Psa Psalms, psalm Book of Psalms, psalm 18
To the music director. A psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who sang the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord saved him from all his enemies, and from Saul. He sang:2Sa 22:1
I love you, Lord. You are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior. He is my God, my rock who protects me. He shields me from harm, his power protects me,18:2. Literally, “horn of my salvation.” he keeps me safe.Heb 2:13
I call for help from the Lord who should be praised, and he saves me from those who hate me.
Ropes of death encircled me, surging waters of destruction flooded over me;
The grave wound its ropes around me; death set snares for me.Job 22:10
In my despair I called on the Lord—I cried out to my God for help. He heard my voice from his Temple—my cry for help reached his ears.Psa 34:5; Isa 26:16; Jon 2:2; Jon 2:7
The earth shook to and fro; the foundations of the mountains trembled, shaking because of his anger.2Sa 22:8; Jer 10:10
Smoke came out of his nostrils, and fire came from his mouth; burning coals blazed before him.Deu 4:24; Ezk 10:2; Heb 12:29
He parted the heavens and came down, with dark clouds beneath his feet.
Riding on an angel18:10. Literally, “cherub,” but in English this has become associated with an angelic baby. he flew, swooping on the wings of the wind.
He hid himself in darkness, covering himself with black thunderclouds.Isa 50:3
Hailstones and burning coals flew out from his brightness, passing through his thick clouds.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High sounded among the hailstones and burning coals.1Sa 2:10; 1Sa 7:10; Jer 51:16
He fired his arrows, scattering his enemies;18:14. Implied. he routed them with his lightning bolts.
You roared, Lord, and by the wind from the breath of your nostrils the valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth were uncovered.
He reached down his hand from above and grabbed hold of me. He pulled me out of the deep water.Psa 66:12; Psa 69:1
He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and who were much stronger than me.
They came at me at my worst possible moment18:18. Literally, “my day of disaster.”, but the Lord supported me.
He set me free,18:19. Literally, “brought me out to a spacious place.” he rescued me because he's my friend.18:19. Or “he delights in me.”Psa 31:8
The Lord rewarded me because I do what's right; he repaid me because I am innocent.18:20. Literally, “because of the cleanness of my hands.”Job 22:30
For I have followed the Lord's ways; I have not sinned by turning away from my God.
I have kept all his laws in mind; I have not ignored his commandments.
I am blameless in his sight; I keep myself from sinning.
The Lord rewarded me for doing what's right. I am innocent in his sight.
You show trust to those who trust; you show integrity to those with integrity,18:25. The word used here means “complete” or “sound.”
You show yourself pure to those who are pure, but you show yourself smart to those who are crafty.18:26 Both words used here have to do with being “twisted,” the first in the sense of being clever, the second in the sense of being devious and perverse.
You save the humble, but you bring down the proud.1Sa 2:8; Psa 113:7
You light my lamp! Lord, my God, you light up my darkness!Isa 42:16
With you, I can charge down a troop of soldiers; with you, my God, I can climb a fortress wall.Psa 60:12
God's way is absolutely right.18:30. The word used here, often translated as “perfect,” is the same as in 18:25. What the Lord says is trustworthy. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.Psa 12:6; Psa 19:7; Pro 30:5
For who is God except the Lord? Who is the rock, except our God?2Sa 22:32; Isa 43:11; Isa 44:6
God makes me strong and keeps me safe.
He makes me surefooted like the deer, able to walk the heights in safety.Hab 3:19
He teaches me how to fight in battle; he gives me the strength to draw a bronze bow.Psa 144:1
You protect me with the shield of your salvation; you support me with your powerful right hand; your help has made me great.
You gave me space in which to walk, and prevented my feet from slipping.Psa 31:8
I chased my enemies, and caught up with them. I did not turn around until I had destroyed them.
I struck them down—they couldn't get up. They fell at my feet.
You made me strong for battle; you made those who rose up against me kneel down before me.
You made my enemies run away; I destroyed all my enemies.Gen 49:8
They cried out for help, but no one came to rescue them. They even called out to the Lord, but he did not answer them.Job 27:9
I ground them into dust, like dust in the wind. I threw them out like mud in the street.2Ki 13:7; Psa 83:10; Isa 10:6
You rescued me from rebellious people; you made me ruler over nations—people I didn't know now serve me.Rom 15:9
As soon as they hear of me, they obey; foreigners cringe before me.
They lose heart, and come trembling in surrender from their strongholds.
The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock! May the God who saves me be praised!Deu 32:40
God avenges me, he subdues peoples under me,1Ch 17:10
he rescues me from those who hate me. You keep me safe from those who rebel against me, you save me from violent men.
That's why I will praise you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about who you are.18:49. “About who you are”: Literally, “to your name”: the concept of name in Hebrew is far more than a simple designation; it refers to the character of the person.Rom 15:9
You have saved the king so often,18:50. Or “You have given many victories to the king.” showing your trustworthy love to David, your anointed, and to his descendants forever.