Psalm 18: Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake unto 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 Saul: And he said,
Meter: C.M. (8,6,8,6)
1 Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength. 2 My fortress is the Lord, My rock, and he that doth to me deliverance afford:
My God, my strength, whom I will trust, a buckler unto me, The horn of my salvation, and my high tow’r, is he.
3 Upon the Lord, who worthy is of praises, will I cry; And then shall I preserved be safe from mine enemy.
4 Floods of ill men affrighted me, death’s pangs about me went; 5 Hell’s sorrows me environed; death’s snares did me prevent.
6 In my distress I call’d on God, cry to my God did I; He from his temple heard my voice, to his ears came my cry.
7 Th’ earth, as affrighted, then did shake, trembling upon it seiz’d: The hills’ foundations moved were, because he was displeas’d.
8 Up from his nostrils came a smoke, and from his mouth there came Devouring fire, and coals by it were turned into flame.
9 He also bowed down the heav’ns, and thence he did descend; And thickest clouds of darkness did under his feet attend.
10 And he upon a cherub rode, and thereon he did fly; Yea, on the swift wings of the wind his flight was from on high.
11 He darkness made his secret place: about him, for his tent, Dark waters were, and thickest clouds of th’ airy firmament.
12 And at the brightness of that light, which was before his eye, His thick clouds pass’d away, hailstones and coals of fire did fly.
13 The Lord God also in the heav’ns did thunder in his ire; And there the Highest gave his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he his arrows sent abroad, and them he scattered; His lightnings also he shot out, and them discomfited.
15 The waters’ channels then were seen, the world’s foundations vast At thy rebuke discover’d were, and at thy nostrils’ blast.
16 And from above the Lord sent down, and took me from below; From many waters he me drew, which would me overflow.
17 He me reliev’d from my strong foes, and such as did me hate; Because he saw that they for me too strong were, and too great.
18 They me prevented in the day of my calamity; But even then the Lord himself a stay was unto me.
19 He to a place where liberty and room was hath me brought; Because he took delight in me, he my deliv’rance wrought.
20 According to my righteousness he did me recompense, He me repaid according to my hands’ pure innocence.
21 For I God’s ways kept, from my God did not turn wickedly. 22 His judgments were before me, I his laws put not from me.
23 Sincere before him was my heart; with him upright was I; And watchfully I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 After my righteousness the Lord hath recompensed me, After the cleanness of my hands appearing in his eye.
25 Thou gracious to the gracious art, to upright men upright: 26 Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth’st unto the froward wight.
27 For thou wilt the afflicted save in grief that low do lie: But wilt bring down the countenance of them whose looks are high.
28 The Lord will light my candle so, that it shall shine full bright: The Lord my God will also make my darkness to be light.
29 By thee through troops of men I break, and them discomfit all; And, by my God assisting me, I overleap a wall.
30 As for God, perfect is his way: the Lord his word is try’d; He is a buckler to all those who do in him confide.
31 Who but the Lord is God? but he who is a rock and stay? 32 ’Tis God that girdeth me with strength, and perfect makes my way.
33 He made my feet swift as the hinds, set me on my high places. 34 Mine hands to war he taught, mine arms brake bows of steel in pieces.
35 The shield of thy salvation thou didst on me bestow: Thy right hand held me up, and great thy kindness made me grow.
36 And in my way my steps thou hast enlarged under me, That I go safely, and my feet are kept from sliding free.
37 Mine en’mies I pursued have, and did them overtake; Nor did I turn again till I an end of them did make.
38 I wounded them, they could not rise; they at my feet did fall. 39 Thou girdedst me with strength for war; my foes thou brought’st down all:
40 And thou hast giv’n to me the necks of all mine enemies; That I might them destroy and slay, who did against me rise.
41 They cried out, but there was none that would or could them save; Yea, they did cry unto the Lord, but he no answer gave.
42 Then did I beat them small as dust before the wind that flies; And I did cast them out like dirt upon the street that lies.
43 Thou mad’st me free from people’s strife, and heathen’s head to be: A people whom I have not known shall service do to me.
44 At hearing they shall me obey, to me they shall submit. 45 Strangers for fear shall fade away, who in close places sit.
46 God lives, bless’d be my Rock; the God of my health praised be. 47 God doth avenge me, and subdues the people under me.
48 He saves me from mine enemies; yea, thou hast lifted me Above my foes; and from the man of vi’lence set me free.
49 Therefore to thee will I give thanks the heathen folk among; And to thy name, O Lord, I will sing praises in a song.
50 He great deliv’rance gives his king: he mercy doth extend To David, his anointed one, and his seed without end.