Chapter 18

  To the Overseer. -- By a servant of Jehovah, by David, who hath spoken to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul, and he saith: -- I love Thee, O Jehovah, my strength. 

  Jehovah [is] my rock, and my bulwark, And my deliverer, My God [is] my rock, I trust in Him: My shield, and a horn of my salvation, My high tower. 

  The 'Praised One' I call Jehovah, And from my enemies I am saved. 

  Compassed me have cords of death, And streams of the worthless make me afraid. 

  Cords of Sheol have surrounded me, Before me have been snares of death. 

  In mine adversity I call Jehovah, And unto my God I cry. He heareth from His temple my voice, And My cry before Him cometh into His ears. 

  And shake and tremble doth the earth, And foundations of hills are troubled, And they shake -- because He hath wrath. 

  Gone up hath smoke by His nostrils, And fire from His mouth consumeth, Coals have been kindled by it. 

  And He inclineth the heavens, and cometh down, And thick darkness [is] under His feet. 

  And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And He flieth on wings of wind. 

  He maketh darkness His secret place, Round about Him His tabernacle, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 

  From the brightness over-against Him His thick clouds have passed on, Hail and coals of fire. 

  And thunder in the heavens doth Jehovah, And the Most High giveth forth His voice, Hail and coals of fire. 

  And He sendeth His arrows and scattereth them, And much lightning, and crusheth them. 

  And seen are the streams of waters, And revealed are foundations of the earth. From Thy rebuke, O Jehovah, From the breath of the spirit of Thine anger. 

  He sendeth from above -- He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters. 

  He delivereth me from my strong enemy, And from those hating me, For they have been stronger than I. 

  They go before me in a day of my calamity And Jehovah is for a support to me. 

  And He bringeth me forth to a large place, He draweth me out, because He delighted in me. 

  Jehovah doth recompense me According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me. 

  For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God. 

  For all His judgments [are] before me, And His statutes I turn not from me. 

  And I am perfect with him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity. 

  And Jehovah doth return to me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, Over-against his eyes. 

  With the kind Thou showest Thyself kind, With a perfect man showest Thyself perfect. 

  With the pure Thou showest Thyself pure, And with the perverse showest Thyself a wrestler, 

  For Thou a poor people savest, And the eyes of the high causest to fall. 

  For Thou -- Thou lightest my lamp, Jehovah my God enlighteneth my darkness. 

  For by Thee I run -- a troop! And by my God I leap a wall. 

  God! perfect [is] His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield [is] He to all those trusting in Him. 

  For who [is] God besides Jehovah? And who [is] a rock save our God? 

  God! who is girding me [with] strength, And He maketh perfect my way. 

  Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand. 

  Teaching my hands for battle, And a bow of brass was brought down by my arms. 

  And Thou givest to me the shield of Thy salvation, And Thy right hand doth support me, And Thy lowliness maketh me great. 

  Thou enlargest my step under me, And mine ankles have not slidden. 

  I pursue mine enemies, and overtake them, And turn back not till they are consumed. 

  I smite them, and they are not able to rise, They fall under my feet, 

  And Thou girdest me [with] strength for battle, Causest my withstanders to bow under me. 

  As to mine enemies -- Thou hast given to me the neck, As to those hating me -- I cut them off. 

  They cry, and there is no saviour, On Jehovah, and He doth not answer them. 

  And I beat them as dust before wind, As mire of the streets I empty them out. 

  Thou dost deliver me From the strivings of the people, Thou placest me for a head of nations, A people I have not known do serve me. 

  At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me, Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me, 

  Sons of a stranger fade away, And are slain out of their close places. 

  Jehovah liveth -- and blessed [is] my rock, And exalted is the God of my salvation. 

  God -- who is giving vengeance to me, And He subdueth peoples under me, 

  My deliverer from mine enemies, Above my withstanders Thou raisest me, From a man of violence dost deliver me. 

  Therefore I confess Thee among nations, O Jehovah, And to Thy name I sing praise, 

  Magnifying the salvation of His king, And doing kindness to His anointed, To David, and to his seed -- unto the age!