Psalm 18:1-50 TLB

[1] This song of David was written at a time when the Lord had delivered him from his many enemies, including Saul. Lord, how I love you! For you have done such tremendous things for me. [2] The Lord is my fort where I can enter and be safe; no one can follow me in and slay me. He is a rugged mountain where I hide; he is my Savior, a rock where none can reach me, and a tower of safety. He is my shield. He is like the strong horn of a mighty fighting bull. [3] All I need to do is cry to him-oh, praise the Lord-and I am saved from all my enemies! [4] Death bound me with chains, and the floods of ungodliness mounted a massive attack against me. [5] Trapped and helpless, I struggled against the ropes that drew me on to death. [6] In my distress I screamed to the Lord for his help. And he heard me from heaven; my cry reached his ears. [7] Then the earth rocked and reeled, and mountains shook and trembled. How they quaked! For he was angry. [8] Fierce flames leaped from his mouth, setting fire to the earth; smoke blew from his nostrils. [9] He bent the heavens down and came to my defense; thick darkness was beneath his feet. [10] Mounted on a mighty angel, he sped swiftly to my aid with wings of wind. [11] He enshrouded himself with darkness, veiling his approach with dense clouds dark as murky waters. [12] Suddenly the brilliance of his presence broke through the clouds with lightning and a mighty storm of hail. [13] The Lord thundered in the heavens; the God above all gods has spoken-oh, the hailstones; oh, the fire! [14] He flashed his fearful arrows of lightning and routed all my enemies. See how they run! [15] Then at your command, O Lord, the sea receded from the shore. At the blast of your breath the depths were laid bare. [16] He reached down from heaven and took me and drew me out of my great trials. He rescued me from deep waters. [17] He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me-I who was helpless in their hands. [18] On the day when I was weakest, they attacked. But the Lord held me steady. [19] He led me to a place of safety, for he delights in me. [20] The Lord rewarded me for doing right and being pure. [21] For I have followed his commands and have not sinned by turning back from following him. [22] I kept close watch on all his laws; I did not refuse a single one. [23] I did my best to keep them all, holding myself back from doing wrong. [24] And so the Lord has paid me with his blessings, for I have done what is right, and I am pure of heart. This he knows, for he watches my every step. [25] Lord, how merciful you are to those who are merciful. And you do not punish those who run from evil. [26] You give blessings to the pure but pain to those who leave your paths. [27] You deliver the humble but condemn the proud and haughty ones. [28] You have turned on my light! The Lord my God has made my darkness turn to light. [29] Now in your strength I can scale any wall, attack any troop. [30] What a God he is! How perfect in every way! All his promises prove true. He is a shield for everyone who hides behind him. [31] For who is God except our Lord? Who but he is as a rock? [32] He fills me with strength and protects me wherever I go. [33] He gives me the surefootedness of a mountain goat upon the crags. He leads me safely along the top of the cliffs. [34] He prepares me for battle and gives me strength to draw an iron bow! [35] You have given me your salvation as my shield. Your right hand, O Lord, supports me; your gentleness has made me great. [36] You have made wide steps beneath my feet so that I need never slip. [37] I chased my enemies; I caught up with them and did not turn back until all were conquered. [38] I pinned them to the ground; all were helpless before me. I placed my feet upon their necks. [39] For you have armed me with strong armor for the battle. My enemies quail before me and fall defeated at my feet. [40] You made them turn and run; I destroyed all who hated me. [41] They shouted for help, but no one dared to rescue them; they cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer them. [42] So I crushed them fine as dust and cast them to the wind. I threw them away like sweepings from the floor. [43] You gave me victory in every battle. The nations came and served me. Even those I didn't know before come now and bow before me. Foreigners who have never seen me submit instantly. They come trembling from their strongholds. [46] God is alive! Praise him who is the great rock of protection. [47] He is the God who pays back those who harm me and subdues the nations before me. [48] He rescues me from my enemies; he holds me safely out of their reach and saves me from these powerful opponents. [49] For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations. [50] Many times you have miraculously rescued me, the king you appointed. You have been loving and kind to me and will be to my descendants.