Chapter 18

  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, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.  

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  The 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.  

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

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

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

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  In 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.  

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

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

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

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  And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.  

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  He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him [were] dark waters [and] thick clouds of the skies.  

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

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

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

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  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.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.  

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

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

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

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

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  For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.  

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  [As for] God, his way [is] perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he [is] a buckler to all those that trust in him.  

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

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

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  He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], and setteth me upon my high places.  

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

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  Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.  

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

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

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

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  For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.  

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

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

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

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  Thou 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.  

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  As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.  

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

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

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

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  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.  

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  Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.  

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

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