Psalms 18:9-30

⁹He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.

¹⁰He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.

¹¹He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

¹²At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.

¹³The LORD also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.

¹⁴He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts.

¹⁵Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

¹⁶He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.

¹⁷He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁸They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.

¹⁹He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²⁰The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me.

²¹For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

²²For all his ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away his statutes from me.

²³I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.

²⁴Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

²⁵With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.

²⁶With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

²⁷For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.

²⁸For you will light my lamp, LORD. My God will light up my darkness.

²⁹For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.

³⁰As for God, his way is perfect. The LORD’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.