| Chapter 18 |
1 |
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 day [that] the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. --
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2 |
The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower. --
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3 |
I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. --
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4 |
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. --
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5 |
The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. --
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6 |
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, [even] into his ears. --
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7 |
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. --
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8 |
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. --
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9 |
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness [was] under his feet. --
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10 |
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. --
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11 |
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him [were] dark waters [and] thick clouds of the skies. --
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12 |
At the brightness [that was] before him his thick clouds passed, hail [stones] and coals of fire. --
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13 |
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail [stones] and coals of fire. --
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14 |
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. --
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15 |
Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. --
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16 |
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. --
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17 |
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. --
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18 |
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. --
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19 |
He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. --
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20 |
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. --
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21 |
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. --
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22 |
For all his judgments [were] before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. --
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23 |
I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. --
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24 |
Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. --
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25 |
With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; --
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26 |
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. --
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27 |
For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. --
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28 |
For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. --
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29 |
For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. --
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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. --
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31 |
For who [is] God save the LORD? or who [is] a rock save our God? --
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32 |
[It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. --
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33 |
He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], and setteth me upon my high places. --
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34 |
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. --
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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. --
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36 |
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. --
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37 |
I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. --
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38 |
I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. --
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39 |
For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. --
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40 |
Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. --
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41 |
They cried, but [there was] none to save [them: even] unto the LORD, but he answered them not. --
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42 |
Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. --
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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. --
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44 |
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. --
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45 |
The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. --
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46 |
The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. --
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47 |
[It is] God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. --
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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. --
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49 |
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. --
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50 |
Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. --
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