Psalm XVIII

Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my strong Rock and Fort,
My God, my Saviour, and my Strength,
To whom by trust I will resort.
He is a buckler unto me;
It is alone by his great power
That I am saved from all ill,
He is my high defending tower.

Unto the Lord, who worthy is
Of all our praises, I will cry;
And then I shall preserved be
From every hurtful enemy.

Floods of bad men made me afraid,
The pangs of death about me went:

The fears of hell encompass'd me,
The snares of death did me prevent.

In my distress I call'd on God,
I cry'd, and he my voice did hear
Out of his Temple, and my cry
Before him came into his ear.

The earth then as affrighted shook,
And trembling great upon it seiz'd;
The hills foundations shook as mov'd,
Because he was wroth and displeas'd.

Up from his nostrils went a smoak,
And from his dreadful mouth there came
Devouring fire, and coals by it
Were kindled into burning flame.

He bow'd the Heav'ns, and did come down;
Under his feet thick darkness was.

He flying on a Cherub rode,
On the wind's wings did flying pass.

He made darkness his secret place,
Even his Pavilion: round about
Were waters dark and thickned clouds,
Which passed all the skies throughout.

At the bright lightnings which brake forth,
And on before his presence went,
His thick clouds also passed on,
Hail-stones and coals of fire were sent.

The Lord also from Heav'n above
Frightfully thundred, as in ire;
The Highest gave his dreadful voice,
Hail-stones and burning coals of fire.

His piercing arrows he sent out,
And speedily them scattered;
His Lightnings he shot abroad,
And quickly them discomfited.

The water's Channels then were seen,
The world's foundations opened were;
At thy rebuke, Lord, at thy blast
Of nostrils breath they were laid bare.

But from above he did send down,
And took me from these storms below;
From many waters great and deep,
That me they might not overflow.

And from my potent enemy
He saved me, and set me free;
And from all them which did me hate,
Because they were too strong for me.

They me prevented by their speed,
Unfurnisht in my troublous day:
But God (who always is at hand)
Was my defence and constant stay.

He brought me forth into a place
That very spacious is, and free;
Because in me he did delight,
He saved and delivered me.

According to my righteousness,
The righteous Lord did me regard;
After the cleanness of my hands
His recompense did me reward.

For I have kept the ways of God,
And turn'd not from him wickedly;

His judgments all before me were,
His Statutes I did not cast by.

I uprightly before him walkt,
Kept me from mine iniquity;

He judg'd me as my cause was just,
And innocent before his eye.

Thou gracious to the gracious art;
To upright men thou'lt upright be:

Pure to the pure; but striv'st with them
That froward are, and strive with thee.

For thou wilt the afflicted save,
But bring down him that looketh high:

My candle thou wilt light; God will
By light my darkness clarifie.

By thee through armed troops I brake,
And have discomfited them all;
And by the strength of Thee, my God,
I scal'd and leapt over the wall.

Most perfect is the way of God,
His Word is as refin'd and try'd;
He is a buckler to all those
Who faithfully in him confide.

For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God's a rock and stay?

He's God that girdeth me with strength,
And guides, and perfecteth my way.

He makes my feet as swift as Hinds,
And sets me up on high from harms,

My hands he doth instruct for war,
A steel bow's broken by my arms.

The shield of thy salvation
Thou freely didst on me bestow;
And thy right hand hath held me up,
Thy gentleness hath made me grow.

My steps enlarg'd, my feet confirm'd.

I have parsu'd mine enemies,
Them overtook, nor did turn back,
Till they were fallen, and could not rise.

They wounded are fallen at my feet;
With strength thou girdest me for war:

And those that up against me rose,
To me by thee subdued are.

Mine enemies necks thou gavest me,
That I my haters might cut down:

They cry'd, but there was none to save,
To God, but he would not them own.

I beat them then in pieces small,
As dust before the wind that flies;
And I did cast them out as dirt
Which in the street despised lies

Thou sav'st me from the peoples strife,
Made'st me the heathens head to be;
A people whom I have not known
Shall subject servants be to me.

At the first hearing they'l obey;
The strangers shall to me submit:

And they through fear shall fade away,
Who now in their close places sit.

The Lord still lives: Blest be my Rock;
Let God my help exalted be:

God doth avenge me, and he doth
Subdue the people under me.

He saves me from mine enemies;
Above all those thou liftest me
That rise against me: from the man
Of violence thou set'st me free.

Therefore among the heathen, Lord,
I will with praise my thanks proclaim;
And unto thee I publickly
Will sing the praises of thy name.

He great deliverance gives his King,
And mercy to him doth extend;
To David his anointed one,
And to his seed even without end.