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1 I WILL love thee, O LORD, my strength. | |
2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. | |
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. | |
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. | |
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. | |
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. | |
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. | |
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. | |
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. | |
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. | |
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. | |
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. | |
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. | |
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. | |
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. | |
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. | |
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. | |
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. | |
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. | |
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. | |
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. | |
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. | |
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. | |
24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. | |
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; | |
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. | |
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. | |
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. | |
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. | |
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. | |
31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? | |
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. | |
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. | |
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. | |
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. | |
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. | |
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. | |
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. | |
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. | |
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. | |
41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. | |
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. | |
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. | |
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. | |
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. | |
46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. | |
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. | |
48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. | |
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. | |
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. | |
