Psalms 18

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

1I love you, LORD. You are the one who makes me strong.

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 and my strong castle. He is the one who rescues me. He is my God, and I trust him. He is my shield. He is the strong power that saves me. He is my high, safe tower.

NoteA "horn of salvation" is a word picture from animals. A strong animal's horn stood for power. It means God's power is what saves.

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

3I will call to the LORD. He deserves to be praised. Then I will be safe from my enemies.

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

4Ropes of death wrapped around me. Rushing floods of trouble made me afraid.

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

5The ropes of the grave were tied around me. Traps of death were set right in my path.

NoteIn old English, "prevented" meant "came in front of." The traps of death got in his way. It does not mean death was stopped.

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.

6I was in trouble, so I called to the LORD. I cried to my God for help. He heard my voice from his temple, his holy house. 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 rocked. The mountains trembled down to their roots. They 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 came up from his nose. Burning fire came out of his mouth. Hot coals blazed up.

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

9He opened the sky and came down. Dark clouds were 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 creature, and flew. He raced 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 hid himself inside the dark. Storm clouds and dark water covered him like a tent.

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

12Bright light shone out in front of him. His clouds rushed ahead with hailstones and coals of fire.

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

13The LORD thundered from the sky. God Most High spoke out loud. Down came hailstones and coals of fire.

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 threw lightning and sent them running.

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 bottom of the sea could be seen. The deep roots of the world lay bare. LORD, you shouted, and the breath from your nose blew hard.

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

16He reached down from high 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 strong enemy. He saved me from people who hated me. They were too strong for me.

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

18They came at me on my worst day. 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 saved me because he was glad to have me.

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

20The LORD was good to me because I did what was right. My hands were clean, so he paid me back with good.

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

21I have followed the LORD's ways. I have not done evil and walked away from my God.

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

22I keep all his rules in front of me. I have not pushed his laws away.

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

23I did no wrong in front of 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 with good, because I did what was right. He saw that my hands were clean.

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

25You are faithful to people who are faithful to you. You do right by people who do right.

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

26You are pure with people who are pure. But you outsmart people who are crooked.

Note"Froward" is an old word. It means crooked or twisted, not straight and honest.

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

27You save people who are hurting. You bring proud people down low.

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

28You light my lamp, 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 climb 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.

30God's way is perfect. Every word the LORD says is true. He is a shield for all who hide in him.

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

31Who is God besides the LORD? Who is a rock besides our God?

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

32God is the one who makes me strong. He makes my path clear and straight.

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

33He makes my feet sure, like the feet of a deer. He sets me up on high places.

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

34He teaches my hands to fight. My arms can bend a bow made 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 gave me your shield that saves me. Your right hand holds me up. Your gentle care has made me great.

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

36You made a wide path under my feet. 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. 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 made me strong for the battle. You put my enemies down under me.

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

40You made my enemies turn and run. 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.

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 up like dust in the wind. I tramped them down 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 when people fought against me. You made me the leader of the nations. People I never knew will serve me.

Note"Heathen" is an old word for the other nations, the peoples who were not Israel.

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. People from other lands bow down to me.

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

45They lose all their courage. They come out of their strong forts, shaking.

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

46The LORD is alive! Praise my rock! Lift up the God who saves me!

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

47He is the God who pays back the ones who hurt 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 saves me from my enemies. You lift me up above those who attack me. You save me from cruel 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, among the nations. I will sing praise to your name.

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

50God gives great help to his king. He shows steady love to the king he chose. He loves David and his family forever.