1 To the chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David, the servant of Jehovah, who spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul. And he said, I will love thee, O Jehovah, my strength. 2 Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. 3 I will call upon Jehovah, who is to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4 The bands of death encompassed me, and torrents of Belial made me afraid. 5 The bands of Sheol surrounded me, the cords of death encountered me. 6 In my distress I called upon Jehovah, and I cried out to my God; he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, into his ears. 7 Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled and shook, because he was wroth. 8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals burned forth from it. 9 And he bowed the heavens, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. 10 And he rode upon a cherub and did fly; yea, he flew fast upon the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his secret place, his tent round about him: darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 12 From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed forth: hail and coals of fire. 13 And Jehovah thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice: hail and coals of fire. 14 And he sent his arrows, and scattered [mine enemies]; and he shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them. 15 And the beds of the waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at thy rebuke, Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. 16 He reached forth from above, he took me, he drew me out of great waters: 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me; for they were mightier than I. 18 They encountered me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my stay. 19 And he brought me forth into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 20 Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, 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 And I was upright with him, and kept myself from mine iniquity. 24 And Jehovah hath recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25 With the gracious thou dost shew thyself gracious; with the upright man thou dost shew thyself upright; 26 With the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; and with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary. 27 For it is thou that savest the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes wilt thou bring down. 28 For it is thou that makest my lamp to shine: Jehovah my God enlighteneth my darkness. 29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of Jehovah is tried: he is a shield to all that trust in him. 31 For who is God save Jehovah? and who is a rock if not our God? 32 The God who girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect, 33 Who maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], and setteth me upon my high places; 34 Who teacheth my hands to war, and mine arms bend a bow of brass; 35 And thou didst give me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand held me up; and thy condescending gentleness hath made me great. 36 Thou didst enlarge my steps under me, and mine ankles have not wavered. 37 I pursued mine enemies, and overtook them; and I turned not again till they were consumed. 38 I crushed them, and they were not able to rise: they fell under my feet. 39 And thou girdedst me with strength to battle; thou didst subdue under me those that rose up against me. 40 And mine enemies didst thou make to turn their backs unto me, and those that hated me I destroyed. 41 They cried, and there was none to save; — unto Jehovah, and he answered them not. 42 And I did beat them small as dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets. 43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; thou hast made me the head of the nations: a people I knew not doth serve me. 44 At the hearing of the ear, they obey me: strangers come cringing unto me. 45 Strangers have faded away, and they come trembling forth from their close places. 46 Jehovah liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation, 47 The God who hath avenged me, and hath subjected the peoples to me; 48 Who hath delivered me from mine enemies: yea, thou hast lifted me up above them that rose up against me; from the man of violence hast thou delivered me. 49 Therefore will I give thanks to thee, Jehovah, among the nations, and will sing psalms to thy name. 50 [It is he] who giveth great deliverances to his king, and sheweth loving-kindness to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
Psalm 18 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (50)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Samuel 22:1–51; Colossians 1:11; 1 John 4:19; Isaiah 12:1–6; Philippians 4:13
- 2 Psalm 144:2; Psalm 62:7; Proverbs 18:10; Psalm 19:14; Psalm 91:2
- 3 Psalm 91:15; Luke 1:71; Romans 8:31–39; Psalm 62:8; 2 Samuel 22:4
- 4 Psalm 116:3; 2 Corinthians 1:9; Matthew 27:24–25; Mark 14:33–34; Psalm 22:12–13
- 5 Psalm 86:13; Psalm 88:15–17; Psalm 88:3–8; Acts 2:24; Ecclesiastes 9:12
- 6 Psalm 50:15; 2 Samuel 22:7; Psalm 34:15; Psalm 130:1–2; Psalm 120:1
- 7 Acts 4:31; Psalm 68:7–8; Ezekiel 38:19–20; Jeremiah 4:24; Acts 16:25–26
- 8 Psalm 21:9; Psalm 11:6; Nahum 1:5–6; Leviticus 10:2; Psalm 144:5–6
- 9 Psalm 144:5–15; Deuteronomy 33:26; 2 Peter 3:10; 2 Samuel 22:10; Deuteronomy 5:22–23
- 10 Psalm 104:3; 2 Samuel 22:11–12; Psalm 99:1; Ezekiel 10:20–22; Psalm 80:1
- 11 Deuteronomy 4:11; Psalm 97:2; Joel 2:2; Psalm 81:7; Psalm 91:1
- 12 Joshua 10:11; Revelation 16:21; Matthew 17:5; Exodus 9:23–24; Matthew 17:2
- 13 Psalm 104:7; 1 Samuel 7:10; Psalm 140:10; Psalm 29:3–4; Revelation 8:5
- 14 Psalm 144:6; Habakkuk 3:11; Numbers 24:8; Job 6:4; Joshua 10:10
- 15 Psalm 106:9; Exodus 15:8; Job 4:9; Psalm 76:6; Micah 6:2
- 16 2 Samuel 22:17; Psalm 144:7; Psalm 57:3; Jonah 2:5–6; Psalm 18:43
- 17 Hebrews 2:14–15; Job 16:9; Psalm 35:10; Psalm 142:6; Psalm 69:4–14
- 18 Obadiah 10–14; Psalm 46:11; Jeremiah 18:17; Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalm 59:16
- 19 Psalm 118:5; Psalm 31:8; Psalm 18:36; Job 36:16; Psalm 40:2
- 20 Psalm 24:4; Matthew 6:4; 1 Corinthians 3:8; Psalm 58:11; Job 22:30
- 21 Psalm 119:102; Psalm 26:1; Acts 24:16; Psalm 17:4; 1 John 2:19
- 22 Psalm 119:13; Psalm 119:112; Psalm 119:30; Psalm 119:117; Psalm 119:128
- 23 Matthew 18:8–9; Matthew 5:29–30; Psalm 37:27; 1 Chronicles 29:17; 1 Samuel 26:23
- 24 Matthew 10:41–42; Ruth 2:12; 1 Samuel 26:23; Hebrews 6:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–7
- 25 Matthew 5:7; Psalm 62:12; Matthew 18:33–35; 1 Kings 8:32; Nehemiah 9:17
- 26 Proverbs 3:34; Leviticus 26:23–24; James 2:13; Leviticus 26:27–28; Psalm 109:17–19
- 27 Isaiah 66:2; Isaiah 57:15; James 2:5; 2 Samuel 22:28; Psalm 101:5
- 28 2 Samuel 22:29; Job 29:3; Isaiah 42:16; Matthew 4:16; Luke 1:79
- 29 2 Samuel 22:30; Ephesians 6:10–13; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Revelation 3:21; Colossians 2:15
- 30 Deuteronomy 32:4; Proverbs 30:5; 2 Samuel 22:31; Psalm 84:11–12; Psalm 12:6
- 31 Deuteronomy 32:31; Psalm 86:8; Isaiah 45:5; 2 Samuel 22:32; Deuteronomy 32:39
- 32 Isaiah 45:5; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Samuel 22:33; Psalm 28:7; Psalm 91:2
- 33 Habakkuk 3:19; Deuteronomy 32:13; Deuteronomy 33:29; 2 Samuel 2:18; 2 Samuel 22:14
- 34 Psalm 144:1; Psalm 46:9; Isaiah 45:1; Isaiah 28:6; 2 Samuel 22:36
- 35 2 Samuel 22:36; James 3:17–18; Psalm 28:7; Galatians 5:22–23; 2 Corinthians 10:1
- 36 Proverbs 4:12; 2 Samuel 22:37; Job 36:16; Psalm 4:1; Luke 12:50
- 37 Isaiah 53:10–12; Psalm 44:5; Psalm 37:20; Psalm 9:3; Isaiah 63:1–6
- 38 Psalm 36:12; 2 Samuel 10:1–19; 2 Samuel 5:1–25; 2 Samuel 21:15–22; 2 Samuel 18:7–8
- 39 2 Samuel 22:40–41; Psalm 18:32; 1 Corinthians 15:25–28; Isaiah 45:14; Ephesians 1:22
- 40 Psalm 21:12; Psalm 94:23
- 41 Proverbs 1:28; Job 27:9; Isaiah 1:15; Psalm 50:22; Job 35:12–13
- 42 Isaiah 10:6; Isaiah 41:15–16; Zechariah 10:5; 2 Kings 13:7; Isaiah 41:2
- 43 Isaiah 55:5; 2 Samuel 3:1; Isaiah 52:15; 1 Peter 2:10; 2 Samuel 19:9
- 44 Psalm 66:3; Psalm 81:15; 2 Samuel 22:44–46; Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalm 68:30
- 45 Micah 7:17; James 1:11; Revelation 6:16; Isaiah 24:4
- 46 2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 18:2; Psalm 57:5; Revelation 1:18; John 14:19
- 47 Psalm 47:3; Romans 12:19; Psalm 144:2; Nahum 1:2; 2 Samuel 22:48
- 48 Psalm 140:11; Psalm 86:14; Psalm 140:4; Psalm 140:1; Psalm 59:1–2
- 49 Romans 15:9; 2 Samuel 22:50–51; Psalm 138:4; Psalm 108:1; Psalm 30:12
- 50 Psalm 144:10; Psalm 132:10; 2 Samuel 7:13; Psalm 89:3–4; Romans 11:29
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"For Thou wilt light my candle; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness; and "of His fulness have all we received," for "that was the true Light which lighted every man that cometh into the world;" for in Thee there is "no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… a dark cloud;--as on Mount Sinai; for "Moses," it is said, "entered into the cloud, and into the thick darkness; and as a vapor, so went up the smoke;" and the prophet said, when speaking of His threatening, "Dark water in clouds of the air;" --so here, because it was His desire not to alarm, but to teach, it is …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Another also of the Prophets said, He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under His feet.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
Therefore this darkness of the body has been placed between us and God, like the cloud of old between the Egyptians and the Hebrews; and this is perhaps what is meant by "He made darkness His secret place," namely our dulness, through which few can see even a little.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… discovered their own darkness, dost Thou sufficiently disclose how noble Thou hast made the rational creature; to which nought which is inferior to Thee will suffice to yield a happy rest, and so not even herself. For Thou, O our God, shalt enlighten our darkness; from Thee are derived our garments of light, and then shall our darkness be as …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)