22 For all (A)His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His (B)statutes from me.
23 I was also [a](C)blameless with Him,
And I (D)kept myself from my wrongdoing.
24 Therefore the Lord has (E)repaid me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

25 With (F)the faithful You show Yourself faithful;
With the [b]blameless (G)You prove Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You show Yourself (H)pure,
And with the crooked (I)You show Yourself [c]astute.
27 For You (J)save an afflicted people,
But You humiliate (K)haughty eyes.
28 For You (L)light my lamp;
The Lord my God (M)illumines my darkness.
29 For by You I can (N)run at a [d]troop of warriors;
And by my God I can (O)leap over a wall.

30 As for God, His way is [e](P)blameless;
The (Q)word of the Lord is refined;
He is a (R)shield to all who take refuge in Him.
31 For (S)who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a (T)rock, except our God,
32 The God who (U)encircles me with strength,
And [f]makes my way [g](V)blameless?
33 He (W)makes my feet like deer’s feet,
And (X)sets me up on my high places.
34 He (Y)trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can (Z)bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me (AA)the shield of Your salvation,
And Your (AB)right hand upholds me;
And (AC)Your [h]gentleness makes me great.
36 You (AD)enlarge my steps under me,
And my [i](AE)feet have not slipped.

37 I (AF)pursued my enemies and overtook them,
And I did not turn back (AG)until they were consumed.
38 I shattered them, so that they were (AH)not able to rise;
They fell (AI)under my feet.
39 For You have (AJ)encircled me with strength for battle;
You have forced those who rose up against me (AK)to bow down under me.
40 You have also made my enemies (AL)turn their backs to me,
And I [j](AM)destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried for help, but there was (AN)no one to save,
They cried to the Lord, but (AO)He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them fine like the (AP)dust before the wind;
I emptied them out like the mud of the streets.

43 You have rescued me from the (AQ)contentions of the people;
You have placed me as (AR)head of the nations;
A (AS)people whom I have not known serve me.
44 As soon as they hear, they obey me;
Foreigners (AT)pretend to obey me.
45 Foreigners (AU)lose heart,
And (AV)come trembling out of their [k]fortresses.

46 The Lord (AW)lives, and blessed be (AX)my rock;
And exalted be (AY)the God of my salvation,
47 The God who (AZ)executes vengeance for me,
And (BA)subdues peoples under me.
48 He (BB)rescues me from my enemies;
You indeed (BC)lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from a (BD)violent man.
49 Therefore I will (BE)give thanks to You among the nations, Lord,
And I will (BF)sing praises to Your name.
50 He gives great [l](BG)salvation to His king,
And shows faithfulness to (BH)His anointed,
To David and (BI)his [m]descendants forever.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:23 Lit complete; or having integrity; or perfect
  2. Psalm 18:25 See note v 23
  3. Psalm 18:26 Lit twisted
  4. Psalm 18:29 Or wall
  5. Psalm 18:30 Or perfect
  6. Psalm 18:32 Or has made
  7. Psalm 18:32 Lit complete; or having integrity
  8. Psalm 18:35 Or condescension
  9. Psalm 18:36 Lit ankles
  10. Psalm 18:40 Or silenced
  11. Psalm 18:45 Or prisons
  12. Psalm 18:50 I.e., victories; lit salvations
  13. Psalm 18:50 Lit seed

22 All his laws are before me;(A)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(B) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(C)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(D) you show yourself faithful,(E)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(F) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(G)
27 You save the humble(H)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(I)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(J) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(K)
29 With your help(L) I can advance against a troop[a];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(M)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(N)
    he shields(O) all who take refuge(P) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(Q)
    And who is the Rock(R) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(S)
    and keeps my way secure.(T)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(U)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(V)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(W)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(X) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(Y) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(Z)

37 I pursued my enemies(AA) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(AB) so that they could not rise;(AC)
    they fell beneath my feet.(AD)
39 You armed me with strength(AE) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(AF) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(AG) in flight,
    and I destroyed(AH) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(AI)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(AJ)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(AK)
    I trampled them[b] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(AL)
People I did not know(AM) now serve me,
44     foreigners(AN) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(AO)
    they come trembling(AP) from their strongholds.(AQ)

46 The Lord lives!(AR) Praise be to my Rock!(AS)
    Exalted be God(AT) my Savior!(AU)
47 He is the God who avenges(AV) me,
    who subdues nations(AW) under me,
48     who saves(AX) me from my enemies.(AY)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(AZ) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(BA)
    I will sing(BB) the praises of your name.(BC)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(BD)
    to David(BE) and to his descendants forever.(BF)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade
  2. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out