Psalm 18:1-50 AMP

[1] “I love You [fervently and devotedly], O LORD, my strength.” [2] The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and the One who rescues me; My God, my rock and strength in whom I trust and take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower—my stronghold. [3] I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; And I am saved from my enemies. [4] The cords of death surrounded me, And the streams of ungodliness and torrents of destruction terrified me. [5] The cords of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. [6] In my distress [when I seemed surrounded] I called upon the LORD And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry for help came before Him, into His very ears. [7] Then the earth shook and quaked, The foundations of the mountains trembled; They were shaken because He was indignant and angry. [8] Smoke went up from His nostrils, And fire from His mouth devoured; Coals were kindled by it. [9] He bowed the heavens also and came down; And thick darkness was under His feet. [10] And He rode upon a cherub (storm) and flew; And He sped on the wings of the wind. [11] He made darkness His hiding place (covering); His pavilion (canopy) around Him, The darkness of the waters, the thick clouds of the skies. [12] Out of the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds, Hailstones and coals of fire. [13] The LORD also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. [14] He sent out His arrows and scattered them; And He sent an abundance of lightning flashes and confused and routed them [in defeat]. [15] Then the stream beds of the waters appeared, And the foundations of the world were laid bare At Your rebuke, O LORD, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. [16] He reached from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. [17] He rescued me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. [18] They confronted me in the day of my disaster, But the LORD was my support. [19] He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me because He was pleased with me and delighted in me. [20] The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness (moral character, spiritual integrity); According to the cleanness of my hands He has rewarded me. [21] For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God. [22] For all His ordinances were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. [23] I was blameless before Him, And I kept myself free from my sin. [24] Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness (moral character, spiritual integrity), According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight. [25] With the kind (merciful, faithful, loyal) You show Yourself kind, With the blameless You show Yourself blameless, [26] With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself astute. [27] For You save an afflicted and humble people, But bring down those [arrogant fools] with haughty eyes. [28] For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; The LORD my God illumines my darkness. [29] For by You I can crush a troop, And by my God I can leap over a wall. [30] As for God, His way is blameless. The word of the LORD is tested [it is perfect, it is faultless]; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. [31] For who is God, but the LORD? Or who is a rock, except our God, [32] The God who encircles me with strength And makes my way blameless? [33] He makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly and tread safely on paths of testing and trouble]; He sets me [securely] upon my high places. [34] He trains my hands for war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. [35] You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds and sustains me; Your gentleness [Your gracious response when I pray] makes me great. [36] You enlarge the path beneath me and make my steps secure, So that my feet will not slip. [37] I pursued my enemies and overtook them; And I did not turn back until they were consumed. [38] I shattered them so that they were not able to rise; They fell [wounded] under my feet. [39] For You have encircled me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. [40] You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me [in defeat], And I silenced and destroyed those who hated me. [41] They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—Even to the LORD [they cried], but He did not answer them. [42] Then I beat them fine as the dust before the wind; I emptied them out as the dirt of the streets. [43] You have rescued me from the contentions of the people; You have placed me as the head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me. [44] As soon as they hear me, they respond and obey me; Foreigners feign obedience to me. [45] Foreigners lose heart, And come trembling out of their strongholds. [46] The LORD lives, blessed be my rock; And may the God of my salvation be exalted, [47] The God who avenges me, And subdues peoples (nations) under me. [48] He rescues me from my enemies; Yes, You lift me up above those who rise up against me; You deliver me from the man of violence. [49] Therefore will I give thanks and praise You, O LORD, among the nations, And sing praises to Your name. [50] He gives great triumphs to His king, And shows steadfast love and mercy to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever.