Psalms

A collection of songs and prayers expressing a wide range of emotions and thoughts on faith.

Chapter 18

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

*I will deeply care for you, God, because you give me strength.

2 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.

*The LORD is my protection, my safety, and my rescuer; my God, my power, whom I believe in; my shield, and the horn that saves me, and my tall fortress.

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

*I will ask the LORD, who deserves praise, to save me from my enemies.

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

*Death's sadness surrounded me, and the large group of bad people scared me.

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

*Hell's sadness surrounded me; death's traps stopped me.

6 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.

*In trouble, I asked the LORD for help and talked to my God. He listened from his special place, and my cry reached him, hearing my words directly.

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

*Then the ground shook and quivered; even the hill foundations shook and trembled because he was angry.

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

*Smoke rose from his nose, and fire came out of his mouth, burning everything; flames were lit by it.

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

*He bent the sky too and descended, with darkness beneath his feet.

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

*He flew on a cherub, like a bird soaring on the wind's power.

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

*He chose darkness as his hiding spot; his shelter was surrounded by dark water and dense clouds from the sky.

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

*The bright light ahead made his big, dark clouds go away, along with ice stones and pieces of fire.

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

*God thundered in the sky and the Most High spoke; he sent hail and fire coins.

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

*Yes, he sent his arrows to scatter them and shot lightning to disturb them.

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.

*Then people saw water paths and learned about Earth's foundations when you were angry, Lord, from the wind coming out of your nose.

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

*From up high, he rescued me; he pulled me away from lots of water.

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

*He saved me from my powerful opponent and those who disliked me; they were too powerful for me to handle alone.

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

*They stopped me when I faced trouble: but the LORD supported me.

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

*He took me to a big area; he saved me because he really liked me.

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

*The Lord paid me back based on how good I was; he repaid me based on how clean my actions were.

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

*Because I followed God's path and didn't go wrong away from Him.

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

*For all his rules were known to me, and I didn't remove them from my ways.

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

*I was good in his sight and avoided doing wrong things.

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

*So, the Lord has rewarded me based on my goodness and purity, as he sees my actions.

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

*When you're kind to someone, you'll be kindly treated; when you're honest with an honest person, you'll be treated honestly.

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

*If you are pure, you will show yourself pure; and if you are crooked, you will show yourself crooked.

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

*You will save the suffering people, but you will humble those who are proud.

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

*Because you will ignite my lamp: the Lord, my God, will brighten my darkness.

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

*Because of you, I have rushed past a group of people. And with my God's help, I have jumped over a high fence.

30 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.

*God's way is completely perfect. The Lord's words are true. He protects everyone who believes in him.

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

*Who is God except the LORD? Who is a rock except our God?

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

*God gives me strength and makes my path successful.

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

*He makes my feet act like deer feet, and puts me on high places.

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

*He teaches me how to fight with my hands, making it possible for me to break a strong metal bow using my own strength.

35 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.

*You have also given me your saving protection; your strong hand supports me, and your kindness has made me strong.

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

*You have made my path bigger and safer, so I didn't slip or fall.

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

*I chased my enemies and caught them; I didn't stop until they were all gone.

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

*I hurt them so much they couldn't get up: they fell right at my feet.

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

*Because you gave me strength for the fight, and you made those who opposed me submit to me.

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

*You have also given me my enemies' necks, so I can destroy those who hate me.

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

*They shouted for help, but no one came to rescue them. They called out to the Lord, but He did not respond.

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

*Then I made them tiny like dust blown by the wind. I threw them away like dirt on the streets.

43 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.

*You have saved me from the struggles of others and made me the leader of the non-believers. People I don't know will now serve me.

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

*As soon as people hear about me, they will follow me. Even those not from around here will obey and submit to me.

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

*Strangers will disappear and be scared in their hidden spots.

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

*God is alive! My rock is amazing, and I praise the Savior God.

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

*God is the one who takes revenge for me and defeats the people under my control.

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.

*He saves me from my enemies; yes, you lift me up over those who oppose me; you have rescued me from the violent person.

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

*So, I will thank you, God, in front of non-believers and sing about your great name.

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

*He greatly saves his king and shows kindness to his chosen one, David, and his descendants forever.

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