1To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid the seruant of the Lorde, which spake vnto the Lord the wordes of this song (in the day that the Lorde deliuered him from the hande of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul) and sayd, I will loue thee dearely, O Lord my strength. 2The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower. 3I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5The sorowes of the graue haue compassed me about: the snares of death ouertooke me. 6But in my trouble did I call vpon the Lord, and cryed vnto my God: he heard my voyce out of his Temple, and my crye did come before him, euen into his eares. 7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. 8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness [was] under his feet. 10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him [were] dark waters [and] thick clouds of the skies. 12At the brightnes of his presence his clouds passed, haylestones and coles of fire. 13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail [stones] and coals of fire. 14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. 15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. 16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. 17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. 18They preuented me in the day of my calamitie: but the Lord was my stay. 19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 21Because I kept the wayes of the Lord, and did not wickedly against my God. 22For all his judgments [were] before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. 23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. 24Therefore the Lorde rewarded me according to my righteousnesse, and according to the purenes of mine hands in his sight. 25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26With the pure thou wilt shewe thy selfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt shewe thy selfe froward. 27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. 28Surely thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God wil lighten my darkenes. 29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30[As for] God, his way [is] perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he [is] a buckler to all those that trust in him. 31For who is God besides the Lord? And who is mightie saue our God? 32[It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 33He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], and setteth me upon my high places. 34He teacheth mine hands to fight: so that a bowe of brasse is broken with mine armes. 35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 36Thou hast enlarged my steps vnder mee, and mine heeles haue not slid. 37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 38I haue wounded them, that they were not able to rise: they are fallen vnder my feete. 39For thou hast girded me with strength to battell: them, that rose against me, thou hast subdued vnder me. 40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. 41They cried, but [there was] none to save [them: even] unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 42Then I did beate them small as the dust before the winde: I did treade them flat as the clay in the streetes. 43Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; [and] thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people [whom] I have not known shall serve me. 44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. 45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. 46Let the Lorde liue, and blessed be my strength, and the God of my saluation be exalted. 47It is God that giueth me power to auenge me, and subdueth the people vnder me. 48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. 50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.