Tehillim 18:1-51 תהילים י״ח:א׳-נ״א

To the chief Musician, of David, the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Sha᾽ul:

and he said, I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

He is worthy to be praised: I will call upon the Lord: so shall I be saved from my enemies.

The bonds of death encircled me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

The cords of She᾽ol compassed me about: the snares of death took me by surprise.

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, into his ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled; and the foundations of the hills moved and were shaken, because of his anger.

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

And he rode upon a keruv, and did fly: he soared on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him was dark water and thick clouds of the skies.

At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail and coals of fire.

The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail and coals of fire.

And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and confounded them.

Then the channels of waters 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.

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me: for they were too strong for me.

They surprised me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.

He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

The Lord rewards me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompenses me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.

Therefore the Lord recompenses me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful; with an upright man Thou wilt show Thyself upright;

with the pure Thou wilt show Thyself pure; and with the perverse Thou wilt show Thyself subtle.

For Thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

For Thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

For by Thee I run through a troop; and by my God I leap over a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a shield to all those who trust in him.

For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?

It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me upon my heights.

He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of brass is bent in my arms.

Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy right hand has supported me and Thy condescension has made me great.

Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn back till they were consumed.

I have crushed them so that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

For Thou hast girded me with strength to the battle: Thou hast subdued under me those who rose up against me.

Thou hast also made my enemies turn their backs on me; that I might destroy those who hate me.

They cried, but there was none to save them: to the Lord, but he answered them not.

Then did I beat them small like the dust before the wind: I did cast them out like the dirt in the streets.

Thou deliverest me from the strivings of the people; Thou makest me the head of nations: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves to me.

The strangers shall fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.

The Lord lives; and blessed is my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

It is God who avenges me, and has subdued peoples under me.

He delivers me from my enemies: indeed, thou liftest me up above those who rise up against me: Thou deliverest me from the violent man.

Therefore will I give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to Thy name.

Great deliverance he gives to his king; and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.