Salmos 18
(Til sangmesteren. Af HERRENS tjener David, som sang HERREN denne sang, dengang HERREN havde frelst ham af alle hans fjenders og af Sauls hånd. Han sang:) HERRE, jeg har dig hjerteligt kær, min Styrke!
HERRE, min Klippe, min Borg. min Befrier, min Gud, mit Bjerg, hvortil jeg tyr, mit Skjold, mit Frelseshorn, mit Værn!
Jeg påkalder HERREN, den Højlovede, og frelses fra mine Fjender.
Dødens Reb omsluttede mig, Ødelæggelsens Strømme forfærdede mig,
Dødsrigets Reb omspændte mig, Dødens Snarer faldt over mig;
i min Vånde påkaldte jeg HERREN og råbte til min Gud. Han hørte min Røst fra sin Helligdom, mit Råb fandt ind til hans Ører!
Da rystede Jorden og skjalv, Bjergenes Grundvolde bæved og rysted, thi hans Vrede blussede op.
Røg for ud af hans Næse, fortærende Ild af hans Mund, Gløder gnistrede fra ham.
Han sænkede Himlen, steg ned med Skymulm under sine Fødder;
båret af Keruber fløj han, svæved på Vindens Vinger;
han omgav sig med Mulm som en Bolig, mørke Vandmasser, vandfyldte Skyer.
Fra Glansen foran ham for der Hagl og Ildgløder gennem hans Skyer.
HERREN tordnede fra Himlen, den Højeste lod høre sin Røst, Hagl og Ildgløder.
Han udslyngede Pile, adsplittede dem, Lyn i Mængde og skræmmede dem.
Vandenes Bund kom til Syne, Jordens Grundvolde blottedes ved din Trusel, HERRE, for din Vredes Pust.
Han udrakte Hånden fra det høje og greb mig, drog mig op af de vældige Vande,
frelste mig fra mine mægtige Fjender, fra mine Avindsmænd; de var mig for stærke.
På min Ulykkes Dag faldt de over mig, men HERREN blev mig til Værn.
Han førte mig ud i åbent Land, han frelste mig, thi han havde Behag i mig.
HERREN gengældte mig efter min Retfærd, lønned mig efter mine Hænders Uskyld;
thi jeg holdt mig til HERRENs Veje, svigted i Gudløshed ikke min Gud
hans Bud stod mig alle for Øje, hans Lov skød jeg ikke fra mig.
Ustraffelig var jeg for ham og vogtede mig for Brøde.
HERREN lønned mig efter min Retfærd, mine Hænders Uskyld, som stod ham for Øje!
Du viser dig from mod den fromme, retsindig mod den retsindige,
du viser dig ren mod den rene og vrang mod den svigefulde.
De arme giver du Frelse, hovmodiges Øjne Skam!
Ja, min Lampe lader du lyse, HERRE, min Gud opklarer mit Mørke.
Thi ved din Hjælp søndrer jeg Mure, ved min Guds Hjælp springer jeg over Volde.
Fuldkommen er Guds Vej, lutret er HERRENs Ord. Han er et Skjold for alle, der sætter deres Lid til ham.
Ja, hvem er Gud uden HERREN, hvem er en Klippe uden vor Gud,
den Gud, der omgjorded mig med Kraft, jævnede Vejen for mig,
gjorde mine Fødder som Hindens og gav mig Fodfæste på Højene,
oplærte min Hånd til Krig, så mine Arme spændte Kobberbuen!
Du gav mig din Frelses Skjold, din højre støttede mig, din Nedladelse gjorde mig stor;
du skaffede Plads for mine Skridt, mine Ankler vaklede ikke.
Jeg jog mine Fjender, indhentede dem, vendte først om, da de var gjort til intet,
slog dem ned, så de ej kunde rejse sig, men lå faldne under min Fod.
Du omgjorded mig med Kraft til Kampen, mine Modstandere tvang du i Knæ for mig;
du slog mine Fjender på Flugt, mine Avindsmænd rydded jeg af Vejen.
De råbte, men ingen hjalp, til HERREN, han svared dem ikke.
Jeg knuste dem som Støv for Vinden, fejed dem bort som Gadeskarn.
Du friede mig af Folkekampe, du satte mig til Folkeslags Høvding; nu tjener mig ukendte Folk;
hører de om mig, lyder de mig, Udlandets Sønner kryber for mig;
Udlandets Sønner vansmægter, slæber sig frem af deres Skjul.
HERREN lever, højlovet min Klippe, ophøjet være min Frelses Gud,
den Gud, som giver mig Hævn, tvinger Folkeslag under min Fod
og frier mig fra mine vrede Fjender! Du ophøjer mig over mine Modstandere, fra Voldsmænd frelser du mig.
HERRE, derfor priser jeg dig blandt Folkene og lovsynger dit Navn,
du, som kraftig hjælper din Konge og viser din Salvede Miskundhed, David og hans Æt evindelig.
[To the chief Musician, {A Psalm} of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto 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,] I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
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. {my strength: Heb. my rock}
I will call upon the LORD, {who is worthy} to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. {ungodly men: Heb. Belial}
The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. {sorrows: or, cords}
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.
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. {out of his nostrils: Heb. by his, etc}
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness {was} under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him {were} dark waters {and} thick clouds of the skies.
At the brightness {that was} before him his thick clouds passed, hail {stones} and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail {stones} and coals of fire.
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
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.
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. {many: or, great}
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his judgments {were} before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. {before: Heb. with}
Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. {in...: Heb. before his eyes}
With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. {shew thyself froward: or, wrestle}
For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. {candle: or, lamp}
For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. {run...: or, broken}
{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. {tried: or, refined}
For who {is} God save the LORD? or who {is} a rock save our God?
{It is} God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
He maketh my feet like hinds' {feet}, and setteth me upon my high places.
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
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. {thy gentleness...: or, with thy meekness thou hast multiplied me}
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. {my feet: Heb. mine ankles}
I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. {subdued: Heb. caused to bow}
Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
They cried, but {there was} none to save {them: even} unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
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.
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. {As soon...: Heb. At the hearing of the ear} {submit...: or, yield feigned obedience} {strangers: Heb. sons of the stranger}
The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. {strangers: Heb. sons of the stranger}
The LORD liveth; and blessed {be} my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
{It is} God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. {avengeth: Heb. giveth avengements for} {subdueth: or, destroyeth}
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. {violent...: Heb. man of violence}
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. {give...: or, confess}
Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.