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16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
    from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
    but the Lord supported me.
19 He led me to a place of safety;
    he rescued me because he delights in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
    he restored me because of my innocence.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
22 I have followed all his regulations;
    I have never abandoned his decrees.
23 I am blameless before God;
    I have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
    He has seen my innocence.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
    to those with integrity you show integrity.
26 To the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
27 You rescue the humble,
    but you humiliate the proud.
28 You light a lamp for me.
    The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 In your strength I can crush an army;
    with my God I can scale any wall.

30 God’s way is perfect.
    All the Lord’s promises prove true.
    He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
31 For who is God except the Lord?
    Who but our God is a solid rock?
32 God arms me with strength,
    and he makes my way perfect.
33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
    enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
    he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
35 You have given me your shield of victory.
    Your right hand supports me;
    your help[a] has made me great.
36 You have made a wide path for my feet
    to keep them from slipping.

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Footnotes

  1. 18:35 Hebrew your humility; compare 2 Sam 22:36.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.(A)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,(B)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.(C)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,(D)
    but the Lord was my support.(E)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;(F)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.(G)

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(H)
    according to the cleanness of my hands(I) he has rewarded me.(J)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(K)
    I am not guilty of turning(L) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(M)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(N) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(O)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(P) you show yourself faithful,(Q)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(R) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(S)
27 You save the humble(T)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(U)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(V) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(W)
29 With your help(X) I can advance against a troop[a];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(Y)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(Z)
    he shields(AA) all who take refuge(AB) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(AC)
    And who is the Rock(AD) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(AE)
    and keeps my way secure.(AF)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(AG)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(AH)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(AI)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(AJ) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(AK) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(AL)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade