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The Book of Psalms
CHAPTER 18. I love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 The cords of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The cords of the grave compassed me about: the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God for help: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the mountains moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 There went up smoke out of his nostrils, and devouring fire out of his mouth: coals were kindled by it.
9 He parted the heavens also, and came down: and thick darkness was under his feet.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 Out of the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice amid hail stones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and drove them out.
15 Then 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.
16 He reached down from above, he took me, he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 They came upon me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his laws were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyes.
25 With the faithful thou wilt shew thyself faithful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the crooked thou wilt shew thyself perverse.
27 For thou wilt save an afflicted people; but wilt bring down haughty looks.
28 For thou wilt light my lamp: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I can crush a troop; and by my God can I leap over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that take refuge in him.
31 For who is God save the LORD? and who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of bronze is bent by mine arms.
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand upholdeth me, and thy gentleness maketh me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38 I have crushed them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs to me, that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 They cried for help, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the nations: a people whom I have not known serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they obey me: the strangers submit themselves unto me.
45 The strangers fade away, and come trembling out of their strongholds.
46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
48 He 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.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the nations, and sing praises unto thy name.
50 Great triumphs giveth he to his king; and sheweth lovingkindness to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
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