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¹ For the Leader. [A Psalm] of David the servant of the LORD, {N}in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul;² And he said: I love thee, O LORD, my strength.³ The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; ⁴ Praised, I cry, is the LORD, and I am saved from mine enemies.⁵ The cords of Death compassed me, and the floods of Belial assailed me.⁶ The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of Death confronted me.⁷ In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God; ⁸ Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations also of the mountains did tremble; ⁹ Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth did devour; ¹⁰ He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.¹¹ And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind.¹² He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; ¹³ At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds hailstones and coals of fire.¹⁴ The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire.¹⁵ And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.¹⁶ And the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, ¹⁷ He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.¹⁸ He delivered me from mine enemy most strong, and from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.¹⁹ They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the LORD was a stay unto me.

²⁰ He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.²¹ The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me.²² For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.²³ For all His ordinances were before me, and I put not away His statutes from me.²⁴ And I was single-hearted with Him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.²⁵ Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.²⁶ With the merciful Thou dost show Thyself merciful, with the upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright;²⁷ With the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle.²⁸ For Thou dost save the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes Thou dost humble.

²⁹ For Thou dost light my lamp; the LORD my God doth lighten my darkness.³⁰ For by Thee I run upon a troop; and by my God do I scale a wall.³¹ As for God, His way is perfect; ³² For who is God, save the LORD? And who is a Rock, except our God?³³ The God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way straight;³⁴ Who maketh my feet like hinds', and setteth me upon my high places;³⁵ Who traineth my hands for war, so that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.³⁶ Thou hast also given me Thy shield of salvation, and Thy right hand hath holden me up; and Thy condescension hath made me great.³⁷ Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.³⁸ I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them; neither did I turn back till they were consumed.³⁹ I have smitten them through, so that they are not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet.⁴⁰ For Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.⁴¹ Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, and I did cut off them that hate me.⁴² They cried, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but He answered them not.⁴³ Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets.⁴⁴ Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people; Thou hast made me the head of the nations; a people whom I have not known serve me.⁴⁵ As soon as they hear of me, they obey me; the sons of the stranger dwindle away before me.⁴⁶ The sons of the stranger fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.⁴⁷ The LORD liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation;⁴⁸ Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, and subdueth peoples under me.⁴⁹ He delivereth me from mine enemies; yea, Thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.⁵⁰ Therefore I will give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises unto Thy name.

⁵¹ Great salvation giveth He to His king; {P}