1 I love you, Lord God,

and you make me strong.

2 You are my mighty rock,*

my fortress, my protector,

the rock where I am safe,

my shield, my powerful weapon,*

and my place of shelter.

3 I praise you, Lord!

I prayed, and you rescued me

from my enemies.

4 Death had wrapped

its ropes around me,

and I was almost swallowed

by its flooding waters.

5 Ropes from the world

of the dead

had coiled around me,

and death had set a trap

in my path.

6 I was in terrible trouble

when I called out to you,

but from your temple

you heard me

and answered my prayer.

7 The earth shook and shivered,

and the mountains trembled

down to their roots.

You were angry

8 and breathed out smoke.

Scorching heat and fiery flames

spewed from your mouth.

9 You opened the heavens

like curtains,

and you came down

with storm clouds

under your feet.

10 You rode on the backs

of flying creatures

and swooped down

with the wind as wings.

11 Darkness was your robe;

thunderclouds filled the sky,

hiding you from sight.

12 Hailstones and fiery coals

lit up the sky

in front of you.

13 Lord Most High, your voice

thundered from the heavens,

as hailstones and fiery coals

poured down like rain.

14 You scattered your enemies

with arrows of lightning.

15 You roared at the sea,

and its deepest channels

could be seen.

You snorted,

and the earth shook

to its foundations.

16 You reached down from heaven,

and you lifted me

from deep in the ocean.

17 You rescued me from enemies,

who were hateful

and too powerful for me.

18 On the day disaster struck,

they came and attacked,

but you defended me.

19 When I was fenced in,

you freed and rescued me

because you love me.

20 You are good to me, Lord,

because I do right,

and you reward me

because I am innocent.

21 I do what you want

and never turn to do evil.

22 I keep your laws in mind

and never look away

from your teachings.

23 I obey you completely

and guard against sin.

24 You have been good to me

because I do right;

you have rewarded me

for being innocent

by your standards.

25 You are always loyal

to your loyal people,

and you are faithful

to the faithful.

26 With all who are sincere,

you are sincere,

but you treat the unfaithful

as their deeds deserve.

27 You rescue the humble,

but you put down all

who are proud.

28 You, the Lord God,

keep my lamp burning

and turn darkness to light.

29 You help me defeat armies

and capture cities.

30 Your way is perfect, Lord,

and your word is correct.

You are a shield for those

who run to you for help.

31 You alone are God!

Only you are a mighty rock.*

32 You give me strength

and guide me right.

33 * You make my feet run as fast

as those of a deer,

and you help me stand

on the mountains.

34 You teach my hands to fight

and my arms to use

a bow of bronze.

35 You alone are my shield.

Your right hand supports me,

and by coming to help me,

you have made me famous.

36 You clear the way for me,

and now I won't stumble.

37 I kept chasing my enemies,

until I caught them

and destroyed them.

38 I stuck my sword

through my enemies,

and they were crushed

under my feet.

39 You helped me win victories,

and you forced my attackers

to fall victim to me.

40 You made my enemies run,

and I killed them.

41 They cried out for help,

but no one saved them;

they called out to you,

but there was no answer.

42 I ground them to dust

blown by the wind,

and I poured them out

like mud in the streets.

43 You rescued me

from stubborn people,

and you made me the leader

of foreign nations,

who are now my slaves.

44 They obey and come crawling.

45 They have lost all courage,

and from their fortresses,

they come trembling.

46 You are the living Lord!

I will praise you.

You are a mighty rock.*

I will honor you

for keeping me safe.

47 You took revenge for me,

and you put nations

in my power.

48 You protected me

from violent enemies

and made me much greater

than all of them.

49 * I will praise you, Lord,

and I will honor you

among the nations.

50 You give glorious victories

to your chosen king.

Your faithful love for David

and for his descendants

will never end.