Psalms 18:12-39

¹²Hailstones and burning coals flew out from his brightness, passing through his thick clouds.

¹³The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High sounded among the hailstones and burning coals.

¹⁴He fired his arrows, scattering his enemies; he routed them with his lightning bolts.

¹⁵You roared, Lord, and by the wind from the breath of your nostrils the valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth were uncovered.

¹⁶He reached down his hand from above and grabbed hold of me. He pulled me out of the deep water.

¹⁷He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and who were much stronger than me.

¹⁸They came at me at my worst possible moment, but the Lord supported me.

¹⁹He set me free, he rescued me because he's my friend.

²⁰The Lord rewarded me because I do what's right; he repaid me because I am innocent.

²¹For I have followed the Lord's ways; I have not sinned by turning away from my God.

²²I have kept all his laws in mind; I have not ignored his commandments.

²³I am blameless in his sight; I keep myself from sinning.

²⁴The Lord rewarded me for doing what's right. I am innocent in his sight.

²⁵You show trust to those who trust; you show integrity to those with integrity,

²⁶You show yourself pure to those who are pure, but you show yourself smart to those who are crafty.

²⁷You save the humble, but you bring down the proud.

²⁸You light my lamp! Lord, my God, you light up my darkness!

²⁹With you, I can charge down a troop of soldiers; with you, my God, I can climb a fortress wall.

³⁰God's way is absolutely right. What the Lord says is trustworthy. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.

³¹For who is God except the Lord? Who is the rock, except our God?

³²God makes me strong and keeps me safe.

³³He makes me surefooted like the deer, able to walk the heights in safety.

³⁴He teaches me how to fight in battle; he gives me the strength to draw a bronze bow.

³⁵You protect me with the shield of your salvation; you support me with your powerful right hand; your help has made me great.

³⁶You gave me space in which to walk, and prevented my feet from slipping.

³⁷I chased my enemies, and caught up with them. I did not turn around until I had destroyed them.

³⁸I struck them down—they couldn't get up. They fell at my feet.

³⁹You made me strong for battle; you made those who rose up against me kneel down before me.