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18:1  For the director of music. By the Lord’s servant, David. David sang this song to the Lord ·when [L on the day] the Lord had ·saved [rescued; T delivered] him from Saul and all his other enemies [C the occasion is unknown; 2 Sam. 22 parallels this psalm]. He said: I love you, Lord. You are my strength.
18:2  The Lord is my rock, my ·protection [L fortress], my ·Savior [rescuer; T deliverer]. My God is my rock. ·I can run to him for safety [L …in whom I find protection/take refuge]. He is my shield and ·my saving strength [L the horn of my salvation; C symbolizing strength based on an animal lifting its head triumphantly], my ·defender [stronghold].
18:3  I ·will call to [call upon] the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I ·will be [or am] saved from my enemies.
18:4  The ·ropes [cords] of death ·came around [swirled about; encompassed] me; the ·deadly rivers [floods/torrents of destruction] overwhelmed me.
18:5  The ·ropes [cords] of death ·wrapped around [entangled; coiled around] me. The ·traps [snares] of death ·were before [confronted; lay ahead of] me.
18:6  In my ·trouble [distress; anguish] I ·called [cried out] to the Lord. I ·cried out [called] to my God for help. From his ·Temple [sanctuary] he heard my voice; my ·call for help [cry] reached his ears.
18:7  The earth ·trembled [reeled; quaked] and ·shook [rocked]. The foundations of the mountains began to ·shake [shudder]. They ·trembled [reeled; quaked] because the Lord was angry.
18:8  Smoke ·came out of his nose [poured/rose from his nostrils], and ·burning [devouring] fire came out of his mouth. Burning coals ·went before [blazed/flamed out from] him.
18:9  He ·tore open [parted] the ·sky [heavens] and came down with ·dark clouds [storm clouds; thick darkness] under his feet.
18:10  He rode a ·creature with wings [L cherub; C a mighty spiritual being/angel; Ezek. 1] and flew. ·He raced […soaring] on the wings of the wind.
18:11  He made darkness his covering, his ·shelter [canopy; shroud] around him, surrounded by ·fog [thick rain] and clouds.
18:12  Out of the brightness ·of his presence [before him] came clouds with hail and ·lightning [L fiery coals].
18:13  The Lord thundered from heaven; the ·Most High raised his voice [voice of the Most High resounded], and there was hail and ·lightning [L fiery coals].
18:14  He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies. His many bolts of lightning ·confused them with fear [routed them].
18:15  ·Lord, you spoke strongly [L At your rebuke, O Lord…]. ·The wind blew from your nose [L …at the blast of breath from your nostrils…]. Then the ·valleys [floor; channels] of the sea ·appeared [were exposed], and the foundations of the earth were ·seen [laid bare].
18:16  The Lord reached down from ·above [heaven; on high] and ·took [rescued] me; he ·pulled me from the deep water [drew me out of mighty waters].
18:17  He ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me, because they were too strong for me.
18:18  They ·attacked [confronted] me ·at my time of trouble [L in the day of my distress/calamity/disaster], but the Lord ·supported me [was my stay].
18:19  He took me to a ·safe [spacious; open; L broad] place. Because he delights in me, he ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me.
18:20  The Lord ·spared [rewarded] me ·because I did what was right [L according to my righteousness]. Because ·I have not done evil [of my innocence; L of the cleanness of my hands], he has ·rewarded [restored] me.
18:21  I have ·followed [obeyed; kept; L guarded] the ways of the Lord; I have not done evil by turning away from my God.
18:22  I ·remember [follow; L have before me] all his ·laws [regulations] and have not ·broken [abandoned; L turned aside from] his ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements].
18:23  I am ·innocent [blameless] before him; I have kept myself from ·doing evil [sin; guilt; iniquity].
18:24  The Lord ·rewarded [repaid] me ·because I did what was right [L according to my righteousness], ·because I did what the Lord said was right [L according to my cleanness/purity in his sight].
18:25  Lord, you ·are [show yourself] ·loyal [faithful; kind] to those who are ·loyal [faithful; kind], and you are good to those who are good.
18:26  You ·are [show yourself] ·pure [sincere] to those who are ·pure [sincere], but you ·are [show yourself] ·against [hostile/shrewd/cunning/perverse to] those who are ·bad [perverse; devious; crooked].
18:27  You ·save [rescue; T deliver] the ·humble [afflicted], but you ·bring down [watch and humiliate] ·those who are proud [the haughty].
18:28  Lord, you give light to my lamp. My God ·brightens the darkness around me [lights up/illuminates my darkness].
18:29  With your help I can ·attack [crush] an army. With God’s help I can ·jump over [scale] a wall.
18:30  The ·ways [way; path] of God are ·without fault [blameless; perfect]. The Lord’s ·words [promises] are ·pure [tested; flawless; proven true]. He is a shield to those who ·trust [seek protection/take refuge in] him.
18:31  Who is God? Only the Lord. Who is the Rock? Only our God.
18:32  God ·is my protection [is my strong fortress; or girds me with strength]. He makes my way ·free from fault [perfect; secure; a wide path].
18:33  He makes ·me [L my feet] like a deer that does not stumble [C sure-footed]; he ·helps me stand [sets me] on the ·steep mountains [heights].
18:34  He trains my hands for battle so my arms can bend a bronze bow.
18:35  You ·protect me with your saving shield [L have given me the shield of your salvation/victory]. You support me with your right hand. ·You have stooped to make [Your help makes] me great.
18:36  You ·give me a better way to live [broaden my path; L widen my steps beneath me], so ·I live as you want me to [my feet do not slip; L my ankles do not weaken].
18:37  I ·chased [pursued] my enemies and ·caught [exterminated] them. I did not ·quit [turn back] until they were ·destroyed [annihilated; consumed].
18:38  I ·crushed them [shattered them; struck them down] so they couldn’t ·rise [get] up again. They fell beneath my feet.
18:39  You ·gave me [L armed/girded me with] strength ·in [for] battle. You ·made my enemies bow [humbled/subdued my enemies] ·before me [or under my feet].
18:40  You made my enemies ·turn back [turn their backs; retreat], and I destroyed ·those who hated me [my foes].
18:41  They ·called for help [looked around], but no one came to ·save [rescue; T deliver] them. They ·called [looked] to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
18:42  I ·beat my enemies into pieces [ground/pulverized them], like dust in the wind. I poured them out like ·mud [mire] in the streets.
18:43  You ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me when the people ·attacked me [quarreled; fought]. You made me the ·leader [ruler; head] of nations. People I never knew serve me.
18:44  As soon as they hear ·me [or of me], they obey me. Foreigners ·obey [cower/cringe before] me.
18:45  They all ·become afraid [lose heart/their courage] and ·tremble in [come trembling from] their ·hiding places [fortresses; strongholds].
18:46  The Lord lives! May my Rock be ·praised [blessed]. Praise the God ·who saves me […of my salvation]!
18:47  God gives me ·victory [revenge; vengeance] over my enemies and brings ·people [nations] under ·my rule [me].
18:48  He ·saves [rescues; T delivers] me from my enemies. You ·set me over those who hate me [exalt/lift me above my enemies]. You ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me from violent people.
18:49  So I will ·praise [extol] you, Lord, among the nations. I will sing praises to your name.
18:50  The Lord ·gives great victories [is a tower of salvation] to his king. He ·is loyal [shows kindness/faithful love] to his ·appointed king [anointed], to David and his descendants forever.