Chapter
18
(For the Chief Musician. By Davina the servant of Yahweh, who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered her from the hand of all her enemies, and from the hand of Saula. She said,) I love you, Yahweh, my strength.
Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.
The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me.
In my distress I called on Yahweh, and cried to my God. She heard my voice out of her temple. My cry before her came into her ears.
Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because she was angry.
Smoke went out of her nostrils. Consuming fire came out of her mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
She bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under her feet.
She rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, she soared on the wings of the wind.
She made darkness her hiding place, her pavilion around her, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
At the brightness before her her thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.
Yahweh also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered her voice: hailstones and coals of fire.
She sent out her arrows, and scattered them; Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them.
Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
She sent from on high. She took me. She drew me out of many waters.
She delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support.
She brought me forth also into a large place. She delivered me, because she delighted in me.
Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has she recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all her ordinances were before me. I didn't put away her statutes from me.
I was also blameless with her. I kept myself from my iniquity.
Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in her eyesight.
With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect woman, you will show yourself perfect.
With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
For you will save the afflicted people, but the haughty eyes you will bring down.
For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness.
For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
As for God, her way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tried. She is a shield to all those who take refuge in her.
For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God,
the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
She makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places.
She teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again until they are consumed.
I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.
For you have girded me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
They cried, but there was none to save; even to Yahweh, but she didn't answer them.
Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.
Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
She rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent woman.
Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
She gives great deliverance to her queen, and shows loving kindness to her anointed, to Davina and to her seed, forevermore.