Psalms 18:1-13 ▼

1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spoke the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said: “I love You [fervently and devotedly], O LORD, my strength.”

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and the One who rescues me; My God, my rock and strength in whom I trust and take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower—my stronghold.

3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; And I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death surrounded me, And the streams of ungodliness and torrents of destruction terrified me.

5 The cords of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress [when I seemed surrounded] I called upon the LORD And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry for help came before Him, into His very ears.

7 Then the earth shook and quaked, The foundations of the mountains trembled; They were shaken because He was indignant and angry.

8 Smoke went up from His nostrils, And fire from His mouth devoured; Coals were kindled by it.

9 He bowed the heavens also and came down; And thick darkness was under His feet.

10 And He rode upon a cherub (storm) and flew; And He sped on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness His hiding place (covering); His pavilion (canopy) around Him, The darkness of the waters, the thick clouds of the skies.

12 Out of the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds, Hailstones and coals of fire.

13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire.