Psalms 18:4-50 ▼

4 The cords of Death surrounded me, and the torrents of Belial terrified me.

5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of Death confronted me.

6 In the distress unto me, I called to YHWH, and to my God I cried for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help came before His face into His ears.

7 And the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the hills trembled; and they were shaken because of the burning from Him.

8 Smoke went up from His nostril, and a devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled from it.

9 And He stretched apart the heavens and came down, and a dark cloud was under His feet.

10 And He rode upon a cherub and flew, and He took flight upon the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness His covering, His canopy around Him—darkness of waters and thick clouds of vapors.

12 From the brightness before Him His thick clouds passed on, hail and coals of fire.

13 And YHWH thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice—hail and coals of fire.

14 And He sent out His arrows and scattered them, and He hurled lightning and routed them.

15 And the channels of the sea were seen. And the foundations of the world were uncovered, from Your rebuke, O YHWH, from the blast of the breath of Your nostril.

16 He sent from above, he took hold of me; He drew me out from the many waters.

17 He snatched me away from my strong enemy, and from those hating me, for they were stronger than I.

18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, and YHWH was as a support for me.

19 And He brought me out into a broad place; He pulled me out, because He took delight in me.

20 YHWH rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands, He returned it to me.

21 For I have kept the ways of YHWH, and I have not acted wickedly against my God.

22 For all His ordinances are before me, and I did not turn aside His statutes from me.

23 And I was blameless before Him, and I guarded myself from my iniquity.

24 And YHWH has returned to me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands before His eyes.

25 With the faithful one, You show Yourself faithful; with a blameless man, You show Yourself blameless;

26 with the purified one, You show Yourself pure; and with the crooked one, You show Yourself shrewd.

27 For You will save a lowly people, but the eyes of those rising high You bring low.

28 For You light my lamp; YHWH my God makes my darkness shine bright.

29 For with You I can run against a troop, and with my God I can leap a wall.

30 God—His way is perfect—the word of YHWH is refined; He is a shield for all those taking refuge in Him.

31 For who is God, apart from YHWH? And who is the Rock, except our God?—

32 The God girding me with strength, and making perfect my way.

33 Setting my feet like does, even on the heights He makes me stand.

34 He trains my hands for the battle, and my arms can bend down a bow of bronze.

35 And You gave to me the shield of Your salvation; and Your right hand supports me, and Your gentleness makes me great.

36 You made wide my path under me, and my ankles have not slipped.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and I did not turn back until they were consumed.

38 I wounded them, and they were not able to rise; they have fallen under my feet.

39 And You girded me with strength for the battle; those rising against me You bent down underneath me.

40 And my enemies, You have given to me the neck; and those hating me, I cut them off!

41 They cried for help, and no one saved them, upon YHWH, and He did not answer them.

42 And I beat them as dust upon the face of the wind; like mud in the streets I trampled them.

43 You rescued me from the disputes of people; You set me as the head of nations; a people I have not known shall serve me.

44 At the hearing of the ear, they listen to me; the sons of a foreigner feign obedience before me.

45 The sons of a foreigner fade away, and they come trembling from their strongholds.

46 YHWH lives! And blessed be my Rock, and the God of my salvation be exalted—

47 the God giving vengeance to me, and subduing the peoples under me,

48 causing me to escape from my enemies, even above, those who rise against me—You lift me up. From the man of violence, You have snatched me.

49 Upon thus, I will confess You among the nations, O YHWH, and to Your name I will sing praise.

50 He is making great the salvation of His king and showing loving devotion to His anointed, of David and to his seed, even to forever.