Psalm 17-18

New International Version

³ Though you probe my heart,^(G)
    though you examine me at night and test me,^(H)
you will find that I have planned no evil;^(I)
    my mouth has not transgressed.^(J)
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
⁵ My steps have held to your paths;^(K)
    my feet have not stumbled.^(L)

⁶ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;^(M)
    turn your ear to me^(N) and hear my prayer.^(O)
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,^(P)
    you who save by your right hand^(Q)
    those who take refuge^(R) in you from their foes.
⁸ Keep me^(S) as the apple of your eye;^(T)
    hide me^(U) in the shadow of your wings^(V)
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.^(W)

¹⁰ They close up their callous hearts,^(X)
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.^(Y)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,^(Z)
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
¹² They are like a lion^(AA) hungry for prey,^(AB)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

¹³ Rise up,^(AC) Lord, confront them, bring them down;^(AD)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
¹⁴ By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world^(AE) whose reward is in this life.^(AF)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers^(AG) for their little ones.

¹⁵ As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake,^(AH) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.^(AI)

² The Lord is my rock,^(AL) my fortress^(AM) and my deliverer;^(AN)
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,^(AO)
    my shield^[b](AP) and the horn^[c] of my salvation,^(AQ) my stronghold.

³ I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,^(AR)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.^(AS)
4 The cords of death^(AT) entangled me;
    the torrents^(AU) of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵ The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death^(AV) confronted me.

⁶ In my distress^(AW) I called to the Lord;^(AX)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;^(AY)
    my cry came^(AZ) before him, into his ears.
⁷ The earth trembled^(BA) and quaked,^(BB)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;^(BC)
    they trembled because he was angry.^(BD)
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;^(BE)
    consuming fire^(BF) came from his mouth,
    burning coals^(BG) blazed out of it.
⁹ He parted the heavens and came down;^(BH)
    dark clouds^(BI) were under his feet.
¹⁰ He mounted the cherubim^(BJ) and flew;
    he soared^(BK) on the wings of the wind.^(BL)
11 He made darkness his covering,^(BM) his canopy^(BN) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹² Out of the brightness of his presence^(BO) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones^(BP) and bolts of lightning.^(BQ)
13 The Lord thundered^(BR) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.^[d]
14 He shot his arrows^(BS) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning^(BT) he routed them.^(BU)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations^(BV) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,^(BW) Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.^(BX)

¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.^(BY)
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,^(BZ)
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.^(CA)
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,^(CB)
    but the Lord was my support.^(CC)
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;^(CD)
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.^(CE)

²⁰ The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;^(CF)
    according to the cleanness of my hands^(CG) he has rewarded me.^(CH)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;^(CI)
    I am not guilty of turning^(CJ) from my God.
²² All his laws are before me;^(CK)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
²³ I have been blameless^(CL) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
²⁴ The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,^(CM)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵ To the faithful^(CN) you show yourself faithful,^(CO)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
²⁶ to the pure^(CP) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.^(CQ)
27 You save the humble^(CR)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.^(CS)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp^(CT) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.^(CU)
29 With your help^(CV) I can advance against a troop^[e];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

³⁰ As for God, his way is perfect:^(CW)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;^(CX)
    he shields^(CY) all who take refuge^(CZ) in him.
³¹ For who is God besides the Lord?^(DA)
    And who is the Rock^(DB) except our God?
³² It is God who arms me with strength^(DC)
    and keeps my way secure.^(DD)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;^(DE)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.^(DF)
34 He trains my hands for battle;^(DG)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵ You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains^(DH) me;
    your help has made me great.
³⁶ You provide a broad path^(DI) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.^(DJ)

³⁷ I pursued my enemies^(DK) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
³⁸ I crushed them^(DL) so that they could not rise;^(DM)
    they fell beneath my feet.^(DN)
39 You armed me with strength^(DO) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries^(DP) before me.
⁴⁰ You made my enemies turn their backs^(DQ) in flight,
    and I destroyed^(DR) my foes.
⁴¹ They cried for help, but there was no one to save them^(DS)—
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.^(DT)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;^(DU)
    I trampled them^[f] like mud in the streets.
⁴³ You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.^(DV)
People I did not know^(DW) now serve me,
⁴⁴     foreigners^(DX) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
⁴⁵ They all lose heart;^(DY)
    they come trembling^(DZ) from their strongholds.^(EA)

⁴⁶ The Lord lives!^(EB) Praise be to my Rock!^(EC)
    Exalted be God^(ED) my Savior!^(EE)
47 He is the God who avenges^(EF) me,
    who subdues nations^(EG) under me,
⁴⁸     who saves^(EH) me from my enemies.^(EI)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man^(EJ) you rescued me.
⁴⁹ Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;^(EK)
    I will sing^(EL) the praises of your name.^(EM)

⁵⁰ He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,^(EN)
    to David^(EO) and to his descendants forever.^(EP)