1 | <> I will love thee, O LORD, my 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. |
3 | I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. |
4 | The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. |
5 | The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented 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. |
7 | Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. |
8 | There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. |
9 | He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and 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 | At 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 Highest gave his voice; hail [stones] and coals of fire. |
14 | Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited 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. |
16 | He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. |
17 | He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. |
18 | They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. |
19 | He brought me forth also into a large 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 judgments [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 eyesight. |
25 | With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; |
26 | With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. |
27 | For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. |
28 | For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. |
29 | For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped 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 trust in him. |
31 | For who [is] God save the LORD? or 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 steel is broken by mine arms. |
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. |
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 wounded 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 given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. |
41 | They cried, 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 heathen: a people [whom] I have not known shall serve me. |
44 | As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. |
45 | The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. |
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 heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. |
50 | Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. |