PSALM 18

Psalm 18

1 How I love you, Lord! You are my defender. 2 The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. 3 I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord! 4 The danger of death was all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over me. 5 The danger of death was around me, and the grave set its trap for me. 6 In my trouble I called to the Lord; I called to my God for help. In his temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help. 7 Then the earth trembled and shook; the foundations of the mountains rocked and quivered, because God was angry. 8 Smoke poured out of his nostrils, a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth. 9 He tore the sky open and came down with a dark cloud under his feet. 10 He flew swiftly on his winged creature; he traveled on the wings of the wind. 11 He covered himself with darkness; thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him. 12 Hailstones and flashes of fire came from the lightning before him and broke through the dark clouds. 13 Then the Lord thundered from the sky; and the voice of the Most High was heard. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; with flashes of lightning he sent them running. 15 The floor of the ocean was laid bare, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when you rebuked your enemies, Lord, and roared at them in anger. 16 The Lord reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me out of the deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies and from all those who hate me - they were too strong for me. 18 When I was in trouble, they attacked me, but the Lord protected me. 19 He helped me out of danger; he saved me because he was pleased with me. 20 The Lord rewards me because I do what is right; he blesses me because I am innocent. 21 I have obeyed the law of the Lord; I have not turned away from my God. 22 I have observed all his laws; I have not disobeyed his commands. 23 He knows that I am faultless, that I have kept myself from doing wrong. 24 And so he rewards me because I do what is right, because he knows that I am innocent. 25 O Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you; completely good to those who are perfect. 26 You are pure to those who are pure, but hostile to those who are wicked. 27 You save those who are humble, but you humble those who are proud. 28 O Lord, you give me light; you dispel my darkness. 29 You give me strength to attack my enemies and power to overcome their defenses. 30 This God - how perfect are his deeds! How dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection. 31 The Lord alone is God; God alone is our defense. 32 He is the God who makes me strong, who makes my pathway safe. 33 He makes me sure-footed as a deer; he keeps me safe on the mountains. 34 He trains me for battle, so that I can use the strongest bow. 35 O Lord, you protect me and save me; your care has made me great, and your power has kept me safe. 36 You have kept me from being captured, and I have never fallen. 37 I pursue my enemies and catch them; I do not stop until I destroy them. 38 I strike them down, and they cannot rise; they lie defeated before me. 39 You give me strength for the battle and victory over my enemies. 40 You make my enemies run from me; I destroy those who hate me. 41 They cry for help, but no one saves them; they call to the Lord, but he does not answer. 42 I crush them, so that they become like dust which the wind blows away. I trample on them like mud in the streets. 43 You saved me from a rebellious people and made me ruler over the nations; people I did not know have now become my subjects. 44 Foreigners bow before me; when they hear me, they obey. 45 They lose their courage and come trembling from their fortresses. 46 The Lord lives! Praise my defender! Proclaim the greatness of the God who saves me. 47 He gives me victory over my enemies; he subdues the nations under me 48 and saves me from my foes. O Lord, you give me victory over my enemies and protect me from violent people. 49 And so I praise you among the nations; I sing praises to you. 50 God gives great victories to his king; he shows constant love to the one he has chosen, to David and his descendants forever.

Psalm 19

1 How clearly the sky reveals God's glory! How plainly it shows what he has done! 2 Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next. 3 No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; 4 yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth. God made a home in the sky for the sun; 5 it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom, like an athlete eager to run a race. 6 It starts at one end of the sky and goes across to the other. Nothing can hide from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect; it gives new strength. The commands of the Lord are trustworthy, giving wisdom to those who lack it. 8 The laws of the Lord are right, and those who obey them are happy. The commands of the Lord are just and give understanding to the mind. 9 Reverence for the Lord is good; it will continue forever. The judgments of the Lord are just; they are always fair. 10 They are more desirable than the finest gold; they are sweeter than the purest honey. 11 They give knowledge to me, your servant; I am rewarded for obeying them. 12 None of us can see our own errors; deliver me, Lord, from hidden faults! 13 Keep me safe, also, from willful sins; don't let them rule over me. Then I shall be perfect and free from the evil of sin. 14 May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer!

Psalm 20

1 May the Lord answer you when you are in trouble! May the God of Jacob protect you! 2 May he send you help from his Temple and give you aid from Mount Zion. 3 May he accept all your offerings and be pleased with all your sacrifices. 4 May he give you what you desire and make all your plans succeed. 5 Then we will shout for joy over your victory and celebrate your triumph by praising our God. May the Lord answer all your requests. 6 Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his chosen king; he answers him from his holy heaven and by his power gives him great victories. 7 Some trust in their war chariots and others in their horses, but we trust in the power of the Lord our God. 8 Such people will stumble and fall, but we will rise and stand firm. 9 Give victory to the king, O Lord; answer us when we call.

Psalm 21

1 The king is glad, O Lord, because you gave him strength; he rejoices because you made him victorious. 2 You have given him his heart's desire; you have answered his request. 3 You came to him with great blessings and set a crown of gold on his head. 4 He asked for life, and you gave it, a long and lasting life. 5 His glory is great because of your help; you have given him fame and majesty. 6 Your blessings are with him forever, and your presence fills him with joy. 7 The king trusts in the Lord Almighty; and because of the Lord's constant love he will always be secure. 8 The king will capture all his enemies; he will capture everyone who hates him. 9 He will destroy them like a blazing fire when he appears. The Lord will devour them in his anger, and fire will consume them. 10 None of their descendants will survive; the king will kill them all. 11 They make their plans, and plot against him, but they will not succeed. 12 He will shoot his arrows at them and make them turn and run. 13 We praise you, Lord, for your great strength! We will sing and praise your power.