Psalms 18

1 For the leader. Of David, the servant of the LORD, who sang to the LORD the words of this song after the LORD had rescued him from the clutches of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. I He said: I love you, LORD, my strength,
2 LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold!
3 Praised be the LORD, I exclaim! I have been delivered from my enemies.
4 II The breakers of death surged round about me; the menacing floods terrified me.
5 The cords of Sheol tightened; the snares of death lay in wait for me.
6 In my distress I called out: LORD! I cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry to him reached his ears.
7 The earth rocked and shook; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook as his wrath flared up.
8 Smoke rose in his nostrils, a devouring fire poured from his mouth; it kindled coals into flame.
9 He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud under his feet.
10 Mounted on a cherub he flew, borne along on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness the cover about him; his canopy, heavy thunderheads.
12 Before him scudded his clouds, hail and lightning too.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice resound.
14 He let fly his arrows and scattered them; shot his lightning bolts and dispersed them.
15 Then the bed of the sea appeared; the world's foundations lay bare, At the roar of the LORD, at the storming breath of his nostrils.
16 He reached down from on high and seized me; drew me out of the deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my mighty enemy, from foes too powerful for me.
18 They attacked me on a day of distress, but the LORD came to my support.
19 He set me free in the open; he rescued me because he loves me.
20 III The LORD acknowledged my righteousness, rewarded my clean hands.
21 For I kept the ways of the LORD; I was not disloyal to my God.
22 His laws were all before me, his decrees I did not cast aside.
23 I was honest toward him; I was on guard against sin.
24 So the LORD rewarded my righteousness, the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 Toward the faithful you are faithful; to the honest you are honest;
26 Toward the sincere, sincere; but to the perverse you are devious.
27 Humble people you save; haughty eyes you bring low.
28 You, LORD, give light to my lamp; my God brightens the darkness about me.
29 With you I can rush an armed band, with my God to help I can leap a wall.
30 God's way is unerring; the LORD'S promise is tried and true; he is a shield for all who trust in him.
31 IV Truly, who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is the rock?
32 This God who girded me with might, kept my way unerring,
33 Who made my feet swift as a deer's, set me safe on the heights,
34 Who trained my hands for war, my arms to bend even a bow of bronze.
35 V You have given me your protecting shield; your right hand has upheld me; you stooped to make me great.
36 You gave me room to stride; my feet never stumbled.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till I destroyed them.
38 I struck them down; they could not rise; they fell dead at my feet.
39 You girded me with strength for war, subdued adversaries at my feet.
40 My foes you put to flight before me; those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but no one saved them; cried to the LORD but got no answer.
42 I ground them fine as dust in the wind; like mud in the streets I trampled them down.
43 You rescued me from the strife of peoples; you made me head over nations. A people I had not known became my slaves;
44 as soon as they heard of me they obeyed. Foreigners cringed before me;
45 their courage failed; they came trembling from their fortresses.
46 VI The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, my savior!
47 O God who granted me vindication, made peoples subject to me,
48 and preserved me from my enemies, Truly you have exalted me above my adversaries, from the violent you have rescued me.
49 Thus I will proclaim you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name.
50 You have given great victories to your king, and shown kindness to your anointed, to David and his posterity forever.

Psalms 19

1 For the leader. A psalm of David. I The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft.
2 One day to the next conveys that message; one night to the next imparts that knowledge.
3 There is no word or sound; no voice is heard;
4 Yet their report goes forth through all the earth, their message, to the ends of the world. God has pitched there a tent for the sun;
5 it comes forth like a bridegroom from his chamber, and like an athlete joyfully runs its course.
6 From one end of the heavens it comes forth; its course runs through to the other; nothing escapes its heat.
7 II The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The statutes of the LORD are true, all of them just;
10 More desirable than gold, than a hoard of purest gold, Sweeter also than honey or drippings from the comb.
11 By them your servant is instructed; obeying them brings much reward.
12 III Who can detect heedless failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults.
13 But from willful sins keep your servant; let them never control me. Then shall I be blameless, innocent of grave sin.
14 Let the words of my mouth meet with your favor, keep the thoughts of my heart before you, LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalms 20

1 For the leader. A psalm of David. I The LORD answer you in time of distress; the name of the God of Jacob defend you!
2 May God send you help from the temple, from Zion be your support.
3 May God remember your every offering, graciously accept your holocaust, Selah
4 Grant what is in your heart, fulfill your every plan.
5 May we shout for joy at your victory, raise the banners in the name of our God. The LORD grant your every prayer!
6 II Now I know victory is given to the anointed of the LORD. God will answer him from the holy heavens with a strong arm that brings victory.
7 Some rely on chariots, others on horses, but we on the name of the LORD our God.
8 They collapse and fall, but we stand strong and firm.
9 LORD, grant victory to the king; answer when we call upon you.

Psalms 21

1 For the leader. A psalm of David. I LORD, the king finds joy in your power; in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
2 You have granted him his heart's desire; you did not refuse the prayer of his lips. Selah
3 For you welcomed him with goodly blessings; you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
4 He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever.
5 Great is his glory in your victory; majesty and splendor you confer upon him.
6 You make him the pattern of blessings forever, you gladden him with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the LORD, stands firm through the love of the Most High.
8 II Your hand will reach all your enemies; your right hand will reach your foes!
9 At the time of your coming you will drive them into a furnace. Then the LORD'S anger will consume them, devour them with fire.
10 Even their descendants you will wipe out from the earth, their offspring from the human race.
11 Though they intend evil against you, devising plots, they will not succeed,
12 For you will put them to flight; you will aim at them with your bow. III
13 Arise, LORD, in your power! We will sing and chant the praise of your might.

Psalms 22

1 For the leader; according to The deer of the dawn. A psalm of David. I My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why so far from my call for help, from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I call by day, but you do not answer; by night, but I have no relief.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the glory of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted and you rescued them.
5 To you they cried out and they escaped; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm, hardly human, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me; they curl their lips and jeer; they shake their heads at me:
8 You relied on the LORD--let him deliver you; if he loves you, let him rescue you.
9 Yet you drew me forth from the womb, made me safe at my mother's breast.
10 Upon you I was thrust from the womb; since birth you are my God.
11 Do not stay far from me, for trouble is near, and there is no one to help.
12 II Many bulls surround me; fierce bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 They open their mouths against me, lions that rend and roar.
14 Like water my life drains away; all my bones grow soft. My heart has become like wax, it melts away within me.
15 As dry as a potsherd is my throat; my tongue sticks to my palate; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Many dogs surround me; a pack of evildoers closes in on me. So wasted are my hands and feet
17 that I can count all my bones. They stare at me and gloat;
18 they divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, LORD, do not stay far off; my strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword, my forlorn life from the teeth of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth, my poor life from the horns of wild bulls.
22 III Then I will proclaim your name to the assembly; in the community I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, give praise! All descendants of Jacob, give honor; show reverence, all descendants of Israel!
24 For God has not spurned or disdained the misery of this poor wretch, Did not turn away from me, but heard me when I cried out.
25 I will offer praise in the great assembly; my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.
26 The poor will eat their fill; those who seek the LORD will offer praise. May your hearts enjoy life forever!
27 IV All the ends of the earth will worship and turn to the LORD; All the families of nations will bow low before you.
28 For kingship belongs to the LORD, the ruler over the nations.
29 All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; All who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage.
30 And I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you.
31 The generation to come will be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance you have brought.