Psalm chapter 18
English Standard Version
1I love you, O Lord, my strength. 2The 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. 3I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; 5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 In 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. 7Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 8Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. 9He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. 10He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. 11He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. 12Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds. 13The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. 14And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them. 15Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. 16He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 17He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 18They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. 19He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me. 20The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. 21For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 22For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. 23I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. 24So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 26with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 27For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. 28For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. 29For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 30This God — his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 31For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? — 32the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. 33He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. 34He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. 36You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. 37I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed. 38I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. 39For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me. 40You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. 41 They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them. 42I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets. 43You delivered me from strife with the people; you made me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. 44As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me. 45 Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses. 46The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation — 47the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me, 48who rescued me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from the man of violence. 49 For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name. 50Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
New International Version
2The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. 4The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 6In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. 7The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. 8Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. 9He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. 10He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. 11He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky. 12Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. 13The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. 14He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. 16He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.
19He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. 20The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 21For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God. 22All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 23I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
24The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, 26to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. 27You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. 28You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
29With your help I can advance against a troop ; with my God I can scale a wall. 30As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. 31For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? 32It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. 33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. 34He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great.
36You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way. 37I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. 38I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. 39You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me. 40You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. 41They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— to the Lord, but he did not answer. 42I beat them as fine as windblown dust; I trampled them like mud in the streets. 43You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations. People I did not know now serve me, 44foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
New American Standard Bible
1 'I love You, Lord, my strength.' 2The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my savior, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies. 4The ropes of death encompassed me, And the torrents of destruction terrified me. 5The ropes of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 6In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears. 7Then the earth shook and quaked; And the foundations of the mountains were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry. 8Smoke went up out of His nostrils, And fire from His mouth was devouring; Coals burned from it. 9He also bowed the heavens down low, and came down With thick darkness under His feet. 10He rode on a cherub and flew; And He sped on the wings of the wind. 11He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds. 12From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds, Hailstones and coals of fire. 13The Lord also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. 14He sent out His arrows, and scattered them, And lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them. 15Then the channels of water appeared, And the foundations of the world were exposed By Your rebuke, Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. 16He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17He saved me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 18They confronted me in the day of my disaster, But the Lord was my support. 19He also brought me out into an open place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me. 20The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid me. 21For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not acted wickedly against my God. 22For all His judgments were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. 23I was also blameless with Him, And I kept myself from my wrongdoing. 24Therefore the Lord has repaid me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes. 25With the faithful You show Yourself faithful; With the blameless You prove Yourself blameless; 26With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself astute. 27For You save an afflicted people, But You humiliate haughty eyes. 28For You light my lamp; The Lord my God illumines my darkness. 29For by You I can run at a troop of warriors; And by my God I can leap over a wall. 30As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. 31For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, 32The God who encircles me with strength, And makes my way blameless? 33He makes my feet like deer’s feet, And sets me up on my high places. 34He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great. 36You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped. 37I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed. 38I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise; They fell under my feet. 39For You have encircled me with strength for battle; You have forced those who rose up against me to bow down under me. 40You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, And I destroyed those who hated me. 41They cried for help, but there was no one to save, They cried to the Lord, but He did not answer them. 42Then I beat them fine like the dust before the wind; I emptied them out like the mud of the streets. 43You have rescued me from the contentions of the people; You have placed me as head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me. 44As soon as they hear, they obey me; Foreigners pretend to obey me. 45Foreigners lose heart, And come trembling out of their fortresses. 46The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation, 47The God who executes vengeance for me, And subdues peoples under me. 48He rescues me from my enemies; You indeed lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from a violent man. 49Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, Lord, And I will sing praises to Your name. 50He gives great salvation to His king, And shows faithfulness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever.
Christian Standard Bible
1For the choir director. Of the servant of the Lord, David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the power of Saul. He said: I love you, Lord, my strength. 2The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies. 4The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me. 5The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
6I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. 7Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook because he burned with anger. 8Smoke rose from his nostrils, and consuming fire came from his mouth; coals were set ablaze by it. 9He bent the heavens and came down, total darkness beneath his feet. 10He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. 11He made darkness his hiding place, dark storm clouds his canopy around him. 12From the radiance of his presence, his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals. 13The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice heard. 14He shot his arrows and scattered them; he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.
15The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed, at your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. 16He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he pulled me out of deep water. 17He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. 18They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.
19He brought me out to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. 20The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; he repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands. 21For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not turned from my God to wickedness. 22Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me and have not disregarded his statutes. 23I was blameless toward him and kept myself from my iniquity.
24So the Lord repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25With the faithful you prove yourself faithful, with the blameless you prove yourself blameless, 26with the pure you prove yourself pure; but with the crooked you prove yourself shrewd. 27For you rescue an oppressed people, but you humble those with haughty eyes. 28 Lord, you light my lamp; my God illuminates my darkness.
29With you I can attack a barricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall. 30God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him. 31For who is God besides the Lord? And who is a rock? Only our God. 32God—he clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect. 33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights. 34He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35You have given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand upholds me, and your humility exalts me.
36You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way. 37I pursue my enemies and overtake them; I do not turn back until they are wiped out. 38I crush them, and they cannot get up; they fall beneath my feet. 39You have clothed me with strength for battle; you subdue my adversaries beneath me. 40You have made my enemies retreat before me; I annihilate those who hate me. 41They cry for help, but there is no one to save them — they cry to the Lord, but he does not answer them.
42I pulverize them like dust before the wind; I trample them like mud in the streets. 43You have freed me from the feuds among the people; you have appointed me the head of nations; a people I had not known serve me. 44Foreigners submit to me cringing; as soon as they hear they obey me.
45Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their fortifications. 46The Lord lives—blessed be my rock! The God of my salvation is exalted. 47God—he grants me vengeance and subdues peoples under me. 48He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; you rescue me from violent men. 49Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about your name. 50He gives great victories to his king; he shows loyalty to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
New Living Translation
1I love you, Lord; you are my strength. 2The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.
4The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. 5The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 6But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.
7Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. 8Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. 9He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. 10Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. 11He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. 12Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals. 13The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. 14He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; great bolts of lightning flashed, and they were confused. 15Then at your command, O Lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
16He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. 18They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. 19He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. 20The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. 21For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. 22I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees. 23I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. 24The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence.
25To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. 26To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. 27You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. 28You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. 29In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
30God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 31For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? 32God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. 33He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 34He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. 35You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. 36You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.
37I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered. 38I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet. 39You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet. 40You placed my foot on their necks. I have destroyed all who hated me. 41They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer. 42I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt. 43You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me ruler over nations; people I don’t even know now serve me. 44As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me. 45They all lose their courage and come trembling from their strongholds.
46The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted! 47He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he subdues the nations under me 48and rescues me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents. 49For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. 50You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever.
King James Version
14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
New King James Version
1{To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:} I will love You, 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 shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. 4 The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 5The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 6In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. 7 Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry. 8Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet. 10 And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. 11He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies. 12 From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. 13The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. 14 He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. 15Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. 16 He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me. 18They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support. 19 He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. 20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. 21For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God. 22For all His judgments were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. 23I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. 24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight. 25 With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; 26With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. 27For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks. 28 For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. 29For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. 30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 31 For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. 34 He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. 36You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip. 37I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 38I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. 39For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. 40You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. 41They cried out, but there was none to save; Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. 42Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets. 43You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; You have made me the head of the nations; A people I have not known shall serve me. 44As soon as they hear of me they obey me; The foreigners submit to me. 45 The foreigners fade away, And come frightened from their hideouts. 46The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. 47 It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me; 48He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. 49 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name. 50 Great deliverance He gives to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and his descendants forevermore.
What does Psalm chapter 18 mean?
Psalm 18 is the fourth longest psalm in the book of Psalms. Second Samuel chapter 22 contains a nearly identical speech; the text found here may be an adapted version of David's praise, to be used for worship. The introduction refers to the fact that David made this statement as an expression of his love for God (Psalm 18:1).The first section in David's song of praise thanks God for providing rescue. At times in David's life, he was hunted and persecuted. The imagery in this section relates those experiences to the feeling of being tied up or drowning. In response to David's prayers for help, God intervened. David evokes images of earthquakes, fire, storms, and lightning to depict the power of the Lord's intercession. The result of that rescue was David's victory and security (Psalm 18:2–19).
David credits God with rescuing him and praises the Lord for rewarding his righteousness. While not a perfect man, the pattern of David's life was to honor and obey God (1 Samuel 13:14). This part of Psalm 18 declares that David's intent was to humble himself before God. In response to those who are merciful, God shows mercy. Those who are arrogant and proud can expect to be ruined (Psalm 18:20–27).
After thanking the Lord for rescue, David turns to a celebration of his God-empowered victories (2 Samuel 22:1). Scripture certainly supports the idea that David's military success was impressive (2 Samuel 8:1–8, 14). This passage uses metaphors such as being agile as a deer, strong enough to bend a bronze bow, having a wide and clear path, and so forth. While God responded to David's pleas, those who hated God saw no help when facing destruction. As a result of this divine intervention, Israel was safe from her enemies, and many avoided war entirely by submitting to David (Psalm 18:28–45).
The psalm closes by summarizing the themes already mentioned. God is the ultimate foundation of David's life, and the reason for all his success. In response, David will praise and celebrate the Lord (Psalm 18:46–50).
