Psalms

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

1I love you, LORD. You are my strength.

2The 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.

2The LORD is my rock, my safe fort, and my rescuer. My God is my rock, and I hide in him. He is my shield, the horn that saves me, and my high tower.

Note"Buckler" is an old word for a shield. "The horn of my salvation" uses the picture of an animal's horn, which stood for strength. God is the strong one who saves.

3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

3I will call on the LORD, who deserves to be praised. Then I will be saved from my enemies.

4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

4The ropes of death wrapped around me. Floods of wicked men rushed at me and filled me with fear.

5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

5The ropes of the grave wound around me. The traps set by death came right at me.

NoteIn the KJV, "prevented me" means came at me or met me face to face. It does not mean stopped me. The same word is used in verse 18.

6In 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.

6When I was in trouble I called to the LORD. I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice. My cry reached his ears.

7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

7Then the earth shook and trembled. Even the bases of the hills moved and shook, because God was angry.

8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

8Smoke went up from his nose. Fire came out of his mouth and burned everything. Coals blazed from it.

9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

9He bent the sky open and came down. Darkness was under his feet.

10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

10He rode on a cherub, a winged heavenly creature, and flew. He soared on the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

11He made the darkness his hiding place. Dark waters and thick clouds spread around him like a tent.

12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

12The bright light in front of him broke through his thick clouds, with hailstones and burning coals.

13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

13The LORD thundered in the sky. The Most High let his voice be heard, with hailstones and burning coals.

14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

14He shot his arrows and scattered my enemies. He shot out lightning and sent them running in confusion.

15Then 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.

15Then the bottoms of the seas could be seen. The foundations of the world were uncovered. This happened when you spoke sharply, LORD, at the blast of breath from your nose.

16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

16He reached down from above and took hold of me. He pulled me out of the deep water.

17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

17He saved me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, because they were stronger than I was.

18They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

18They came at me on the day trouble struck me. But the LORD held me up.

19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

19He brought me out into a wide open place. He rescued me because he was pleased with me.

20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

20The LORD rewarded me for doing what was right. He paid me back because my hands were clean.

21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

21For I have kept to the LORD's ways. I have not turned away from my God to do evil.

22For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

22All his rules were right in front of me. I did not push his laws aside.

23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

23I was honest before him. I kept myself away from sin.

24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

24So the LORD paid me back for doing what was right, because he saw that my hands were clean.

25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

25To people who show mercy, you show mercy. To people who are honest, you are honest.

26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

26To people who are pure, you are pure. But to people who are twisted, you turn their twisting back on them.

Note"Froward" is an old word meaning crooked or twisted. The verse says God deals with twisted people in a way that matches how they act.

27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

27You save people who are hurting and beaten down. But you bring proud people low.

28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

28You light my lamp. The LORD my God turns my darkness into light.

29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

29With your help I can charge at a whole army. With my God I can jump over a wall.

30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

30As for God, his way is perfect. The LORD's word has been tested and proved true. He is a shield to everyone who trusts him.

31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

31For who is God except the LORD? Who is a rock except our God?

32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

32God is the one who wraps me in strength and makes my path smooth.

33He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

33He makes my feet sure like a deer's feet. He sets me safely on the high places.

34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

34He trains my hands for battle, so my arms are strong enough to bend a bow of bronze.

35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

35You have given me your shield that saves me. Your right hand holds me up. Your gentleness has made me great.

36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

36You made the path under me wide, so my feet did not slip.

37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

37I chased my enemies and caught up with them. I did not turn back until they were finished.

38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

38I struck them down so they could not get up again. They fell under my feet.

39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

39You wrapped me in strength for the battle. You put those who attacked me under my power.

40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

40You made my enemies turn their backs and run. So I put an end to those who hated me.

41They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

41They cried for help, but no one saved them. They cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.

42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

42I ground them as fine as dust blowing in the wind. I threw them out like mud in the street.

43Thou 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.

43You saved me from people who fought against me. You made me the head of the nations. People I never knew will serve me.

Note"Heathen" in the KJV simply means the nations, that is, peoples other than Israel. Here it is not an insult.

44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

44As soon as they hear about me, they obey me. Foreigners bow low before me.

45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

45Foreigners lose their courage. They come out of their strongholds shaking with fear.

46The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

46The LORD lives! Praise my rock! Let God, who saves me, be lifted high!

47It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

47God is the one who pays back those who wrong me. He puts nations under my rule.

48He 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.

48He rescues me from my enemies. You lift me up above those who attack me. You save me from violent men.

49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

49So I will thank you, LORD, in front of the nations. I will sing praises to your name.

50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

50He gives great rescue to his king. He shows steady love to the king he chose, to David and his family forever.