Psalm 18:21-50
English Standard Version
21 For I have (A)kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For (B)all his rules[a] were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was (C)blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 With (D)the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with (E)the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27 For you save (F)a humble people,
but (G)the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my (H)lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can (I)leap over (J)a wall.
30 This God—his way is (K)perfect;[b]
the word of the Lord (L)proves true;
he is (M)a shield for all those who (N)take refuge in him.
31 For (O)who is God, but the Lord?
And who is (P)a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who (Q)equipped me with strength
and made my way (R)blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a (S)deer
and set me secure on (T)the heights.
34 He (U)trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand (V)supported me,
and your (W)gentleness made me great.
36 You (X)gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies (Y)turn their backs to me,[c]
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 (Z)They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as (AA)dust before the wind;
I cast them out like (AB)the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from (AC)strife with the people;
you made me (AD)the head of the nations;
(AE)people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
(AF)foreigners (AG)came cringing to me.
45 (AH)Foreigners lost heart
and (AI)came trembling out of their fortresses.
46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and (AJ)subdued peoples under me,
48 who rescued me from my enemies;
yes, you (AK)exalted me above those who rose against me;
you delivered me from (AL)the man of violence.
49 (AM)For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and (AN)sing to your name.
50 Great (AO)salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his (AP)anointed,
to (AQ)David and his offspring forever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 18:22 Or just decrees
- Psalm 18:30 Or blameless
- Psalm 18:40 Or You gave me my enemies' necks
Psalm 18:21-50
King James Version
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31 For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that 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.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
Read full chapterThe Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
