18:1 For the worship leader. A song of David, the Eternal One’s servant, who addressed these words to the Eternal after He had rescued him from Saul and his other enemies. I love You, Eternal One, source of my power.
18:2 The Eternal is my rock, my fortress, and my salvation; He is my True God, the stronghold in which I hide, my strong shield, the horn that calls forth help, and my tall-walled tower.
18:3 I call out to the Eternal, who is worthy to be praised— that’s how I will be rescued from my enemies.
18:4 The bonds of death encircled me; the currents of destruction tugged at me;
18:5 The sorrows of the grave wrap around me; the traps of death lay in wait for me.
18:6 In my time of need, I called to the Eternal; I begged my True God for help. He heard my voice echo up to His temple, and my cry came to His ears.
18:7 Because of His great anger, the earth shook and staggered; the roots of the mountains shifted.
18:8 Smoke poured out from His nose, and devouring fire burst from His mouth. Coals glowed from Him.
18:9 He bent the heavens and descended; inky darkness was beneath His feet.
18:10 He rode upon a heavenly creature, flying; He was carried quickly on the wings of the wind.
18:11 He took darkness as His hiding place— both the dark waters of the seas and the dark clouds of the sky.
18:12 Out from His brilliance hailstones and burning coals broke through the clouds.
18:13 The Eternal thundered in the heavens; the Highest spoke; His voice rumbled [in the midst of hail and lightning].
18:14 He shot forth His arrows and scattered the wicked; He flung forth His lightning and struck them.
18:15 Then the deepest channels of the seas were visible, and the very foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O Eternal One, at the blast of wind from Your nostrils.
18:16 He reached down His hand from above me; He held me. He lifted me from the raging waters.
18:17 He rescued me from my strongest enemy, from all those who sought my death, for they were too strong.
18:18 They came for me in the day of my destruction, but the Eternal was the support of my life.
18:19 He set me down in a safe place; He saved me to His delight; He took joy in me.
18:20 The Eternal One responded to me according to my goodness; I kept my hands clean, and He blessed me.
18:21 I kept the ways of the Eternal and have not walked away from my True God in wickedness.
18:22 All His laws were there before me, and I did not push His statutes away.
18:23 I was blameless before Him; I kept myself from guilt and shame.
18:24 That’s why the Eternal has rewarded me for my right living; He’s rewarded me because He saw my hands were clean.
18:25 You are loyal to those who are loyal; with the innocent, You prove to be innocent;
18:26 With the clean, You prove to be clean; and with the twisted, You make Yourself contrary.
18:27 For You rescue humble people, but You bring the proud back in line.
18:28 You are the lamp who lights my way; the Eternal, my God, lights up my darkness.
18:29 With Your help, I can conquer an army; I can leap over walls with a helping hand from You.
18:30 Everything God does is perfect; the promise of the Eternal rings true; He stands as a shield for all who hide in Him.
18:31 Who is the True God except the Eternal? Who stands like a rock except our God?
18:32 The True God who encircled me with strength and made my pathway straight.
18:33 He made me sure-footed as a deer and placed me high up where I am safe.
18:34 He teaches me to fight so that my arms can bend a bronze bow.
18:35 You have shielded me with Your salvation, supporting me with Your strong right hand, and it makes me strong.
18:36 You taught me how to walk with care so my feet will not slip.
18:37 I chased my enemies and caught them and did not stop until they were destroyed.
18:38 I broke them and threw them down beneath my feet, and they could not rise up again.
18:39 For You equipped me for battle, and You made my enemies fall beneath me.
18:40 You made my enemies turn tail and run, and all who wanted my destruction, I destroyed.
18:41 They looked everywhere, but no one came to rescue them; they asked the Eternal, but He did not answer them.
18:42 I beat them to sand, to dust that blows in the wind; I flung them away like trash in the gutters.
18:43 You rescued me from conflict with the peoples; You raised me up to rule over nations. People who did not know me have come to serve me.
18:44 Strangers come to me, afraid. As soon as they hear about me, they serve me;
18:45 Strangers who have lost heart come fearfully to me from behind their high walls.
18:46 The Eternal is alive! My Rock is blessed, and exalted is the True God of my deliverance—
18:47 The God who avenged me and placed the peoples under me,
18:48 Who rescued me from all my foes. Truly, You raised me up above my enemies and saved me from the violent ones.
18:49 For this I will praise You among the nations, O Eternal, and sing praises to Your name.
18:50 He is a tower of salvation for His king and shows His enduring love to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
Your support helps pay our hosting costs, and
- with a little bit extra -
lets us pay transcribers and proofreaders.
If you can help, Click here to become a Patreon:
www.patreon.com/IslamAwakened Thank you!