NAS - Psalms 18 to 21

Psalm 18

The LORD Praised for Giving Deliverance.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said,

¹"I love You, O LORD, my strength." ² The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ³ I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.

⁴The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. ⁵ The cords of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. ⁶ In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.

⁷Then the earth shook and quaked; And the foundations of the mountains were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry. ⁸Smoke went up out of His nostrils, And fire from His mouth devoured; Coals were kindled by it. ⁹ He bowed the heavens also, and came down With thick darkness under His feet. ¹⁰ He rode upon a cherub and flew; And He sped upon the wings of the wind. ¹¹ He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. ¹² From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds, Hailstones and coals of fire. ¹³ The LORD also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. ¹⁴He sent out His arrows, and scattered them, And lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them. ¹⁵ Then the channels of water appeared, And the foundations of the world were laid bare At Your rebuke, O 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, And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. ¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my stay. ¹⁹ He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued 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. ²¹ For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God. ²² For all His ordinances were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. ²³ I was also blameless with Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. ²⁴ Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

²⁵With the kind You show Yourself kind; With the blameless You show Yourself blameless; ²⁶ With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself astute. ²⁷ For You save an afflicted people, But haughty eyes You abase. ²⁸For You light my lamp; The LORD my God illumines my darkness. ²⁹For by You I can run upon a troop; And by my God I can leap over a wall.

³⁰As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. ³¹ For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God, ³² The God who girds me with strength And makes my way blameless? ³³He makes my feet like hinds' feet, And sets me upon my high places. ³⁴ He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. ³⁵ You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great. ³⁶ You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.

³⁷I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed. ³⁸ I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise; They fell under my feet. ³⁹ For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. ⁴⁰ You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, And I destroyed those who hated me. ⁴¹ They cried for help, but there was none to save, Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them. ⁴² Then I beat them fine as the dust before the wind; I emptied them out as the mire of the streets.

⁴³You have delivered me from the contentions of the people; You have placed me as head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me. ⁴⁴ As soon as they hear, they obey me; Foreigners submit to me. ⁴⁵ Foreigners fade away, And come trembling out of their fortresses.

⁴⁶The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation, ⁴⁷ The God who executes vengeance for me, And subdues peoples under me. ⁴⁸ He delivers me from my enemies; Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent man. ⁴⁹ Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O LORD, And I will sing praises to Your name. ⁵⁰ He gives great deliverance to His king, And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever.

Psalm 19

The Works and the Word of God.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

¹The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. ² Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. ³ There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. ⁴Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, ⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. ⁶ Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

⁷The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. ⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. ¹⁰They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. ¹¹ Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. ¹² Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. ¹³Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. ¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 20

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

¹May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! ² May He send you help from the sanctuary And support you from Zion! ³ May He remember all your meal offerings And find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah.

⁴May He grant you your heart's desire And fulfill all your counsel! ⁵We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

⁶Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. ⁷Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. ⁸ They have bowed down and fallen, But we have risen and stood upright. ⁹ Save, O LORD; May the King answer us in the day we call.

Psalm 21

Praise for Deliverance.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

¹O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad, And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice! ² You have given him his heart's desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. ³ For You meet him with the blessings of good things; You set a crown of fine gold on his head. ⁴ He asked life of You, You gave it to him, Length of days forever and ever. ⁵ His glory is great through Your salvation, Splendor and majesty You place upon him. ⁶ For You make him most blessed forever; You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.

⁷For the king trusts in the LORD, And through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken. ⁸ Your hand will find out all your enemies; Your right hand will find out those who hate you. ⁹ You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger; The LORD will swallow them up in His wrath, And fire will devour them. ¹⁰ Their offspring You will destroy from the earth, And their descendants from among the sons of men. ¹¹ Though they intended evil against You And devised a plot, They will not succeed. ¹² For You will make them turn their back; You will aim with Your bowstrings at their faces. ¹³ Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power.