1For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to 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. He said,
2I love you, LORD, my strength.
3The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
4I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.
5The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
6The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me.
7In my distress I called on the LORD, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears.
8Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
9Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
10He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
11He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.
12He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
13At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.
14The LORD also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.
15He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts.
16Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
17He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.
18He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
19They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.
20He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me.
22For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23For all his ordinances were before me. I didn't put away his statutes from me.
24I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
25Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
26With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
27With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
28For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.
29For you will light my lamp, LORD. My God will light up my darkness.
30For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
31As for God, his way is perfect. The LORD's word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
32For who is God, except the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God,
33the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
34He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places.
35He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
36You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
37You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
38I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won't turn away until they are consumed.
39I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.
40For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
41You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
42They cried, but there was no one to save; even to the LORD, but he didn't answer them.
43Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
44You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
45As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
46The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds.
47The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
48even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
49He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.
50Therefore I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
51He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.
