Psalms 18

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.	1 For the leader. Of David, the servant of the LORD, who sang to the LORD the words of this song after the LORD had rescued him from the clutches of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
2 The 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.	2 He said: I love you, LORD, my strength,
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.	3 LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold!
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.	4 Praised be the LORD, I exclaim! I have been delivered from my enemies.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.	5 The breakers of death surged round about me; the menacing floods terrified me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.	6 The cords of Sheol tightened; the snares of death lay in wait for me.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.	7 In my distress I called out: LORD! I cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry to him reached his ears.
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.	8 The earth rocked and shook; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook as his wrath flared up.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.	9 Smoke rose in his nostrils, a devouring fire poured from his mouth; it kindled coals into flame.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.	10 He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud under his feet.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.	11 Mounted on a cherub he flew, borne along on the wings of the wind.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.	12 He made darkness the cover about him; his canopy, heavy thunderheads.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.	13 Before him scudded his clouds, hail and lightning too.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.	14 The LORD thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice resound.
15 Then 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.	15 He let fly his arrows and scattered them; shot his lightning bolts and dispersed them.
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.	16 Then the bed of the sea appeared; the world's foundations lay bare, At the roar of the LORD, at the storming breath of his nostrils.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.	17 He reached down from on high and seized me; drew me out of the deep waters.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.	18 He rescued me from my mighty enemy, from foes too powerful for me.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.	19 They attacked me on a day of distress, but the LORD came to my support.
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.	20 He set me free in the open; he rescued me because he loves me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.	21 The LORD acknowledged my righteousness, rewarded my clean hands.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.	22 For I kept the ways of the LORD; I was not disloyal to my God.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.	23 His laws were all before me, his decrees I did not cast aside.
24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.	24 I was honest toward him; I was on guard against sin.
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;	25 So the LORD rewarded my righteousness, the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.	26 Toward the faithful you are faithful; to the honest you are honest;
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.	27 Toward the sincere, sincere; but to the perverse you are devious.
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.	28 Humble people you save; haughty eyes you bring low.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.	29 You, LORD, give light to my lamp; my God brightens the darkness about me.
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.	30 With you I can rush an armed band, with my God to help I can leap a wall.
31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?	31 God's way is unerring; the LORD'S promise is tried and true; he is a shield for all who trust in him.
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.	32 Truly, who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is the rock?
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.	33 This God who girded me with might, kept my way unerring,
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.	34 Who made my feet swift as a deer's, set me safe on the heights,
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.	35 Who trained my hands for war, my arms to bend even a bow of bronze.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.	36 You have given me your protecting shield; your right hand has upheld me; you stooped to make me great.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.	37 You gave me room to stride; my feet never stumbled.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.	38 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till I destroyed them.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.	39 I struck them down; they could not rise; they fell dead at my feet.
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.	40 You girded me with strength for war, subdued adversaries at my feet.
41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.	41 My foes you put to flight before me; those who hated me I destroyed.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.	42 They cried for help, but no one saved them; cried to the LORD but got no answer.
43 Thou 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.	43 I ground them fine as dust in the wind; like mud in the streets I trampled them down.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.	44 You rescued me from the strife of peoples; you made me head over nations. A people I had not known became my slaves;
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.	45 as soon as they heard of me they obeyed. Foreigners cringed before me;
46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.	46 their courage failed; they came trembling from their fortresses.
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.	47 The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, my savior!
48 He 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.	48 O God who granted me vindication, made peoples subject to me,
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.	49 and preserved me from my enemies, Truly you have exalted me above my adversaries, from the violent you have rescued me.
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.	50 Thus I will proclaim you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name.
	51 You have given great victories to your king, and shown kindness to your anointed, to David and his posterity forever.