consumed.

³⁸⁽³⁹⁾I have crushed them that they were not able to rise; they are fallen under my raglayim.

³⁹⁽⁴⁰⁾For Thou hast armed me with chayil unto the milchamah; Thou hast made bow down under me those that rose up against me.

⁴⁰⁽⁴¹⁾Thou hast also given me the necks of mine oyevim; that I might destroy them that hate me.

⁴¹⁽⁴²⁾They cried for help, but there was no Moshi’a to save them, even unto Hashem, but He answered them not.

⁴²⁽⁴³⁾Then did I beat them small as the dust before the ruach; I did empty them out as the dirt in the chutzot (streets).

⁴³⁽⁴⁴⁾Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and Thou hast made me the Rosh (head) of the Goyim (nations); an Am (people) whom I have not known shall serve me.

⁴⁴⁽⁴⁵⁾As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me; the Bnei Nekhar (foreigners) shall submit themselves unto me.

⁴⁵⁽⁴⁶⁾The Bnei Nekhar shall fade away, and come forth trembling out of their misgerot (stongholds, fastnesses, secure places).

⁴⁶⁽⁴⁷⁾Hashem chai; and baruch be my Tzur; and let the Elohei of my salvation be exalted.

⁴⁷⁽⁴⁸⁾It is El that avengeth me, and subdueth the nations under me.

⁴⁸⁽⁴⁹⁾He saveth me from mine oyevim; yea, Thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me; Thou hast delivered me from the ish chamas.

⁴⁹⁽⁵⁰⁾Therefore will I give thanks unto Thee, Hashem, among the Goyim, and sing praises unto Shimecha.

⁵⁰⁽⁵¹⁾Great deliverance giveth He to His Melech; and showeth chesed to His Moshiach, to Dovid, and to his Zera ad olam.

Psalm 18

New International Version

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:

¹I love you, Lord, my strength.^(B)

²The 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.

³I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,^(I)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.^(J)
⁴The cords of death^(K) entangled me;
    the torrents^(L) of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death^(M) confronted me.

⁶In 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.
⁷The earth trembled^(R) and quaked,^(S)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;^(T)
    they trembled because he was angry.^(U)
⁸Smoke rose from his nostrils;^(V)
    consuming fire^(W) came from his mouth,
    burning coals^(X) blazed out of it.
⁹He parted the heavens and came down;^(Y)
    dark clouds^(Z) were under his feet.
¹⁰He mounted the cherubim^(AA) and flew;
    he soared^(AB) on the wings of the wind.^(AC)
¹¹He made darkness his covering,^(AD) his canopy^(AE) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹²Out of the brightness of his presence^(AF) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones^(AG) and bolts of lightning.^(AH)
¹³The Lord thundered^(AI) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.^[d]
¹⁴He shot his arrows^(AJ) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning^(AK) he routed them.^(AL)
¹⁵The 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)

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

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

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

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

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

⁴⁶The Lord lives!^(CS) Praise be to my Rock!^(CT)
    Exalted be God^(CU) my Savior!^(CV)
⁴⁷He 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.
⁴⁹Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;^(DB)
    I will sing^(DC) the praises of your name.^(DD)

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

Footnotes

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

Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

New International Version (NIV)

Tehillim 18

Orthodox Jewish Bible

Psalm 18

New International Version

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:

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Tehillim 18 Orthodox Jewish Bible

Psalm 18 New International Version

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:

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Tehillim 18

Orthodox Jewish Bible

Psalm 18

New International Version

Psalm 18^[a]^(A)