Psalm 18 – NIRV & KJV

New International Reader’s Version

Psalm 18:1-50

Psalm 18

For the director of music. A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang the words of this song to the Lord. He sang them when the Lord saved him. He saved him from the power of all his enemies and of Saul. David said,

1I love you, Lord.

You give me strength.

2The Lord is my rock and my place of safety. He is the God who saves me.

My God is my rock. I go to him for safety.

He is like a shield to me. He’s the power that saves me. He’s my place of safety.

3I called out to the Lord. He is worthy of praise.

He saved me from my enemies.

4The ropes of death were almost wrapped around me.

A destroying flood swept over me.

5The ropes of the grave were tight around me.

Death set its trap in front of me.

6When I was in trouble, I called out to the Lord.

I cried to my God for help.

From his temple he heard my voice.

My cry for help reached his ears.

7The earth trembled and shook.

The base of the mountains rocked back and forth.

It trembled because the Lord was angry.

8Smoke came out of his nose.

Flames of fire came out of his mouth.

Burning coals blazed out of it.

9He opened the heavens and came down.

Dark clouds were under his feet.

10He stood on the cherubim and flew.

The wings of the wind lifted him up.

11He covered himself with darkness.

The dark rain clouds of the sky were like a tent around him.

12Clouds came out of the brightness that was all around him.

They came with hailstones and flashes of lightning.

13The Lord thundered from heaven.

The voice of the Most High God was heard.

14He shot his arrows and scattered our enemies.

He sent great flashes of lightning and chased the enemies away.

15The bottom of the sea could be seen.

The foundations of the earth were uncovered.

Lord, it happened when your anger blazed out.

It came like a blast of breath from your nose.

16He reached down from heaven. He took hold of me.

He lifted me out of deep waters.

17He saved me from my powerful enemies.

He set me free from those who were too strong for me.

18They opposed me when I was in trouble.

But the Lord helped me.

19He brought me out into a wide and safe place.

He saved me because he was pleased with me.

20The Lord has been good to me because I do what is right.

He has rewarded me because I lead a pure life.

21I have lived the way the Lord wanted me to.

I am not guilty of turning away from my God.

22I keep all his laws in mind.

I haven’t turned away from his commands.

23He knows that I am without blame.

He knows I’ve kept myself from sinning.

24The Lord has rewarded me for doing what is right.

He has rewarded me because I haven’t done anything wrong.

25Lord, to those who are faithful you show that you are faithful.

To those who are without blame you show that you are without blame.

26To those who are pure you show that you are pure.

But to those whose paths are crooked you show that you are clever.

27You save those who aren’t proud.

But you bring down those whose eyes are proud.

28Lord, you keep the lamp of my life burning brightly.

You are my God. You bring light into my darkness.

29With your help I can attack a troop of soldiers.

With the help of my God I can climb over a wall.

30God’s way is perfect.

The Lord’s word doesn’t have any flaws.

He is like a shield

to all who go to him for safety.

31Who is God except the Lord?

Who is the Rock except our God?

32God gives me strength for the battle.

He keeps my way secure.

33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.

He causes me to stand on the highest places.

34He trains my hands to fight every battle.

My arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35Lord, you are like a shield that keeps me safe.

Your strong right hand keeps me going.

Your help has made me great.

36You give me a wide path to walk on

so that I don’t twist my ankles.

37I chased my enemies and caught them.

I didn’t turn back until they were destroyed.

38I crushed them so that they couldn’t get up.

They fell under my feet.

39Lord, you gave me strength to fight the battle.

You made my enemies humble in front of me.

40You made them turn their backs and run away.

So I destroyed my enemies.

41They cried out for help. But there was no one to save them.

They called out to the Lord. But he didn’t answer them.

42I beat them as fine as dust blown by the wind.

I stomped on them like mud in the streets.

43You saved me when my own people attacked me.

You made me the ruler over nations.

People I didn’t know serve me now.

44People from other lands bow down to me in fear.

As soon as they hear me, they obey me.

45All of them give up hope.

They come trembling out of their hiding places.

46The Lord lives! Give praise to my Rock!

Give honor to God my Savior!

47He is the God who pays back my enemies.

He brings the nations under my control.

48He saves me from my enemies.

You have honored me more than them.

You have saved me from a man who wanted to hurt me.

49Lord, I will praise you among the nations.

I will sing the praises of your name.

50The Lord helps his king win great battles.

He shows his faithful love to his anointed king.

He shows it to David and to his family forever.

King James Version

Psalms 18:1-50

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,

1I will love thee, O LORD, 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.18.2 my strength: Heb. my rock

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

4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.18.4 ungodly men: Heb. Belial

5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.18.5 sorrows: or, cords

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.

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

8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.18.8 out of his nostrils: Heb. by his, etc

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

10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon 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.

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

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

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

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.

16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.18.16 many: or, great

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

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

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

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

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

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

23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.18.23 before: Heb. with

24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.18.24 in…: Heb. before his eyes

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

26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.18.26 shew thyself froward: or, wrestle

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

28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.18.28 candle: or, lamp

29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.18.29 run…: or, broken

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.18.30 tried: or, refined

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

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

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

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

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.18.35 thy gentleness…: or, with thy meekness thou hast multiplied me

36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.18.36 my feet: Heb. mine ankles

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

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

39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.18.39 subdued: Heb. caused to bow

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

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

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

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.

44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.18.44 As soon…: Heb. At the hearing of the ear18.44 submit…: or, yield feigned obedience18.44 strangers: Heb. sons of the stranger

45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.18.45 strangers: Heb. sons of the stranger

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

47It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.18.47 avengeth: Heb. giveth avengements for18.47 subdueth: or, destroyeth

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.18.48 violent…: Heb. man of violence

49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.18.49 give…: or, confess

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