Psalm 18

International Children’s Bible

⁴ The ropes of death bound me.
    The deadly rivers overwhelmed me.
⁵ The ropes of death wrapped around me.
    The traps of death were before me.
⁶ In my trouble I called to the Lord.
    I cried out to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice.
    My call for help reached his ears.

⁷ The earth trembled and shook.
    The foundations of the mountains began to shake.
    They shook because the Lord was angry.
⁸ Smoke came out of his nose.
    Burning fire came out of his mouth.
    Burning coals went before him.
⁹ He tore open the sky and came down.
    Dark clouds were under his feet.
¹⁰ He rode a creature with wings and flew.
    He flew on the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his shelter around him,
    surrounded by fog and clouds.
¹² Out of the brightness of his presence came clouds.
    They came with hail and lightning.
¹³ The Lord thundered from heaven.
    God Most High raised his voice.
    And there was hail and lightning.
¹⁴ He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies.
    His many bolts of lightning confused them with fear.
¹⁵ Lord, you spoke strongly.
    The wind blew from your nose.
The valleys of the sea appeared.
    The foundations of the earth were seen.

¹⁶ The Lord reached down from above and took me.
    He pulled me from the deep water.
¹⁷ He saved me from my powerful enemies.
    Those who hated me were too strong for me.
¹⁸ They attacked me at my time of trouble.
    But the Lord supported me.
¹⁹ He took me to a safe place.
    Because he delights in me, he saved me.

²⁰ The Lord spared me because I did what was right.
    Because I have not done evil, he has rewarded me.
²¹ I have followed the ways of the Lord.
    I have not done evil by turning away from my God.
²² I remember all his laws.
    I have not broken his rules.
²³ I am innocent before him.
    I have kept myself from doing evil.
²⁴ The Lord rewarded me because I did what was right.
    I did what the Lord said was right.

²⁵ Lord, you are loyal to those who are loyal.
    You are good to those who are good.
²⁶ You are pure to those who are pure.
    But you are against those who are bad.
²⁷ You save those who are not proud.
    But you make humble those who are proud.
²⁸ Lord, you give light to my lamp.
    My God brightens the darkness around me.
²⁹ With your help I can attack an army.
    With God’s help I can jump over a wall.

³⁰ The ways of God are without fault.
    The Lord’s words are pure.
He is a shield to those who trust him.
³¹ Who is God? Only the Lord.
    Who is the Rock? Only our God.
³² God is my protection.
    He makes my way free from fault.
³³ He makes me like a deer, which does not stumble.
    He helps me stand on the steep mountains.
³⁴ He trains my hands for battle.
    So my arms can bend a bronze bow.
³⁵ You protect me with your saving shield.
    You support me with your right hand.
    You have stooped to make me great.
³⁶ You give me a wide path on which to walk.
    My feet have not slipped.
³⁷ I chased my enemies and caught them.
    I did not quit till they were destroyed.
³⁸ I crushed them so they couldn’t rise up again.
    They fell beneath my feet.
³⁹ You gave me strength in battle.
    You made my enemies bow before me.
⁴⁰ You made my enemies turn back.
    I destroyed those who hated me.
⁴¹ They called for help,
    but no one came to save them.
They called to the Lord,
    but he did not answer them.
⁴² I beat my enemies into pieces.
    They were like dust in the wind.
    I poured them out like mud in the streets.

⁴³ You saved me when the people attacked me.
    You made me the leader of nations.
    People I never knew serve me.
⁴⁴ As soon as they hear me, they obey me.
    Foreigners obey me.
⁴⁵ They all become afraid.
    They tremble in their hiding places.

⁴⁶ The Lord lives!
    May my Rock be praised.
    Praise the God who saves me!
⁴⁷ God gives me victory over my enemies.
    He brings people under my rule.
⁴⁸ He saves me from my enemies.

You set me over those who hate me.
    You saved me from cruel men.
⁴⁹ So I will praise you, Lord, among the nations.
    I will sing praises to your name.
⁵⁰ The Lord gives great victories to his king.
    He is loyal to his appointed king,
    to David and his descendants forever.