A psalm written by God’s servant David. He sang it after Yahweh had rescued him from Saul and his other enemies.

18 Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.

2 Yahweh is like an overhanging rock [DOU, MET] under which I can hide from my enemies;

he is like a strong fortress, the one who protects me;

he protects me like a shield [MET] protects a soldier;

he is the one to whom I go ◄for refuge/to be protected/safe►,

and he defends me by his great power [IDM].

3 I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised,

and he rescued me from my enemies.

4 All around me were dangerous situations in which I might be killed [PRS];

it was as though there were huge waves [MET] that almost crashed on me and killed me.

5 It was as though the place where dead people are had ropes that were wrapped around me,

or it was as though there was a trap [MET] that would seize and kill me.

6 But when I was very distressed, I called out to Yahweh,

and from his temple he heard me.

He listened to me when I cried out for help.

7 Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU];

the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU]

because Yahweh was angry.

8 It was as though smoke poured out from his nostrils,

and as though burning coals came out of his mouth.

9 He opened the sky and came down

with a black cloud under his feet.

10 He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings,

traveling fast, blown along by the wind.

11 Darkness was all around him like a blanket [MET];

dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].

12 Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him;

hail and burning coals fell from the sky.

13 Then Yahweh spoke in a loud voice from the sky,

and his enemies heard his voice that sounded like thunder.

14 He shot his arrows at them and caused them to scatter;

His flashes of lightning caused them to become very confused (OR, to run away).

15 The bottom of the ocean became visible,

and the foundations of the earth were uncovered,

when Yahweh rebuked his enemies

when he snorted.

16 It was as though he reached down from heaven and grabbed me

and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.

17 He rescued me from my strong enemies who hated me;

they were very strong,

with the result that I could not defeat them.

18 When I ◄was distressed/had troubles►, they attacked me,

but Yahweh defended/protected me.

19 He led me to a place where I was safe;

he rescued me because he was pleased with me.

20 Yahweh has rewarded me because I do what is right;

he has blessed me because I ◄am innocent/have not done things that are wrong►.

21 I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws;

I have not abandoned him.

22 My behavior was directed by his rules;

I have not stopped obeying them.

23 He knows that I have not done what is wrong;

I have kept myself from sinning.

24 So he rewards me because I do what is right;

he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.

25 Yahweh, you are faithful to those who faithfully do what you tell them to do;

you always do what is good/right to those who do what you want them to do.

26 You are kind to those who are kind to others,

but you act wisely toward those who ◄act perversely/do bad things►.

27 You save those who are humble,

but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.

28 You give light to my soul/spirit;

you take away the darkness of my soul.

29 You enable me to be strong,

with the result that I can run and attack a line of enemy soldiers;

with your help I can ◄scale/climb up► the walls that surround my enemies’ cities.

30 Everything that Yahweh my God does is perfect.

We can depend on him to do what he promises.

He is like a shield [MET] to protect all those who go to him for refuge.

31 Yahweh is [RHQ] the only one who is God;

only he is like an overhanging rock under which we can be safe.

32 God is the one who enables me to be strong

and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.

33 He enables me to walk swiftly without stumbling,

like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.

34 He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow

in order that I can use it to fight in battles.

35 Yahweh, you protect and save me with your shield;

you have made me safe by your power [MTY].

I have become ◄strong/a great king► because you have helped me.

36 You have cleared the road for me,

with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.

37 I have pursued my enemies and caught them;

I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.

38 When I strike them, they are not able to get up again;

they lie on the ground, defeated.

39 You have enabled me to be strong

in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.

40 You caused my enemies to run away (OR, you enabled me to put my foot on my enemies’ necks after I captured them and forced them to lie on the ground);

I have gotten rid of all those who hated me.

41 They called out for someone to help them,

but no one saved them.

42 I pulverize them,

with the result that they become like [MET] the dust that the wind blows away;

I throw them out like [SIM] people throw dirt out into the streets.

43 You enabled me to defeat those who fought against me,

and appointed me to be the ruler of many nations;

people whom I did not know about previously are now slaves in my kingdom.

44 When foreigners hear about me,

they ◄cringe/bow low before me► and they obey me.

45 They are no longer courageous,

and from their forts where they were hiding they come to me trembling.

46 Yahweh is alive!

Praise the one who is like an overhanging rock [MET] under which I am safe

Exalt the God who saves me!

47 He enables me to get revenge on my enemies;

he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,

48 and he rescues me from my enemies.

He has lifted me up high so that violent men could not reach me and harm me.

49 So I praise him and I tell the nations the great things that he has done.

50 He has enabled me, his king, to powerfully defeat my enemies;

he faithfully loves me, David, the one he has chosen to be king, and he will faithfully love my descendants forever.