Psalm 16-18

Common English Bible

⁷ I will bless the Lord who advises me;
    even at night I am instructed
    in the depths of my mind.
⁸ I always put the Lord in front of me;
    I will not stumble because he is on my right side.
⁹ That’s why my heart celebrates and my mood is joyous;
    yes, my whole body will rest in safety
¹⁰     because you won’t abandon my life^[c] to the grave;^[d]
    you won’t let your faithful follower see the pit.

¹¹ You teach me the way of life.
    In your presence is total celebration.
Beautiful things are always in your right hand.

⁶ I cry out to you because you answer me.
    So tilt your ears toward me now—
    listen to what I’m saying!
⁷ Manifest your faithful love in amazing ways
    because you are the one
    who saves those who take refuge in you,
    saving them from their attackers
    by your strong hand.
⁸ Watch me with the very pupil of your eye!
    Hide me in the protection of your wings,
⁹         away from the wicked
            who are out to get me,
        away from my deadly enemies
            who are all around me!
¹⁰ They have no pity;^[e]
    their mouths speak arrogantly.
¹¹ They track me down—
    suddenly, they surround me!
    They make their plans to put me in the dirt.
¹² They are like a lion eager to rip its prey;
    they are like a strong young lion lying in wait.

¹³ Get up, Lord!
    Confront them!
    Bring them down!
Rescue my life from the wicked—
    use your sword!
¹⁴ Rescue me from these people—
    use your own hands, Lord!
Rescue me from these people
    whose only possession is their fleeting life.^[f]
But fill the stomachs of your cherished ones;
    let their children be filled full
    so that they have leftovers enough for their babies.

¹⁵ But me? I will see your face in righteousness;
    when I awake, I will be filled full by seeing your image.

⁷ The earth rocked and shook;
    the bases of the mountains trembled and reeled
    because of God’s anger.
⁸ Smoke went up from God’s nostrils;
    out of his mouth came a devouring fire;
    flaming coals blazed out in front of him!
⁹ God parted the skies and came down;
    thick darkness was beneath his feet.
¹⁰ God mounted the heavenly creatures and flew;
    he soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹ God made darkness cloak him;
    his covering was dark water and dense cloud.
¹² God’s clouds went ahead
    of the brightness before him;
    hail and coals of fire went too.
¹³ The Lord thundered in heaven;
    the Most High made his voice heard
    with hail and coals of fire.
¹⁴ God shot his arrows, scattering the enemy;
    he sent the lightning and threw them into confusion.
¹⁵ The seabeds were exposed;
    the earth’s foundations were laid bare
        at your rebuke, Lord,
        at the angry blast of air coming from your nostrils.

¹⁶ From on high God reached down and grabbed me;
    he took me out of all that water.
¹⁷ God saved me from my powerful enemy,
    saved me from my foes,
    who were too much for me.
¹⁸ They came at me on the very day of my distress,
    but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹ He brought me out to wide-open spaces;
    he pulled me out safe
    because he is pleased with me.
²⁰ The Lord rewarded me for my righteousness;
    he restored me because my hands are clean,
²¹     because I have kept the Lord’s ways.
    I haven’t acted wickedly against my God.
²² All his rules are right in front of me;
    I haven’t turned away from any of his laws.
²³ I have lived with integrity before him;
    I’ve kept myself from wrongdoing.
²⁴ And so the Lord restored me for my righteousness
    because my hands are clean in his eyes.

²⁵ You deal faithfully with the faithful;
    you show integrity
        toward the one who has integrity.
²⁶ You are pure toward the pure,
    but toward the crooked, you are tricky.
²⁷ You are the one who saves people who suffer
    and brings down those with proud eyes.
²⁸ You are the one who lights my lamp—
    the Lord my God illumines my darkness.
²⁹ With you I can charge into battle;
    with my God I can leap over a wall.
³⁰ God! His way is perfect;
    the Lord’s word is tried and true.
He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

³¹ Now really, who is divine except the Lord?
    And who is a rock but our God?
³² Only God! The God who equips me with strength
    and makes my way perfect,
³³     who makes my step as sure as the deer’s,
    who lets me stand securely on the heights,
³⁴     who trains my hands for war
    so my arms can bend a bronze bow.
³⁵ You’ve given me the shield of your salvation;
    your strong hand has supported me;
    your help has made me great.
³⁶ You’ve let me walk fast and safe,
    without even twisting an ankle.
³⁷ I chased my enemies and caught them!
    I didn’t come home until I finished them off.
³⁸ I struck them down;
    they couldn’t get up again;
    they fell under my feet.
³⁹ You equipped me with strength for war;
    you brought my adversaries down underneath me.
⁴⁰ You made my enemies turn tail from me;
    I destroyed my foes.
⁴¹ They cried for help,
        but there was no one to save them.
    They cried for help to the Lord,
        but he wouldn’t answer them.
⁴² I crushed them
        like dust blown away by the wind;
    I threw them out
        like mud dumped in the streets.
⁴³ You delivered me from struggles with many people;
    you appointed me the leader of many nations.
        Strangers come to serve me.
⁴⁴ After hearing about me, they obey me;
    foreigners grovel before me.
⁴⁵ Foreigners lose their nerve;
    they come trembling out of their fortresses.^[j]

⁴⁶ The Lord lives! Bless God, my rock!
    Let the God of my salvation be lifted high!
⁴⁷ This is the God who avenges on my behalf,
    who subdues people before me,
⁴⁸     who delivers me from my enemies.
Yes, you lifted me high above my adversaries;
        you delivered me from violent people.
⁴⁹     That’s why I thank you, Lord,
        in the presence of the nations.
    That’s why I sing praises to your name.
⁵⁰ You are the one who gives great victories to your king,
    who shows faithful love to your anointed one—
    to David and to his descendants forever.