A psalm written by God’s servant David. He sang it after Yahweh had rescued him from Saul and his other enemies.

1Yahweh, I love you, the one who enables me to be strong.

2Yahweh is like an overhanging rock [DOU, MET] under which I can hide from my enemies; he is like a strong fortress, the one who protects me; he protects me like a shield [MET] protects a soldier; he is the one to whom I go ◄for refuge/to be protected/safe►,
and he defends me by his great power [IDM].

3I called out to Yahweh, who deserves to be praised, and he rescued me from my enemies.

4All around me were dangerous situations in which I might be killed [PRS]; it was as though there were huge waves [MET] that almost crashed on me and killed me.

5It was as though the place where dead people are had ropes that were wrapped around me, or it was as though there was a trap [MET] that would seize and kill me.

6But when I was very distressed, I called out to Yahweh,
and from his temple he heard me. He listened to me when I cried out for help.

7Then the earth quaked/shook strongly [DOU]; the mountains shook very strongly from their centers [DOU]
because Yahweh was angry.

8It was as though smoke poured out from his nostrils, and as though burning coals came out of his mouth.

9He opened the sky and came down with a black cloud under his feet.

10He flew, riding on the back of a creature that had wings, traveling fast, blown along by the wind.

11Darkness was all around him like a blanket [MET]; dark clouds, full of moisture, covered him [MET].

12Hailstones and flashes of lightning were around him; hail and burning coals fell from the sky.

13Then Yahweh spoke in a loud voice from the sky, and his enemies heard his voice that sounded like thunder.

14He shot his arrows at them and caused them to scatter; His flashes of lightning caused them to become very confused (OR, to run away).

15The bottom of the ocean became visible, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered,
when Yahweh rebuked his enemies
when he snorted.

16It was as though he reached down from heaven and grabbed me and pulled me up out of the deep ocean.

17He rescued me from my strong enemies who hated me; they were very strong,
with the result that I could not defeat them.

18When I ◄was distressed/had troubles►, they attacked me, but Yahweh defended/protected me.

19He led me to a place where I was safe; he rescued me because he was pleased with me.

20Yahweh has rewarded me because I do what is right; he has blessed me because I ◄am innocent/have not done things that are wrong►.

21I have obeyed Yahweh’s laws; I have not abandoned him.

22My behavior was directed by his rules; I have not stopped obeying them.

23He knows that I have not done what is wrong; I have kept myself from sinning.

24So he rewards me because I do what is right; he knows that I [SYN] have not committed sins.

25Yahweh, you are faithful to those who faithfully do what you tell them to do; you always do what is good/right to those who do what you want them to do.

26You are kind to those who are kind to others, but you act wisely toward those who ◄act perversely/do bad things►.

27You save those who are humble, but you cause those who are proud to be humiliated/ashamed.

28You give light to my soul/spirit; you take away the darkness of my soul.

29You enable me to be strong, with the result that I can run and attack a line of enemy soldiers;
with your help I can ◄scale/climb up► the walls that surround my enemies’ cities.

30Everything that Yahweh my God does is perfect. We can depend on him to do what he promises. He is like a shield [MET] to protect all those who go to him for refuge.

31Yahweh is [RHQ] the only one who is God; only he is like an overhanging rock under which we can be safe.

32God is the one who enables me to be strong and who keeps me safe on the roads that I walk on.

33He enables me to walk swiftly without stumbling, like a deer walks/runs in the mountains.

34He teaches me how to use a strong/metal bow in order that I can use it to fight in battles.

35Yahweh, you protect and save me with your shield; you have made me safe by your power [MTY].
I have become ◄strong/a great king► because you have helped me.

36You have cleared the road for me, with the result that now I do not slip/stumble.

37I have pursued my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until I had defeated/killed them all.

38When I strike them, they are not able to get up again; they lie on the ground, defeated.

39You have enabled me to be strong in order that I can fight battles and defeat my enemies.

40You caused my enemies to run away (OR, you enabled me to put my foot on my enemies’ necks after I captured them and forced them to lie on the ground); I have gotten rid of all those who hated me.

41They called out for someone to help them, but no one saved them.

42I pulverize them, with the result that they become like [MET] the dust that the wind blows away;
I throw them out like [SIM] people throw dirt out into the streets.

43You enabled me to defeat those who fought against me, and appointed me to be the ruler of many nations; people whom I did not know about previously are now slaves in my kingdom.

44When foreigners hear about me, they ◄cringe/bow low before me► and they obey me.

45They are no longer courageous, and from their forts where they were hiding they come to me trembling.

46Yahweh is alive! Praise the one who is like an overhanging rock [MET] under which I am safe
Exalt the God who saves me!

47He enables me to get revenge on my enemies; he causes me to defeat nations and to rule over them,

48and he rescues me from my enemies.
He has lifted me up high so that violent men could not reach me and harm me.

49So I praise him and I tell the nations the great things that he has done.

50He has enabled me, his king, to powerfully defeat my enemies; he faithfully loves me, David, the one he has chosen to be king, and he will faithfully love my descendants forever.