(KJV) Psalm 18¹

⥃The LORD Is My Rock ^{[ 2 Samuel 22:1–51 ]}

To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day² [that] the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,

[1] I will³ love thee, O Lord, my⁴ strength. [2] The Lord⁵ [is] my rock, and my fortress⁶, and my deliverer; my God, my strength⁷, in whom⁸ I will trust; my buckler⁹, and the horn¹⁰ of my salvation, [and] my high¹¹ tower. [3] I will¹² call upon the Lord, [who¹³ is worthy] to be praised: so shall¹⁴ I be saved from mine enemies. [4] The sorrows¹⁵ of death compassed me, and the floods¹⁶ of ungodly men¹⁷ made me afraid. [5] The sorrows¹⁸ of hell compassed me about: the snares¹⁹ of death prevented me. [6] In my distress²⁰ I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard²¹ my voice out of his temple, and my cry²² came before him, [even] into his ears. [7] Then the earth²³ shook and trembled; the foundations²⁴ also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. [8] There went²⁵ up a smoke out of his²⁶ nostrils, and fire²⁷ out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. [9] He bowed²⁸ the heavens also, and came down: and darkness²⁹ [was] under his feet. [10] And he rode³⁰ upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly³¹ upon the wings of the wind. [11] He made darkness his secret³² place; his pavilion round about him [were] dark waters [and] thick³³ clouds of the skies. [12] At the³⁴ brightness [that was] before him his thick clouds passed, hail³⁵ [stones] and coals of fire. [13] The Lord also thundered³⁶ in the heavens, and the Highest³⁷ gave his voice; hail [stones] and coals³⁸ of fire. [14] Yea³⁹, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot⁴⁰ out lightnings, and discomfited them. [15] Then the channels⁴¹ of waters were seen, and the foundations⁴² of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord⁴³, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. [16] He sent⁴⁴ from above, he took me, he drew⁴⁵ me out of many waters⁴⁶. [17] He delivered me from my strong⁴⁷ enemy, and from them⁴⁸ which hated me: for they were⁴⁹ too strong for me. [18] They prevented me in⁵⁰ the day of my calamity: but⁵¹ the Lord was my stay. [19] He brought⁵² me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because⁵³ he delighted in me. [20] The Lord rewarded⁵⁴ me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness⁵⁵ of my hands hath he recompensed me. [21] For I⁵⁶ have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not⁵⁷ wickedly departed from my God. [22] For all⁵⁸ his judgments [were] before me, and I did⁵⁹ not put away his statutes from me. [23] I was also upright⁶⁰ before⁶¹ him, and I kept⁶² myself from mine iniquity. [24] Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me⁶³ according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight⁶⁴. [25] With the⁶⁵ merciful thou wilt⁶⁶ shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; [26] With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward⁶⁷ thou wilt shew thyself froward⁶⁸. [27] For thou wilt save⁶⁹ the afflicted people; but wilt bring⁷⁰ down high looks. [28] For thou wilt⁷¹ light my candle⁷²: the Lord my God⁷³ will enlighten my darkness. [29] For by thee⁷⁴ I have run⁷⁵ through a troop; and by my God⁷⁶ have I leaped over a wall. [30] [As for] God, his way⁷⁷ [is] perfect: the word of the Lord is tried⁷⁸: he [is] a buckler⁷⁹ to all those that trust in him. [31] For who [is] God save the Lord? or who [is] a rock save our God?⁸⁰ [32] [It is] God that girdeth⁸¹ me with strength, and maketh⁸² my way perfect. [33] He maketh⁸³ my feet like hinds’ [feet], and setteth me upon my high⁸⁴ places. [34] He teacheth⁸⁵ my hands to war, so that⁸⁶ a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. [35] Thou hast also given me the shield⁸⁷ of thy salvation: and thy right⁸⁸ hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness⁸⁹ hath made me great. [36] Thou hast enlarged⁹⁰ my steps under me, that my feet⁹¹ did not slip. [37] I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.⁹² [38] I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.⁹³⁹⁴ [39] For thou hast girded⁹⁵ me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued⁹⁶ under me those that⁹⁷ rose up against me. [40] Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. [41] They cried, but [there was] none to save [them]: [even] unto the Lord, but he answered them not.⁹⁸ [42] Then did I beat⁹⁹ them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast¹⁰⁰ them out as the dirt in the streets. [43] Thou hast delivered me from¹⁰¹ the strivings of the people; [and] thou hast made¹⁰² me the head of the heathen: a people¹⁰³ [whom] I have not known shall serve me. [44] As soon¹⁰⁴ as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers¹⁰⁵ shall submit¹⁰⁶ themselves unto me. [45] The strangers¹⁰⁷ shall fade away, and be afraid¹⁰⁸ out of their close places. [46] The Lord¹⁰⁹ liveth; and blessed¹¹⁰ [be] my rock; and let the God¹¹¹ of my salvation be exalted¹¹². [47] [It is] God that avengeth¹¹³ me, and subdueth¹¹⁴ the people under me. [48] He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest¹¹⁵ me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man¹¹⁶. [49] Therefore will I give thanks¹¹⁷ unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing¹¹⁸ praises unto thy name. [50] Great¹¹⁹ deliverance giveth he to his¹²⁰ king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.