1aThis poem occurs again as Ps. 18, with a number of variations, some of which are cited in the following notes. David addressed the words of this song to GOD, after GOD had saved him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hands of Saul.
2He said:O ETERNAL One, my crag, my fortress, my deliverer!
3O God, the rockbGod, the rock Lit. “the God of my rock”; Ps. 18.3 “my God, my rock.” in which I take shelter:My shield, my mighty champion,cmighty champion Lit. “horn of rescue.” my haven and refuge!My savior, You who rescue me from violence!
4All praise! I called on GOD dAll praise! I called on GOD Construction of Heb. uncertain. And was delivered from my enemies.
5For the breakers of Death encompassed me,The torrents of BelialeBelial I.e., the netherworld, like “Death” and “Sheol.” terrified me;
6The ropes of Sheol encircled me,The snares of Death engulfed me.
7In my anguish I called on the ETERNAL,Cried out to my God,Who from a heavenly abodefa heavenly abode Lit. “His temple”; cf. v. 10. heard my voice,Whose ears received my cry.
8Then the earth rocked and quaked,The foundations of heavengheaven Cf. Ps. 18.8 “mountains.” shook—Rocked by divine indignation.
9Smoke went up from God’s nostrils—Devouring fire from God’s mouth;Live coals blazing forth.
10[God] bent the sky and came down,Thick cloud beneath divine feet.
11[God] mounted a cherub and flew,And was seenhAnd was seen Cf. Ps. 18.11 “gliding.” on the wings of the wind.
12Pavilions of darkness all around,Dripping clouds, huge thunderheads;
13In the divine brillianceBlazed fiery coals.
14GOD thundered from heaven,The Most High gave forth voice—
15Letting shafts fly, and scattering them;ithem I.e., the enemies in v. 4. Lightning, and routing them.
16The bed of the sea was exposed,The foundations of the world were laid bareBy the ETERNAL’s mighty roaring,At the blast of God’s breath.jGod’s breath Lit. “the breath of His nostrils.”
17Reaching down from on high, [God] took me,Drawing me out of the mighty waterskmighty waters Cf. v. 5.—
18Rescuing me from my fierce enemy,From foes too strong for me.
19They attacked me on my day of calamity,But GOD was my support.
20Bringing me out to freedom,Pleased with me enough to rescue me.
21GOD rewarded me according to my merit,Requiting the cleanness of my hands—
22For I have kept to the ways of GOD And have not been guilty before my God;
23For I am mindful of all God’s rulesAnd have not departed from God’s laws.
24I have been blameless before [God],And have guarded myself against sinning—
25And GOD has requited my meritAccording to my evident cleanness.
26With the loyal, You deal loyally;With the blameless hero,lhero Cf. Ps. 18.26 “man.” blamelessly.
27With the pure, You act in purity,And with the perverse, You are wily.
28To lowly folk You give victory,And You look with scorn on the haughty.mAnd You look with scorn on the haughty Lit. “And lower Your eyes on the haughty”; Ps. 18.28 “But haughty eyes You humble.”
29You, O ETERNAL One, are my lamp; GOD lights up my darkness.
30With You, I can rush a barrier;nbarrier Cf. postbiblical gedudiyyoth “walls,” Aramaic gudda, “wall.” With my God, I can scale a wall.
31The way of God is perfect,The word of the ETERNAL is pure.[God] shields all who seek refuge.
32Truly, who is a god except the ETERNAL,Who is a rock except our God?—
33The God, my mighty stronghold,omy mighty stronghold Cf. Ps. 18.33 “who girded me with might.” Who keptpkept Meaning of Heb. uncertain; Ps. 18.33 “made.” my path secure;
34Who made my legs like a deer’s,And set me firmly on theqthe Taking bamothai as a poetic form of bamoth; cf. Hab. 3.19; in contrast to others “my.” heights;
35Who trained my hands for battle—My arms can bend a bow of bronze!
36You have granted me the shield of Your protectionAnd Your providence has made me great.rAnd Your providence has made me great Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
37You have let me stride on freely;My feet have not slipped.
38I pursued my enemies and wiped them out,I did not turn back till I destroyed them.
39I destroyed them, I struck them down;They rose no more, they lay at my feet.
40You have girded me with strength for battle,Brought low my adversaries before me,
41Made my enemies turn tail before me,My foes—and I wiped them out.
42They looked,slooked Cf. Ps. 18.42 “cried out.” but there was none to deliver;To GOD, who did not answer them.
43I pounded them like dust of the earth,Stamped, crushed them like dirt of the streets.
44You have rescued me from the strife of peoples,tpeoples So some mss. and the Septuagint; Tiberian Masoretic mss. and the printed editions “my people.” Kept me to beuKept me to be Cf. Ps. 18.44 “set me.” at the head of nations;Peoples I knew not must serve me.
45Foreign peoples cringe before me,Are submissive at the mere report of me.
46Foreign peoples lose courageAnd come trembling out of their strongholds.vAnd come trembling out of their strongholds Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
47The ETERNAL lives! Blessed is my rock!Exalted be God, the rockWho gives me victory;
48The God who has vindicated meAnd made peoples subject to me,
49Who rescued me from my enemies,Who raised me clear of my adversaries,Saved me from the lawless opposition!
50For this I sing Your praise, ETERNAL One, among the nationsAnd hymn Your name:
51Tower of victorywTower of victory Kethib and Ps. 18.51 read “He accords wondrous victories.” to YourxYour Heb. 3rd person. king,Keeping faith with YouryYour See preceding note. anointed,With David and his offspring evermore.