1 I love You, O Lord, my strength.

2 T he Lord is my rock, and my safe place, and the One Who takes me out of trouble. My God is my rock, in Whom I am safe. He is my safe-covering, my saving strength, and my strong tower.

3 I call to the Lord, Who has the right to be praised. And I am saved from those who hate me.

4 T he ropes of death were all around me. The floods of death make me afraid.

5 T he ropes of the grave were all around me. The traps of death were set for me.

6 I called to the Lord in my trouble. I cried to God for help. He heard my voice from His holy house. My cry for help came into His ears.

7 T hen the earth shook. The mountains were shaking. They shook because He was angry.

8 S moke went out from His nose and the fire that kept coming from His mouth burned everything around it.

9 H e parted the heavens and came down. Dark clouds were under His feet.

10 H e sat upon a cherub and flew. He traveled on the wings of the wind.

11 H e made darkness His hiding place, the covering around Him, the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 T hrough the light before Him passed His dark clouds, hail stones and fire.

13 T he Lord made thunder in the heavens. The voice of the Most High spoke out, hail stones and fire.

14 H e sent out His arrows and divided them. He threw down lightning and sent them running.

15 T hen the deep part of the sea could be seen. And the deep part of the earth was opened up, because of Your sharp words, O Lord, because of the powerful breath from Your nose.

16 H e sent from above, and took me. He lifted me out of many waters.

17 H e took me away from the powerful one who fights against me, and from those who hated me. They were too strong for me.

18 T hey stood against me in the day of my trouble. But the Lord was my strength.

19 H e brought me out into a big place. He gave me a safe place, because He was pleased with me.

20 T he Lord has paid me because of my being right with Him. Because of my clean hands He has paid me.

21 F or I have kept the ways of the Lord. And I have not sinned by turning from my God.

22 A ll His Laws are in front of me. I have not set His Laws aside.

23 B efore Him I was without blame. And I have kept myself from sin.

24 S o the Lord has paid me back for being right with Him, and for my hands being clean in His eyes.

25 T o the faithful, You show Yourself faithful. To those without blame, You show Yourself without blame.

26 W ith the pure, You show Yourself pure. With the sinful You show Yourself to be against them.

27 Y ou save those who are suffering, but You bring low those who have pride in their eyes.

28 Y ou make my lamp bright. The Lord my God lights my darkness.

29 W ith Your help I can go against many soldiers. With my God I can jump over a wall.

30 A s for God, His way is perfect. The Word of the Lord has stood the test. He is a covering for all who go to Him for a safe place.

31 F or Who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock except our God?

32 I t is God Who covers me with strength and makes my way perfect.

33 H e makes my feet like the feet of a deer. And He sets me on my high places.

34 H e teaches me how to fight, so that I can use a bow of brass.

35 Y ou have also given me the covering that saves me. Your right hand holds me up. And Your care has made me great.

36 Y ou make the road wide for my steps, and my feet have not tripped.

37 I went after those who fight against me, and caught them. And I did not return until they were destroyed.

38 I hit them so they were not able to rise. They fell under my feet.

39 Y ou have given me strength for war. You have put under me those who have fought against me.

40 Y ou have made them turn their backs to me also. And I destroyed those who hated me.

41 T hey cried for help, but there was no one to save. They cried to the Lord, but He did not answer them.

42 T hen I beat them as small as the dust in the wind. I emptied them out like mud in the streets.

43 Y ou have taken me away from the fighting of the people. You have made me the leader of nations. People whom I have not known will serve me.

44 A s soon as they hear, they obey me. Those from other lands obey me.

45 T hese people from other lands lose their strength of heart. And they come shaking from behind their walls.

46 T he Lord lives! How great is my Rock! Praise be to the God Who saves me!

47 H e is the God Who punishes those who have done wrong to me. He puts nations under my rule.

48 H e saves me from those who hate me. Yes, You lift me above those who rise up against me. You save me from those who want to hurt me.

49 S o I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord. And I will sing praises to Your name.

50 H e gives His king great power over trouble. And He shows loving-kindness to His chosen one, to David, and to his children after him forever.