1 ¶ I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

2 T he 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.

3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies.

4 T he pain of death compassed me, and the rivers of Belial made me afraid.

5 T he pain of Sheol compassed me about: the snares of death came before me.

6 I n 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.

7 T hen the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the mountains collapsed and were removed because he was wroth.

8 S moke went up out of his nostrils, and fire devoured out of his mouth; coals were kindled by it.

9 H e lowered the heavens and came down; and darkness was under his feet.

10 A nd he rode upon a cherub and flew: yea, he flew upon the wings of the wind.

11 H e made darkness his hiding place; in his tabernacle round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the heavens.

12 A t the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

13 T he LORD thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

14 H e sent out his arrows and scattered them; he shot out lightnings and destroyed them.

15 T hen the depths of the 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.

16 H e sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

17 H e delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, even though they were too strong for me.

18 T hey were ready for me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my staff.

19 H e brought me forth also into a wide place; he delivered me because he delighted in me.

20 ¶ The LORD will reward me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he shall recompense me.

21 B ecause I have kept the ways of the LORD and did not become wicked departing in apostasy from my God.

22 F or all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

23 I was perfect before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.

24 T herefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.

25 W ith the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with a perfect man thou wilt show thyself perfect;

26 w ith the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt show thyself adversary.

27 T herefore thou wilt save the humble people; but wilt bring down high looks.

28 F or thou wilt light my fire: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

29 ¶ For with thee I have scattered armies; and in my God I have overcome walled defenses.

30 A s for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is precise: a shield to all those that wait in him.

31 F or who is God except the LORD? or who is a refuge except our God?

32 I t is God that girds me with strength and makes my way perfect.

33 H e makes my feet like hinds’ feet and sets me upon my high places.

34 H e trains my hands for the battle, so that a bow of bronze shall be broken by my arms.

35 I n the same manner thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand will hold me up, and thy meekness shall multiply me.

36 T hou shall enlarge my steps under me, and my knees shall not tremble.

37 I shall pursue my enemies and overtake them: neither shall I turn again until they are consumed.

38 I shall smite them, and they will not be able to rise: they shall fall under my feet.

39 F or thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued my enemies under me.

40 T hou hast also given me the necks of my enemies that I might destroy those that hate me.

41 T hey cried out, but there was no one to save them: even unto the LORD, but he did not answer them.

42 T hen I beat them as small as the dust before the wind: I scattered them as the dirt in the streets.

43 T hou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the Gentiles: a people whom I did not know served me.

44 A s soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me: the sons of strangers submitted themselves unto me even against their will.

45 T he strangers fell away and were afraid in their close places.

46 T he LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47 I t is God that avenges me and subdues the peoples under me.

48 H e delivers me from my enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the one who would betray me.

49 T herefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the Gentiles and sing praises unto thy name.

50 H e gives great deliverance to his king and shows mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.