Psalm 18 - Easy To Read Version

¹ He said,\par “Lord my strength,\par I love you!”\par

² The Lord is my Rock, {\cf2\super [97]} \par my Fortress, {\cf2\super [98]} \par my Place of Safety.”\par My God is my Rock.\par I run to him for protection.\par God is my shield.\par His power saves me. {\cf2\super [99]} \par The Lord is my hiding place\par high in the hills.\par

³ They made fun of me.\par But I called to the Lord for help,\par and I was saved from my enemies!\par

⁴ \{My enemies were trying to kill me!\}\par The ropes of death were all around me.\par I was caught in a flood carrying me to that place of death. {\cf2\super [100]} \par

⁵ Ropes of the grave were all around me.\par Traps of death lay before me.\par

⁶ Trapped, I called to the Lord for help.\par Yes, I called to my God.\par God was in his temple.\par He heard my voice.\par He heard my cry for help.\par

⁷ The earth shook and trembled;\par the foundations of heaven shook.\par Why? Because the Lord was angry!\par

⁸ Smoke came from God’s nose. {\cf2\super [101]} \par Burning flames came from\par God’s mouth,\par Burning sparks flew from him.\par

⁹ The Lord tore open the sky,\par and he came down!\par He stood on a thick, dark cloud.\par

¹⁰ The Lord was flying \{across the sky\},\par riding on the flying Cherub angels.\par He was soaring high on the wind.\par

¹¹ The Lord was hidden in the dark clouds\par that surrounded him like a tent.\par He was hidden in the thick thunder clouds.\par

¹² Then, God’s shining brightness\par broke through the clouds.\par There was hail and flashes of lightning.\par

¹³ The Lord thundered from the sky!\par God Most-High let his voice be heard.\par There was hail and flashes of lightning.\par

¹⁴ The Lord shot his arrows {\cf2\super [102]} \par and scattered the enemy.\par The Lord sent many bolts of lightning\par and the people scattered in confusion.\par

¹⁵ Lord, you shouted your command;\par and a powerful wind began to blow. {\cf2\super [103]} \par \{The water was pushed back,\}\par and we could see the bottom of the sea.\par We could see the earth’s foundations.\par

¹⁶ The Lord reached down from above\par and saved me.\par The Lord caught me and pulled me out of\par deep water (trouble).\par

¹⁷ My enemies were stronger than me.\par Those people hated me.\par My enemies were too strong for me,\par so God saved me.\par

¹⁸ I was in trouble,\par and my enemies attacked me.\par But the Lord was there to support me!\par

¹⁹ The Lord loves me,\par so he rescued me.\par He took me to a safe place.\par

²⁰ I am innocent,\par so the Lord will give me my reward.\par I did nothing wrong,\par so he will do good things for me.\par

²¹ Why? Because I obeyed the Lord!\par I did not sin against my God.\par

²² I always remember the Lord’s decisions.\par I obey his laws!\par

²³ I was pure and honest with him.\par I kept myself from doing bad things.\par

²⁴ So the Lord will give me my reward!\par Why? Because I am innocent!\par The way God sees it,\par I did nothing wrong,\par so he will do good things for me.\par

²⁵ Lord, if a person really loves you,\par then you will show your true love to him.\par If a person is true to you,\par then you will be true to him.\par

²⁶ Lord, you are good and pure\par to people that are good and pure.\par But, you can outsmart\par the meanest and sneakiest people.\par

²⁷ Lord, you help humble people.\par But you humiliate proud people.\par

²⁸ Lord, you light my lamp.\par My God lights up the darkness around me!\par

²⁹ With your help, Lord,\par I can run with the soldiers.\par With God’s help,\par I can climb over enemy walls.\par

³⁰ God’s power is complete. {\cf2\super [104]} \par The Lord’s word has been tested.\par He protects people who trust him.\par

³¹ There is no God except the Lord.\par There is no Rock, {\cf2\super [105]} except our God.\par

³² God gives me strength.\par He helps me live a pure life.\par

³³ God helps me run fast like a deer.\par He keeps me steady in high places.\par

³⁴ God trains me for war,\par so my arms can bend a powerful bow. {\cf2\super [106]} \par

³⁵ God, you protected me\par and helped me win.\par You supported me with your right arm.\par You helped me defeat my enemy.\par

³⁶ Make my legs and ankles strong,\par so I can walk fast without stumbling.\par

³⁷ Then I can chase my enemies\par and catch them.\par I won’t come back\par until they are destroyed!\par

³⁸ I will defeat my enemies.\par They won’t get up again.\par All my enemies will be under my feet.\par

³⁹ God, you made me strong in battle.\par You made my enemies fall before me.\par

⁴⁰ You gave me a chance\par to strike at my enemy’s neck,\par and I cut my opponent down!\par

⁴¹ My enemies called for help,\par but there was no one to save them.\par They even called to the Lord,\par but he did not answer them.\par

⁴² I beat my enemies to pieces.\par They were like dust\par blowing in the wind.\par I crushed them into small pieces.\par

⁴³ Save me from the people\par that fight against me.\par Make me the leader of those nations.\par People I don’t even know\par will serve me.\par

⁴⁴ Those people will hear about me\par and quickly obey me.\par Those foreigners will be afraid of me.\par

⁴⁵ Those foreigners will wilt with fear.\par They will come from their hiding places\par shaking with fear.\par

⁴⁶ The Lord is alive!\par I praise my Rock, {\cf2\super [107]} \par God saves me.\par He is great!\par

⁴⁷ God punished my enemies for me.\par He put people under my control.\par

⁴⁸ Lord, you rescued me from my enemies.\par You helped me defeat the people\par who stood against me.\par You saved me from cruel men.\par

⁴⁹ Lord, that is why I praise you\par among the nations.\par That is why I sing songs about your name.\par

⁵⁰ The Lord helps his king win many battles!\par He shows his true love\par for his chosen king.\par He will be loyal to David and his descendants forever!\par