Old Testament · Poetry and wisdom

Psalms chapter 18

I you, Yahweh — you are my .Yahweh is my , my , my rescuer, my God — the boulder I hide behind, my , the , my .I called out to Yahweh — who — and I was pulled free from my enemies.The had wrapped around me, the crashed over me.The tangles of closed in on me; the of death lay right in my path.In my suffocating despair I cried out to Yahweh; I screamed to my God for help. From his he heard my voice — my cry reached his ears.Then the earth lurched and shook; the foundations of the mountains trembled — they convulsed because he was .Smoke poured from his ; consuming fire blazed from his mouth, white-hot coals ignited before him.He and came down, beneath his feet.He rode on a and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.He wrapped darkness around himself like a cloak, his — dark storm clouds, thick clouds heavy with rain.From the , hailstones and burning coals burst through his clouds.Yahweh thundered from the sky; the voice of rang out — hailstones and burning coals.He shot his and scattered them; he hurled lightning bolts and threw them into chaos.Then the was exposed, the foundations of the earth laid bare, at your roar, Yahweh — at the from your nostrils.He reached down from the heights and grabbed me; he pulled me out of .He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from those who hated me — they were too strong for me.They ambushed me on , but Yahweh held me steady.He brought me out into ; he pulled me free because he .Yahweh rewarded me for ; he repaid me because .For I have ; I have not turned my back on my God.All his are in front of me; I have not pushed aside his .I was , and I kept myself from my own .So Yahweh repaid me for doing what was right, for the cleanness of my hands in his sight.To the , you show yourself faithful; to the one with , you show integrity.To the clean, you show yourself clean; but to the , you show yourself .You rescue people, but you bring down those with .You light my , Yahweh; my God turns my darkness into light.With you I can charge an army; with my God I can scale a wall.As for God — his way is ; Yahweh’s word has been . He is a shield to everyone who takes shelter in him.For who is God besides Yahweh? And who is the except our God?It is God who arms me with strength and makes my path .He makes my feet as and sets me steady on the heights.He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a .You gave me your ; your right hand holds me up, and your made me great.You made wide room for my steps beneath me, and my ankles never buckled.I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not turn back until they were finished.I struck them down and they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet.You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries crumble before me.You made my enemies to me, and I destroyed those who hated me.They screamed for help, but no one came to rescue them — even to Yahweh, but he did not answer.I ground them to ; I poured them out like mud in the streets.You delivered me from the conflicts of my own people; you placed me as the . People I never knew now serve me.As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreigners before me.Foreigners and come trembling from their fortresses.Yahweh ! My be praised! Let the God of my rescue be lifted high!The God who on my behalf, who subdues peoples under me,who sets me free from my enemies. You lifted me above my attackers; from violent men you pulled me to safety.For this I will , Yahweh; I will .He gives his king ; he shows to — to David and his descendants .