¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day² that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will³ love thee, O LORD, my⁴ strength.

The LORD⁵ is my rock, and my fortress⁶, and my deliverer; my God, my strength⁷, in whom I will trust; my buckler⁸, and the horn⁹ of my salvation, and my high¹⁰ tower.

I will¹¹ call upon the LORD, who¹² is worthy to be praised: so shall¹³ I be saved from mine enemies.

The sorrows¹⁴ of death compassed me, and the floods¹⁵ of ungodly men¹⁶ made me afraid.

The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares¹⁸ of death prevented me.

In my distress¹⁹ I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard²⁰ my voice out of his temple, and my cry²¹ came before him, even into his ears.

Then the earth²² shook and trembled; the foundations²³ also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

There went²⁴ up a smoke out of his²⁵ nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

He bowed²⁶ the heavens also, and came down: and darkness²⁷ was under his feet.

¶ And he rode²⁸ upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly²⁹ upon the wings of the wind.

He made darkness his secret³⁰ place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick³¹ clouds of the skies.

At the³² brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail³³ stones and coals of fire.

The LORD also thundered³⁴ in the heavens, and the Highest³⁵ gave his voice; hail stones and coals³⁶ of fire.

Yea,³⁷ he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot³⁸ out lightnings, and discomfited them.

Then the channels³⁹ of waters were seen, and the foundations⁴⁰ of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD⁴¹, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

He sent⁴² from above, he took me, he drew⁴³ me out of many waters⁴⁴.

He delivered me from my strong⁴⁵ enemy, and from them⁴⁶ which hated me: for they were⁴⁷ too strong for me.

They prevented me in⁴⁸ the day of my calamity: but⁴⁹ the LORD was my stay.

He brought⁵⁰ me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because⁵¹ he delighted in me.

¶ The LORD rewarded⁵² me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness⁵³ of my hands hath he recompensed me.

For I⁵⁴ have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not⁵⁵ wickedly departed from my God.

For all⁵⁶ his judgments were before me, and I did⁵⁷ not put away his statutes from me.

I was also upright⁵⁸ before⁵⁹ him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me⁶⁰ according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight⁶¹.

With the⁶² merciful thou wilt⁶³ shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward⁶⁴ thou wilt shew thyself froward⁶⁵.

For thou wilt save⁶⁶ the afflicted people; but wilt bring⁶⁷ down high looks.

For thou wilt⁶⁸ light my candle⁶⁹: the LORD my God⁷⁰ will enlighten my darkness.

¶ For by thee⁷¹ I have run⁷² through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

¶ As for God, his way⁷³ is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried⁷⁴: he is a buckler⁷⁵ to all those that trust in him.

⁷⁶For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

It is God that girdeth⁷⁷ me with strength, and maketh⁷⁸ my way perfect.

He maketh⁷⁹ my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high⁸⁰ places.

He teacheth⁸¹ my hands to war, so that⁸² a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

Thou hast also given me the shield⁸³ of thy salvation: and thy right⁸⁴ hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness⁸⁵ hath made me great.

Thou hast enlarged⁸⁶ my steps under me, that my feet⁸⁷ did not slip.

⁸⁸I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

⁸⁹I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

For thou hast girded⁹⁰ me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued⁹¹ under me those that⁹³ rose up against me.

¶ Thou hast also given me the necks⁹⁴ of mine enemies; that⁹⁵ I might destroy them that hate me.

⁹⁶They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

Then did I beat⁹⁷ them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast⁹⁸ them out as the dirt in the streets.

Thou hast delivered me from⁹⁹ the strivings of the people; and thou hast made¹⁰⁰ me the head of the heathen: a people¹⁰¹ whom I have not known shall serve me.

As soon¹⁰² as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers¹⁰³ shall submit¹⁰⁴ themselves unto me.

The strangers¹⁰⁵ shall fade away, and be afraid¹⁰⁶ out of their close places.

The LORD¹⁰⁷ liveth; and blessed¹⁰⁸ be my rock; and let the God¹⁰⁹ of my salvation be exalted¹¹⁰.

It is God that avengeth¹¹¹ me, and subdueth¹¹² the people under me.

He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest¹¹³ me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man¹¹⁴.

Therefore will I give thanks¹¹⁵ unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing¹¹⁶ praises unto thy name.

¶ Great¹¹⁷ deliverance giveth he to his¹¹⁸ king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.