시편 18

David’s song of rescue and victory

¹For the music director. By David, the servant of the LORD. He sang the words of this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from the power of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. ²He said: “I love you, LORD, my strength. ³The LORD is my cliff, my stronghold, the one who sets me free; my God is my rock, and I shelter in him. He is my shield, my strong salvation, my tower on the heights. ⁴I call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and from my enemies I am rescued. ⁵Death’s ropes were wrapped around me; floods of ruin overwhelmed me with terror. ⁶The ropes of Sheol coiled around me; death’s traps lay right in front of me. ⁷When I was hard pressed I called on the LORD and cried out to my God. Out of his temple he listened to my voice; my cry came before him and reached his ears. ⁸Then the earth shuddered and rocked; the roots of the mountains trembled and were shaken, because he was furious. ⁹Smoke rose from his nostrils, and fire that consumes came from his mouth; burning coals flamed out of it. ¹⁰He bowed the heavens low and came down; storm clouds were dark beneath his feet. ¹¹Riding on a cherub, he flew; he swooped down on the wings of the wind. ¹²He wrapped himself in darkness and hid in it; all around him was a tent of dark rain clouds, thick clouds of the sky. ¹³Out of the brightness in front of him his clouds broke through, with hail and burning coals. ¹⁴The LORD thundered in the heavens; the Most High raised his voice, with hail and burning coals.^{a 15}He let his arrows fly and scattered the enemy; he hurled lightning bolts and threw them into confusion. ¹⁶The beds of the sea came into view, and the world’s foundations lay bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. ¹⁷From on high he stretched out his hand and seized me; he pulled me out of deep waters. ¹⁸He snatched me away from my powerful enemy, from those who hated me, because they were stronger than I was. ¹⁹They came at me on my day of disaster, but the LORD held me up. ²⁰He led me out into open country; he set me free, because he was pleased with me. ²¹The LORD treated me as my right conduct deserved; he rewarded me because my hands were clean. ²²For I have walked in the LORD’s ways and have not turned from my God to do evil. ²³All his rulings have been in front of me; I have not pushed his laws aside. ²⁴I was whole-hearted with him; I guarded myself from sin. ²⁵So the LORD rewarded me for doing right, for the clean hands he could see. ²⁶To the faithful you are faithful; to those of integrity you show integrity. ²⁷To the pure you prove yourself pure, but with the crooked you are subtle. ²⁸You rescue people who are humbled, but proud eyes you bring down. ²⁹You make my lamp shine; the LORD my God brightens my darkness. ³⁰With you I can rush an armed band; by the strength of my God I can vault a wall. ³¹This is God: his way is without flaw; the word of the LORD is tested and true; he is a shield for all who make him their refuge. ³²Is there any God but the LORD? Is there any rock but our God? ³³the God who straps strength around me like a belt and makes my way secure, ³⁴who makes my feet as sure as a deer’s and sets me firm on the heights, ³⁵who trains my hands for war, so that my arms can draw a bronze bow. ³⁶You have handed me your saving shield; your right hand holds me up, and your stooping down to me has made me great.^{b 37}You make room for my steps, so my ankles do not turn. ³⁸I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not give up the chase until I had made an end of them. ³⁹I shattered them, and they could not stand again; they lay fallen at my feet. ⁴⁰You strapped strength on me for the fight; you brought my attackers to their knees beneath me. ⁴¹You put my enemies to flight before me, and I destroyed those who hated me. ⁴²They called for help, but no one came to save them; they cried to the LORD, but he gave them no answer. ⁴³I ground them as fine as dust blown by the wind; I threw them out like mud in the streets. ⁴⁴You set me free from the people’s quarrels; you put me at the head of the nations. A nation I never knew now serves me. ⁴⁵The moment they hear, they obey me; foreigners come to me cringing. ⁴⁶Foreigners lose heart; they come out of their fortresses shaking. ⁴⁷The LORD is alive! Blessed be my rock! May the God who saves me be lifted high, ⁴⁸the God who avenges me and brings nations under my rule, ⁴⁹who saves me from my enemies. You raise me high above my attackers; you save me from the violent man. ⁵⁰That is why I will give you thanks among the nations, LORD, and sing praise to your name. ⁵¹Great are the victories he grants his king; he keeps faith in loyal love with his anointed one, with David and his line for all time.”