Psalm 18:1-50 CEB

[1] He said: I love you, LORD, my strength. [2] The LORD is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer. My God is my rock—I take refuge in him!—he’s my shield, my salvation’s strength, my place of safety. [3] Because he is praiseworthy, I cried out to the LORD, and I was saved from my enemies. [4] Death’s cords were wrapped around me; rivers of wickedness terrified me. [5] The cords of the grave surrounded me; death’s traps held me tight. [6] In my distress I cried out to the LORD; I called to my God for help. God heard my voice from his temple; I called to him for help, and my call reached his ears. [7] The earth rocked and shook; the bases of the mountains trembled and reeled because of God’s anger. [8] Smoke went up from God’s nostrils; out of his mouth came a devouring fire; flaming coals blazed out in front of him! [9] God parted the skies and came down; thick darkness was beneath his feet. [10] God mounted the heavenly creatures and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. [11] God made darkness cloak him; his covering was dark water and dense cloud. [12] God’s clouds went ahead of the brightness before him; hail and coals of fire went too. [13] The LORD thundered in heaven; the Most High made his voice heard with hail and coals of fire. [14] God shot his arrows, scattering the enemy; he sent the lightning and threw them into confusion. [15] The seabeds were exposed; the earth’s foundations were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the angry blast of air coming from your nostrils. [16] From on high God reached down and grabbed me; he took me out of all that water. [17] God saved me from my powerful enemy, saved me from my foes, who were too much for me. [18] They came at me on the very day of my distress, but the LORD was my support. [19] He brought me out to wide-open spaces; he pulled me out safe because he is pleased with me. [20] The LORD rewarded me for my righteousness; he restored me because my hands are clean, [21] because I have kept the LORD’s ways. I haven’t acted wickedly against my God. [22] All his rules are right in front of me; I haven’t turned away from any of his laws. [23] I have lived with integrity before him; I’ve kept myself from wrongdoing. [24] And so the LORD restored me for my righteousness because my hands are clean in his eyes. [25] You deal faithfully with the faithful; you show integrity toward the one who has integrity. [26] You are pure toward the pure, but toward the crooked, you are tricky. [27] You are the one who saves people who suffer and brings down those with proud eyes. [28] You are the one who lights my lamp—the LORD my God illumines my darkness. [29] With you I can charge into battle; with my God I can leap over a wall. [30] God! His way is perfect; the LORD’s word is tried and true. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. [31] Now really, who is divine except the LORD? And who is a rock but our God? [32] Only God! The God who equips me with strength and makes my way perfect, [33] who makes my step as sure as the deer’s, who lets me stand securely on the heights, [34] who trains my hands for war so my arms can bend a bronze bow. [35] You’ve given me the shield of your salvation; your strong hand has supported me; your help has made me great. [36] You’ve let me walk fast and safe, without even twisting an ankle. [37] I chased my enemies and caught them! I didn’t come home until I finished them off. [38] I struck them down; they couldn’t get up again; they fell under my feet. [39] You equipped me with strength for war; you brought my adversaries down underneath me. [40] You made my enemies turn tail from me; I destroyed my foes. [41] They cried for help, but there was no one to save them. They cried for help to the LORD, but he wouldn’t answer them. [42] I crushed them like dust blown away by the wind; I threw them out like mud dumped in the streets. [43] You delivered me from struggles with many people; you appointed me the leader of many nations. Strangers come to serve me. [44] After hearing about me, they obey me; foreigners grovel before me. [45] Foreigners lose their nerve; they come trembling out of their fortresses. [46] The LORD lives! Bless God, my rock! Let the God of my salvation be lifted high! [47] This is the God who avenges on my behalf, who subdues people before me, [48] who delivers me from my enemies. Yes, you lifted me high above my adversaries; you delivered me from violent people. [49] That’s why I thank you, LORD, in the presence of the nations. That’s why I sing praises to your name. [50] You are the one who gives great victories to your king, who shows faithful love to your anointed one—to David and to his descendants forever.