Psalm 18
1 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
1 I will love thee, O | Lord, my | strength. ||
The Lord is my stony | rock, and | my de- | fence; ||
2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
2 My Saviour, my God, and my might, in | whom • I will | trust; ||
my buckler, the horn also of my sal- | vation, | and my | refuge. ||
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
3 I will call upon the Lord, which is | worthy • to be | praised; ||
so 3 shall | I be | safe • from mine | ene•mies. ||
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, * and the overflowings of ungodliness | made • me a- | fraid. ||
5 The pains of hell came about me; * the | snares of | death • over- | took me. ||
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
6 In my trouble I called upon the Lord, and com- | plained un•to my | God: ||
7 So he heard my voice out of his holy temple, and my complaint came before him; * it | entered • even | 3 into his | ears. ||
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
8 The earth | trembled • and | quaked, ||
the very foundations also of the hills shook, and were re- | moved, be- | cause • he was | wroth. ||
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
9 There went a | smoke out • in his | presence, ||
and a consuming fire out of his mouth, | so that | coals were | kindled • at it. ||
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
10 He bowed the heavens | also, and • came | down, ||
3 and | it was | dark • under his | feet. ||
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
11 He rode upon the | Cherubim, • and did | fly; ||
he came | flying up•on the | wings • of the | wind. ||
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
12 He made darkness his | secret | place, ||
his pavilion round about him with dark | water, and • thick | clouds to | cover • him. ||
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
13 At the brightness of his presence his | clouds re- | moved; ||
3 hail- | stones and | coals of | fire. ||
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
14 The Lord also thundered out of heaven, and the | Highest • gave his | thunder; ||
3 hail- | stones and | coals of | fire. ||
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
15 He sent out his | arrows, • and | scattered • them; ||
he cast forth | lightnings, | and de- | stroyed them. ||
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
16 The springs of waters were seen, * and the foundations of the round world were discovered, at thy | 3 chiding, O | Lord, ||
at the blasting of the | breath of | thy dis- | pleasure. ||
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
17 He sent down from on | high to | fetch me, ||
and | took me • out of | many | waters. ||
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.
18 He delivered me from my strongest enemy, and from them which hate me; * for they | were too | mighty • for me. ||
19 They came upon me in the day of my trouble; * but the | Lord was | my up- | holder. ||
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
20 He brought me forth also into a | place of | liber•ty; ||
he brought me forth, even be- | cause he | had a | favour • unto me. ||
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
21 The Lord rewarded me after my | righteous | dealing, ||
according to the | cleanness • of my | hands • did he | recom•pense me. ||
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
22 Because I have kept the | ways • of the | Lord, ||
and have not for- | 3 saken my | God, • as the | wicked • doth. ||
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
23 For I have an eye unto | all his | laws, ||
and will not | cast out | his com- | mandments • from me. ||
24 Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
24 I was also uncorrupt before him, and es- | chewed mine • own | wicked•ness. ||
25 Therefore the Lord rewarded me after my righteous dealing, * and according unto the | cleanness • of my | 3 hands in his | eyesight. ||
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
26 With the holy | 3 thou shalt be | holy, ||
and with a | perfect • man | 3 thou shalt be | perfect. ||
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
27 With the clean | 3 thou shalt be | clean, ||
and with the | froward | 3 thou shalt be | froward. ||
28 For thou shalt save the people that are | in ad- | versi•ty, ||
and shalt bring | down the | high looks • of the | proud. ||
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
29 Thou also shalt | light my | candle; ||
the Lord my God shall make my | darkness | to be | light. ||
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
30 For in thee I shall dis- | 3 comfit an | host of • men, ||
and with the help of my God 3 I | shall leap | 3 over the | wall. ||
31 For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?
31 The way of God is an | unde- | filed way: ||
the word of the Lord also is tried in the fire; * he is the defender of | all • them that | put their | trust in • him. ||
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
32 For who is | God, • but the | Lord? ||
or who hath any | strength, ex- | cept our | God? ||
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
33 It is God that girdeth me with | strength of | war, ||
and | 3 maketh my | way | perfect. ||
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
34 He maketh my feet like harts' feet, and setteth me | up on | high. ||
35 He teacheth mine hands to fight, and mine arms shall | bend • even a | bow of | steel. ||
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
36 Thou hast given me the de- | fence of • thy sal- | vation; ||
thy right hand also shall hold me up, * and thy loving cor- | 3 rection shall | make me | great. ||
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
37 Thou shalt make room enough under me for to go, * that my | footsteps • shall not | slide. ||
38 I will follow upon mine enemies, and overtake them; * neither will I turn a- | gain • till I | have de- | stroyed them. ||
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
39 I will smite them, that they shall not be able to stand, * but | fall • under my | feet. ||
40 Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; * thou shalt throw | down mine | ene•mies | under • me. ||
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.
41 Thou hast made mine enemies also to | turn their | backs up•on me, ||
and 3 I | shall de- | stroy • them that | hate me. ||
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
42 They shall cry, but there shall be | none to | help them; ||
yea, even unto the Lord shall they | cry, • but he | shall not | hear them. ||
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
43 I will beat them as small as the | dust be•fore the | wind: ||
I will cast them | out • as the | clay • in the | streets. ||
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
44 Thou shalt deliver me from the | strivings • of the | people, ||
and thou shalt | make • me the | head • of the | nations; ||
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
a people whom I have not | known shall | serve me. ||
45 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me; * the | strangers | shall • feign obe- | dience • unto me. ||
46 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
46 The | stran•gers shall | fail, ||
and come | trembling | 3 out of their | strongholds. ||
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
47 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my strong helper, * and praised be the | God of • my sal- | vation; ||
48 Even the God that seeth that I be avenged, * and sub- | 3 dueth the | people | unto • me. ||
48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
49 It is he that delivereth me from my cruel enemies, * and setteth me up a- | bove mine | adver•saries: ||
thou shalt | rid me • from the | wicked | man. ||
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
50 For this cause will I give thanks unto thee, O | Lord, a•mong the | Gentiles, ||
and sing | praises | 3 unto thy | Name. ||
51 Great prosperity giveth he | 3 unto his | King, ||
and showeth loving-kindness unto David his anointed, * and | 3 unto his | seed for • ever- | more. ||
About the Pointing
The text of the Coverdale Psalter follows the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. The pointing, suitably adapted, is taken from Charles Macpherson, Edward C. Bairstow, and Percy C. Buck, The English Psalter (Novello & Co., 1925).