18:1 For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang ²  to the Lord the words of this song when ³  the Lord rescued him from the power ⁴  of all his enemies, including Saul. ⁵ 

He said: ⁶ 

“I love ⁷  you, Lord, my source of strength! ⁸ 

18:2 The Lord is my high ridge, ⁹  my stronghold, ¹⁰  my deliverer.

My God is my rocky summit where ¹¹  I take shelter, ¹² 

my shield, the horn that saves me, ¹³  and my refuge. ¹⁴ 

18:3 I called ¹⁵  to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, ¹⁶ 

and I was delivered from my enemies.

18:4 The waves ¹⁷  of death engulfed me,

the currents ¹⁸  of chaos ¹⁹  overwhelmed me. ²⁰ 

18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, ²¹ 

the snares of death trapped me. ²² 

18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord;

I cried out to my God. ²³ 

From his heavenly temple ²⁴  he heard my voice;

he listened to my cry for help. ²⁵ 

18:7 The earth heaved and shook; ²⁶ 

the roots of the mountains ²⁷  trembled; ²⁸ 

they heaved because he was angry.

18:8 Smoke ascended from ²⁹  his nose; ³⁰ 

fire devoured as it came from his mouth; ³¹ 

he hurled down fiery coals. ³² 

18:9 He made the sky sink ³³  as he descended;

a thick cloud was under his feet.

18:10 He mounted ³⁴  a winged angel ³⁵  and flew;

he glided ³⁶  on the wings of the wind. ³⁷ 

18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness, ³⁸ 

in thick rain clouds. ³⁹ 

18:12 From the brightness in front of him came

hail and fiery coals. ⁴⁰ 

18:13 The Lord thundered ⁴¹  in ⁴²  the sky;

the sovereign One ⁴³  shouted. ⁴⁴ 

18:14 He shot his ⁴⁵  arrows and scattered them, ⁴⁶ 

many lightning bolts ⁴⁷  and routed them. ⁴⁸ 

18:15 The depths ⁴⁹  of the sea ⁵⁰  were exposed;

the inner regions ⁵¹  of the world were uncovered

by ⁵²  your battle cry, ⁵³  Lord,

by the powerful breath from your nose. ⁵⁴ 

18:16 He reached down ⁵⁵  from above and took hold of me;

he pulled me from the surging water. ⁵⁶ 

18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, ⁵⁷ 

from those who hate me,

for they were too strong for me.

18:18 They confronted ⁵⁸  me in my day of calamity,

but the Lord helped me. ⁵⁹ 

18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place;

he delivered me because he was pleased with me. ⁶⁰