Comment – In Psalm 18, the author celebrates the exit from dangerous situations with very eloquent words, testifying that the liberation from so many pitfalls has communicated an immense confidence in the help of God, giving him the security of coming out victorious even for the times to come.
Psalm 18 complete
[1] To the choir master. Of David, servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord, when the Lord freed him from the power of all his enemies,
[2] and from the hand of Saul. So he said: I love you, Lord, my strength,
[3] Lord, my rock, my fortress, my liberator; my God, my cliff, where I find shelter; my shield and bulwark, my powerful salvation.
[4] I invoke the Lord, worthy of praise, and I will be saved from my enemies.
[5] Waves of death surrounded me, rushing torrents overwhelmed me;
[6] the laces of the underworld were already enveloping me, mortal ambushes were already clutching me.
[7] In my breath I called on the Lord, in anguish I cried to my God: from his temple he listened to my voice, my cry came to his ear.
[8] The earth shook and shook; the foundations of the mountains faltered, they shook because he was indignant.
[9] Smoke rose from his nostrils, a devouring fire from his mouth; hot coals sprang from him.
[10] He lowered the heavens and descended, dark gloom beneath his feet.
Recommended readings- Psalm 76: complete, commentary
- Psalm 62: complete, commentary
- Psalm 102: complete, commentary
- Psalm 6: complete, commentary
- Psalm 20: complete, commentary
[11] He rode a cherub and flew, hovered on the wings of the wind.
[12] He wrapped himself in darkness as veil, dark waters and thick clouds covered him.
[13] In front of its splendor the clouds dissipated with hail and hot coals.
[14] The Lord thundered from heaven, the Most High made his voice heard: hail and hot coals.
[15] He threw arrows and scattered them, electrocuted them with lightning and defeated them.
[16] Then the bottom of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, for your threat, Lord, for the outburst of your fury.
[17] He stretched out his hand from above and took me, raised me from the great waters,
[18] he freed me from powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were stronger than me.
[19] They attacked me on the day of doom, but the Lord was my support;
[20] he took me out, freed me because he loves me.
[21] The Lord treats me according to my justice, repays me according to the innocence of my hands;
[22] because I have kept the ways of the Lord, I have not empathically abandoned my God.
[23] His judgments are all before me, I have not rejected his law from me;
[24] but intact I have been with him and I have beenware of guilt
[25] The Lord renders me according to my justice, according to the innocence of my hands before his eyes.
[26] With the good man you are good with the whole man you are whole,
[27] with the pure man you are pure, with the perverse you are cunning.
[28] Because you save the people of the humble, but lower the eyes of the proud.
[29] You, Lord, are light to my lamp; my God illuminates my darkness.
[30] With you I will launch against the hosts, with my God I will climb over the walls.
[31] The way of God is straight, the word of the Lord is tried by fire; he is a shield for those who take refuge in him.
[32] For who is God, if not the Lord? Or who is cliff, if not our God?
[33] The God who girded me with vigor and made my path whole;
[34] he gave me agility as of hinds, on the heights he made me stand firm;
[35] he trained my hands to battle, my arms to stretch the bronze bow.
[36] You have given me your shield of salvation, your right hand has supported me, your goodness has made me grow.
[37] You have paved the way for me, my feet have not wavered.
[38] I chased my enemies and joined them, I did not return without having destroyed them.
[39] I struck them and they did not get up, they fell under my feet.
[40] You have girded me for the war, you have folded my adversaries under me.
[41] You have shown my back to the enemies, you have scattered all who hated me.
[42] They cried and no one saved them, to the Lord, but did not answer.
[43] Like dust in the wind I scattered them, trampled like mud on the streets.
[44] You have escaped me from the people in revolt, you have placed me at the head of the nations. A people I did not know served me;
[45] upon hearing me, they immediately obeyed me, strangers sought my favor,
[46] they turned pale foreign men and trembled from their hiding places.
[47] Long live the Lord and bless my cliff, may the God of my salvation be exalted.
[48] God, grant me revenge and submit the peoples to my yoke,
[49] you escape from furious enemies, you make me triumph over my adversaries and free me from violent man.
[50] For this, Lord, I will praise you among peoples and sing hymns of joy to your name.
[51] He grants his king great victories, shows himself faithful to his consecrated person, to David and to his descendants forever.
