1To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who addressed the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: 2I love thee, O LORD, my strength. 3The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 4I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 5The cords of death encompassed me, the torrents of perdition assailed me; 6the cords of Sheol entangled me, the snares of death confronted me. 7In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. 8Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 9Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. 10He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. 11He rode on a cherub, and flew; he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. 12He made darkness his covering around him, his canopy thick clouds dark with water. 13Out of the brightness before him there broke through his clouds hailstones and coals of fire. 14The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. 15And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them. 16Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. 17He reached from on high, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. 18He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. 19They came upon me in the day of my calamity; but the LORD was my stay. 20He brought me forth into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 21The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me. 22For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23For all his ordinances were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. 24I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 25Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 26With the loyal thou dost show thyself loyal; with the blameless man thou dost show thyself blameless; 27with the pure thou dost show thyself pure; and with the crooked thou dost show thyself perverse. 28For thou dost deliver a humble people; but the haughty eyes thou dost bring down. 29Yea, thou dost light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness. 30Yea, by thee I can crush a troop; and by my God I can leap over a wall. 31This God--his way is perfect; the promise of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 32For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?-- 33the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe. 34He made my feet like hinds' feet, and set me secure on the heights. 35He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand supported me, and thy help made me great. 37Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. 38I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and did not turn back till they were consumed. 39I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. 40For thou didst gird me with strength for the battle; thou didst make my assailants sink under me. 41Thou didst make my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. 42They cried for help, but there was none to save, they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them. 43I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets. 44Thou didst deliver me from strife with the peoples; thou didst make me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. 45As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me. 46Foreigners lost heart, and came trembling out of their fastnesses. 47The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation, 48the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me; 49who delivered me from my enemies; yea, thou didst exalt me above my adversaries; thou didst deliver me from men of violence. 50For this I will extol thee, O LORD, among the nations, and sing praises to thy name. [ (Psalms 18:51) Great triumphs he gives to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his descendants for ever. ]