Psalm 18

¹ I WILL love thee, O Lord, my strength; the Lord is my stony rock, and my defence * my saviour, my God, and my might, in whom I will trust, my buckler, the horn also of my salvation, and my refuge.

² I will call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised * so shall I be safe from mine enemies.

³ The sorrows of death compassed me * and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid.

⁴ The pains of hell came about me * the snares of death overtook me.

⁵ In my trouble I will call upon the Lord * and complain unto my God.

⁶ So shall he hear my voice out of his holy temple * and my complaint shall come before him, it shall enter even into his ears.

⁷ The earth trembled and quaked * the very foundations also of the hills shook, and were removed, because he was wroth.

⁸ There went a smoke out in his presence * and a consuming fire out of his mouth, so that coals were kindled at it.

⁹ He bowed the heavens also, and came down * and it was dark under his feet.

¹⁰ He rode upon the cherubins, and did fly * he came flying upon the wings of the wind.

¹¹ He made darkness his secret place * his pavilion round about him, with dark water and thick clouds to cover him.

¹² At the brightness of his presence his clouds removed * hail-stones, and coals of fire.

¹³ The Lord also thundered out of heaven, and the Highest gave his thunder * hail-stones, and coals of fire.

¹⁴ He sent out his arrows, and scattered them * he cast forth lightnings, and destroyed them.

¹⁵ The springs of water were seen, and the foundations of the round world were discovered, at thy chiding, O Lord * at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure.

¹⁶ He shall send down from on high to fetch me * and shall take me out of many waters.

¹⁷ He shall deliver me from my strongest enemy, and from them which hate me * for they are too mighty for me.

¹⁸ They prevented me in the day of my trouble * but the Lord was my upholder.

¹⁹ He brought me forth also into a place of liberty * he brought me forth, even because he had a favour unto me.

²⁰ The Lord shall reward me after my righteous dealing * according to the cleanness of my hands shall he recompense me.

²¹ Because I have kept the ways of the Lord * and have not forsaken my God, as the wicked doth.

²² For I have an eye unto all his laws * and will not cast out his commandments from me.

²³ I was also uncorrupt before him * and eschewed mine own wickedness.

²⁴ Therefore shall the Lord reward me after my righteous dealing * and according unto the cleanness of my hands in his eye-sight.

²⁵ With the holy thou shalt be holy * and with a perfect man thou shalt be perfect.

²⁶ With the clean thou shalt be clean * and with the froward thou shalt learn frowardness.

²⁷ For thou shalt save the people that are in adversity * and shalt bring down the high looks of the proud.

²⁸ Thou also shalt light my candle * the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be light.

²⁹ For in thee I shall discomfit an host of men * and with the help of my God I shall leap over the wall.

³⁰ The way of God is an undefiled way * the word of the Lord also is tried in the fire; he is the defender of all them that put their trust in him.

³¹ For who is God, but the Lord * or who hath any strength, except our God?

³² It is God, that girdeth me with strength of war * and maketh my way perfect.

³³ He maketh my feet like harts' feet * and setteth me up on high.

³⁴ He teacheth mine hands to fight * and mine arms shall break even a bow of steel.

³⁵ Thou hast given me the defence of thy salvation * thy right hand also shall hold me up, and thy loving correction shall make me great.

³⁶ Thou shalt make room enough under me for to go * that my footsteps shall not slide.

³⁷ I will follow upon mine enemies, and overtake them * neither will I turn again till I have destroyed them.

³⁸ I will smite them, that they shall not be able to stand * but fall under my feet.

³⁹ Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle * thou shalt throw down mine enemies under me.

⁴⁰ Thou hast made mine enemies also to turn their backs upon me * and I shall destroy them that hate me.

⁴¹ They shall cry, but there shall be none to help them * yea, even unto the Lord shall they cry, but he shall not hear them.

⁴² I will beat them as small as the dust before the wind * I will cast them out as the clay in the streets.

⁴³ Thou shalt deliver me from the strivings of the people * and thou shalt make me the head of the heathen.

⁴⁴ A people whom I have not known * shall serve me.

⁴⁵ As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me * but the strange children shall dissemble with me.

⁴⁶ The strange children shall fail * and be afraid out of their prisons.

⁴⁷ The Lord liveth, and blessed be my strong helper * and praised be the Lord of my salvation;

⁴⁸ Even the God that seeth that I be avenged * and subdueth the people unto me.

⁴⁹ It is he that delivereth me from my cruel enemies, and setteth me up above mine adversaries * thou shalt rid me from the wicked man.

⁵⁰ For this cause will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles * and sing praises unto thy Name.

⁵¹ Great prosperity giveth he unto his King * and sheweth loving-kindness unto David his Anointed, and unto his seed for evermore.