Add parallel Print Page Options

21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
    and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his ordinances were before me,
    and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was blameless before him,
    and I kept myself from guilt.
24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 With the loyal thou dost show thyself loyal;
    with the blameless man thou dost show thyself blameless;
26 with the pure thou dost show thyself pure;
    and with the crooked thou dost show thyself perverse.
27 For thou dost deliver a humble people;
    but the haughty eyes thou dost bring down.
28 Yea, thou dost light my lamp;
    the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 Yea, by thee I can crush a troop;
    and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 This God—his way is perfect;
    the promise of the Lord proves true;
    he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

31 For who is God, but the Lord?
    And who is a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who girded me with strength,
    and made my way safe.
33 He made my feet like hinds’ feet,
    and set me secure on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation,
    and thy right hand supported me,
    and thy help[a] made me great.
36 Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
    and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
    they fell under my feet.
39 For thou didst gird me with strength for the battle;
    thou didst make my assailants sink under me.
40 Thou didst make 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.
42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind;
    I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

43 Thou didst deliver me from strife with the peoples;[b]
    thou didst make me the head of the nations;
    people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
    foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart,
    and came trembling out of their fastnesses.

46 The Lord lives; and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 the God who gave me vengeance
    and subdued peoples under me;
48 who delivered me from my enemies;
    yea, thou didst exalt me above my adversaries;
    thou didst deliver me from men of violence.

49 For this I will extol thee, O Lord, among the nations,
    and sing praises to thy name.
50 Great triumphs he gives to his king,
    and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
    to David and his descendants for ever.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:35 Or gentleness
  2. Psalm 18:43 Gk Tg: Heb people

21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(A)
    I am not guilty of turning(B) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(C)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(D) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(E)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(F) you show yourself faithful,(G)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(H) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(I)
27 You save the humble(J)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(K)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(L) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(M)
29 With your help(N) I can advance against a troop[a];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(O)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(P)
    he shields(Q) all who take refuge(R) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(S)
    And who is the Rock(T) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(U)
    and keeps my way secure.(V)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(W)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(X)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(Y)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(Z) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(AA) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(AB)

37 I pursued my enemies(AC) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(AD) so that they could not rise;(AE)
    they fell beneath my feet.(AF)
39 You armed me with strength(AG) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(AH) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(AI) in flight,
    and I destroyed(AJ) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(AK)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(AL)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(AM)
    I trampled them[b] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(AN)
People I did not know(AO) now serve me,
44     foreigners(AP) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(AQ)
    they come trembling(AR) from their strongholds.(AS)

46 The Lord lives!(AT) Praise be to my Rock!(AU)
    Exalted be God(AV) my Savior!(AW)
47 He is the God who avenges(AX) me,
    who subdues nations(AY) under me,
48     who saves(AZ) me from my enemies.(BA)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(BB) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(BC)
    I will sing(BD) the praises of your name.(BE)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(BF)
    to David(BG) and to his descendants forever.(BH)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  2. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out