1David 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.2He said: ‘The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;3my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield[1] and the horn[2] of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my saviour – from violent people you save me.4‘I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies.5The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.6The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.7‘In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.8The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens[3] shook; they trembled because he was angry. (Ps 18:7)9Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.10He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.11He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared[4] on the wings of the wind. (Ps 18:10)12He made darkness his canopy around him – the dark[5] rain clouds of the sky. (Ps 18:11)13Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth.14The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.15He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.16The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of breath from his nostrils.17‘He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.18He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.19They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.20He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.21‘The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.22For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God.23All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.24I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.25The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness[6] in his sight. (Ps 18:24)26‘To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless,27to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.28You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.29You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.30With your help I can advance against a troop[7]; with my God I can scale a wall.31‘As for God, his way is perfect: the Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.32For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?33It is God who arms me with strength[8] and keeps my way secure. (Ps 18:32)34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.35He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.36You make your saving help my shield; your help has made[9] me great.37You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.38‘I pursued my enemies and crushed them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.39I crushed them completely, and they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.40You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.41You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.42They cried for help, but there was no-one to save them – to the Lord, but he did not answer.43I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.44‘You have delivered me from the attacks of the peoples; you have preserved me as the head of nations. People I did not know now serve me,45foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.46They all lose heart; they come trembling[10] from their strongholds. (Ps 18:45)47‘The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Saviour!48He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me,49who sets me free from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from a violent man you rescued me.50Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name.51‘He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants for ever.’
1David sang the words of this song to the LORD. He sang them when the LORD saved him from the power of all his enemies and of Saul.2He said, ‘The LORD is my rock and my fort. He is the God who saves me.3My God is my rock. I go to him for safety. He is like a shield to me. He’s the power that saves me. He’s my place of safety. I go to him for help. He’s my Saviour. He saves me from those who want to hurt me.4I called out to the LORD. He is worthy of praise. He saved me from my enemies.5‘The waves of death were all around me. A destroying flood swept over me.6The ropes of the grave were tight around me. Death set its trap in front of me.7When I was in trouble I called out to the LORD. I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice. My cry for help reached his ears.8‘The earth trembled and shook. The pillars of the heavens rocked to and fro. They trembled because the LORD was angry.9Smoke came out of his nose. Flames of fire came out of his mouth. Burning coals blazed out of it.10He opened the heavens and came down. Dark clouds were under his feet.11He got on the cherubim and flew. The wings of the wind lifted him up.12He covered himself with darkness. The dark rain clouds of the sky were like a tent around him.13From the brightness all around him flashes of lightning blazed out.14The LORD thundered from heaven. The voice of the Most High God was heard.15He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy. He sent flashes of lightning and chased them away.16The bottom of the sea could be seen. The foundations of the earth were uncovered. It happened when the LORD’s anger blazed out. It came like a blast of breath from his nose.17‘He reached down from heaven. He took hold of me. He lifted me out of deep waters.18He saved me from my powerful enemies. He set me free from those who were too strong for me.19They stood up to me when I was in trouble. But the LORD helped me.20He brought me out into a wide and safe place. He saved me because he was pleased with me.21‘The LORD has been good to me because I do what is right. He has rewarded me because I lead a pure life.22I have lived the way the LORD wanted me to. I’m not guilty of turning away from my God.23I keep all his laws in mind. I haven’t turned away from his commands.24He knows that I am without blame. He knows I’ve kept myself from sinning.25The LORD has rewarded me for doing what is right. He has rewarded me because I haven’t done anything wrong.26‘LORD, to those who are faithful you show that you are faithful. To those who are without blame you show that you are without blame.27To those who are pure you show that you are pure. But to those whose paths are crooked you show that you are clever.28You save those who aren’t proud. But you watch the proud to bring them down.29LORD, you are my lamp. You bring light into my darkness.30With your help I can attack a troop of soldiers. With the help of my God I can climb over a wall.31‘God’s way is perfect. The LORD’s word doesn’t have any flaws. He protects like a shield all who go to him for safety.32Who is God except the LORD? Who is the Rock except our God?33God gives me strength for the battle. He keeps my way secure.34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He causes me to stand on the highest places.35He trains my hands to fight every battle. My arms can bend a bow of bronze.36LORD, you shield me with your saving help. Your help has made me great.37You give me a wide path to walk in so that I don’t twist my ankles.38‘I chased my enemies and crushed them. I didn’t turn back until they were destroyed.39I crushed them completely so that they couldn’t get up. They fell under my feet.40LORD, you gave me strength to fight the battle. You caused my enemies to be humble in front of me.41You made them turn their backs and run away. So I destroyed my enemies.42They cried out for help. But there was no one to save them. They called out to the LORD. But he didn’t answer them.43I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth. I pounded them and walked on them like mud in the streets.44‘You saved me when people attacked me. You have kept me as the ruler over nations. People I didn’t know serve me now.45People from other lands bow down to me in fear. As soon as they hear about me, they obey me.46All of them give up hope. They come trembling out of their hiding places.47‘The LORD lives! Give praise to my Rock! Give honour to my God, the Rock! He is my Saviour!48He is the God who pays back my enemies. He brings the nations under my control.49He sets me free from my enemies. You have honoured me more than them. You have saved me from a man who wanted to hurt me.50LORD, I will praise you among the nations. I will sing your praise.51He gives his king great victories. He shows his faithful love to his anointed king. He shows it to David and his family for ever.’