# Psalm 18 [[Ps-17|← Psalm 17]] | [[Psalm]] | [[Ps-19|Psalm 19 →]] *** ###### v1 I love you, Yahweh, my strength. ###### v2 Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. ###### v3 I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies. ###### v4 The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. ###### v5 The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me. ###### v6 In my distress I called on Yahweh, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears. ###### v7 Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. ###### v8 Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it. ###### v9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet. ###### v10 He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind. ###### v11 He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. ###### v12 At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. ###### v13 Yahweh also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire. ###### v14 He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts. ###### v15 Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. ###### v16 He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters. ###### v17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. ###### v18 They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support. ###### v19 He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. ###### v20 Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me. ###### v21 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God. ###### v22 For all his ordinances were before me. I didn't put away his statutes from me. ###### v23 I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity. ###### v24 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. ###### v25 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect. ###### v26 With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd. ###### v27 For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down. ###### v28 For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness. ###### v29 For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall. ###### v30 As for God, his way is perfect. Yahweh's word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. ###### v31 For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God, ###### v32 the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect? ###### v33 He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places. ###### v34 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze. ###### v35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great. ###### v36 You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped. ###### v37 I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won't turn away until they are consumed. ###### v38 I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet. ###### v39 For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. ###### v40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me. ###### v41 They cried, but there was no one to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn't answer them. ###### v42 Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets. ###### v43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me. ###### v44 As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me. ###### v45 The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds. ###### v46 Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation, ###### v47 even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me. ###### v48 He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man. ###### v49 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name. ###### v50 He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more. *** [[Ps-17|← Psalm 17]] | [[Psalm]] | [[Ps-19|Psalm 19 →]]