Psalm 18/Text/Clauses

Hebrew	Verse	English
לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀	1.1	For the director
לְעֶ֥בֶד יְהוָ֗ה	1.2	By YHWH's servant,
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד	1.3	David,
אֲשֶׁ֤ר דִּבֶּ֨ר ׀ לַיהוָ֗ה אֶת־דִּ֭בְרֵי הַשִּׁירָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את	1.4	who recited the words of this song to YHWH
בְּי֤וֹם הִֽצִּיל־יְהוָ֘ה אוֹת֥וֹ מִכַּ֥ף כָּל־אֹ֝יְבָ֗יו וּמִיַּ֥ד שָׁאֽוּל׃	1.5	when YHWH had rescued him from the palm of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
וַיֹּאמַ֡ר	2.1	And he said,
אֶרְחָמְךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה חִזְקִֽי׃	2.2	“I shall keep loving you, YHWH, my strength.
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ סַֽלְעִ֥י וּמְצוּדָתִ֗י וּמְפַ֫לְטִ֥י	3.1	YHWH is my cleft and my fortress and my rescuer.
אֵלִ֣י צ֭וּרִי אֶֽחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ מָֽגִנִּ֥י וְקֶֽרֶן־יִ֝שְׁעִ֗י מִשְׂגַּבִּי *וּמְנוּסִי מֹשִׁעִי מֵחָמָס תֹּשִׁעֵנִי׃*	3.2	My God is my rock, in him do I seek protection, my shield and horn of my deliverance, my fortified tower and my refuge, my deliverer, who delivers me from violence.
מְ֭הֻלָּל אֶקְרָ֣א יְהוָ֑ה	4.1	I cry out to YHWH, since he is praiseworthy,
וּמִן־אֹ֝יְבַ֗י אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃	4.2	and I am delivered from my enemies.
אֲפָפ֥וּנִי *מִשְׁבְּרֵי*־מָ֑וֶת	5.1	The breaker waves of Death surrounded me.
וְֽנַחֲלֵ֖י בְלִיַּ֣עַל יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי׃	5.2	And the torrents of No Return began to overwhelm me.
חֶבְלֵ֣י שְׁא֣וֹל סְבָב֑וּנִי	6.1	The cords of the World of the Dead entangled me.
קִ֝דְּמ֗וּנִי מ֣וֹקְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃	6.2	Death's traps rushed upon me.
בַּצַּר־לִ֤י ׀ אֶֽקְרָ֣א יְהוָה֮	7.1	In my distress I cry out to YHWH.
וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֪י אֲשַׁ֫וֵּ֥עַ	7.2	And to my God do I cry for help.
יִשְׁמַ֣ע מֵהֵיכָל֣וֹ קוֹלִ֑י	7.3	He hears my cry from his temple.
וְ֝שַׁוְעָתִ֗י לְפָנָ֤יו תָּב֬וֹא בְאָזְנָֽיו׃	7.4	And my cry for help before him comes into his ears.
וַתִּגְעַ֬שׁ וַתִּרְעַ֨שׁ ׀ הָאָ֗רֶץ	8.1	And the earth quivered and quaked.
וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י הָרִ֣ים יִרְגָּ֑זוּ	8.2	And the mountains' foundations began to shake.
וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ	8.3	And they trembled.
כִּי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ׃	8.4	For he had become angry.
עָ֘לָ֤ה עָשָׁ֨ן ׀ בְּאַפּ֗וֹ	9.1	Smoke went up because of his snarl.
וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל	9.2	And a fire from his mouth began to consume.
גֶּ֝חָלִ֗ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃	9.3	Coals burned from him.
וַיֵּ֣ט שָׁ֭מַיִם	10.1	And he bent down the heavens
וַיֵּרַ֑ד	10.2	and descended.
וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָֽיו׃	10.3	And a dark smog was beneath his feet.
וַיִּרְכַּ֣ב עַל־כְּ֭רוּב	11.1	And he mounted a Cherub
וַיָּעֹ֑ף	11.2	and began to fly.
וַ֝יֵּ֗דֶא עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃	11.3	And he flew swiftly upon the wings of the wind.
יָ֤שֶׁת חֹ֨שֶׁךְ ׀ סִתְר֗וֹ	12.1	He made darkness his cover.
סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו סֻכָּת֑וֹ *חֶשְׁרַת*־מַ֝֗יִם עָבֵ֥י שְׁחָקִֽים׃	12.2	[He made darkness] his canopy around him, the sieve of water, thick clouds of the skies.
מִנֹּ֗גַהּ נֶ֫גְדּ֥וֹ *עָבְר֑וּ* בָּ֝רָ֗ד וְגַֽחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ׃	13.1	Because of the brightness before him, hail and coals of fire passed.
וַיַּרְעֵ֬ם בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה	14.1	And YHWH thundered in the heavens.
וְ֭עֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּ֣ן קֹל֑וֹ **	14.2	And the Most High began to raise his voice.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח חִ֭צָּיו	15.1	And he shot his arrows,
וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם	15.2	and dispersed them.
*וּבְרָקִ֥ים*	15.3	And [he shot his] glittering arrows,
וַיְהֻמֵּֽם׃	15.4	and routed them.
וַיֵּ֤רָא֨וּ ׀ אֲפִ֥יקֵי מַ֗יִם	16.1	And the ocean floor appeared.
וַֽיִּגָּלוּ֮ מוֹסְד֪וֹת תֵּ֫בֵ֥ל מִגַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה מִ֝נִּשְׁמַ֗ת ר֣וּחַ אַפֶּֽךָ׃	16.2	And the foundations of the world were revealed because of your rebuke, YHWH, because of the blast of the wind of your anger.
יִשְׁלַ֣ח מִ֭מָּרוֹם	17.1	He stretched forth his hand from on high
יִקָּחֵ֑נִי	17.2	and took me.
יַֽ֝מְשֵׁ֗נִי מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃	17.3	He pulled me out from many waters.
יַצִּילֵ֗נִי מֵאֹיְבִ֥י עָ֑ז	18.1	He rescued me from my strong enemy.
וּ֝מִשֹּׂנְאַ֗י	18.2	And [he rescued me] from those who hate me.
כִּֽי־אָמְצ֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃	18.3	For they were too powerful for me.
יְקַדְּמ֥וּנִי בְיוֹם־אֵידִ֑י	19.1	They rushed upon me at the time of my calamity.
וַֽיְהִי־יְהוָ֖ה *מִשְׁעָ֣ן* לִֽי׃	19.2	And YHWH was the one in whom I trusted.
וַיּוֹצִיאֵ֥נִי לַמֶּרְחָ֑ב	20.1	And he brought me out into relief.
יְ֝חַלְּצֵ֗נִי	20.2	He delivered me.
כִּ֘י חָ֥פֵֽץ בִּֽי׃	20.3	For he is pleased with me.
יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי יְהוָ֣ה כְּצִדְקִ֑י	21.1	YHWH deals well with me according to my righteousness.
כְּבֹ֥ר יָ֝דַ֗י יָשִׁ֥יב לִֽי׃	21.2	He repays me according to the cleanliness of my hands.
כִּֽי־שָׁ֭מַרְתִּי דַּרְכֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה	22.1	For I have kept the ways of YHWH.
וְלֹֽא־רָ֝שַׁ֗עְתִּי מֵאֱלֹהָֽי׃	22.2	And I have not turned from my God towards wicked ways.
כִּ֣י כָל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו לְנֶגְדִּ֑י	23.1	For all of his rules are before me.
וְ֝חֻקֹּתָ֗יו לֹא־אָסִ֥יר מֶֽנִּי׃	23.2	And I will not turn his decrees away from me.
וָאֱהִ֣י תָמִ֣ים עִמּ֑וֹ	24.1	And I have become blameless before him.
וָ֝אֶשְׁתַּמֵּ֗ר מֵעֲוֺנִֽי׃	24.2	And I have kept myself from committing iniquity.
וַיָּֽשֶׁב־יְהוָ֣ה לִ֣י כְצִדְקִ֑י	25.1	And YHWH has repaid me according to my righteousness,
כְּבֹ֥ר יָ֝דַ֗י לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃	25.2	according to the cleanliness of my hands before his eyes.
עִם־חָסִ֥יד תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד	26.1	You act faithfully with a faithful person.
עִם־גְּבַ֥ר תָּ֝מִ֗ים תִּתַּמָּֽם׃	26.2	You act blamelessly with a blameless person.
עִם־נָבָ֥ר תִּתְבָּרָ֑ר	27.1	You act with purity with one who purifies himself.
וְעִם־עִ֝קֵּ֗שׁ תִּתְפַּתָּֽל׃	27.2	And with a twisted person you act wittily.
כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה עַם־עָנִ֣י תוֹשִׁ֑יעַ	28.1	For you save a humble people.
וְעֵינַ֖יִם רָמ֣וֹת תַּשְׁפִּֽיל׃	28.2	And you bring down eyes that look down on others.
כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה תָּאִ֣יר נֵרִ֑י יְהוָ֥ה	29.1	For you light my lamp, YHWH.
אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י יַגִּ֥יהַּ חָשְׁכִּֽי׃	29.2	My God gives light to my darkness.
כִּֽי־בְ֭ךָ *אָרִ֣ץ* גְּד֑וּד	30.1	For by you I can rout an army.
וּ֝בֵֽאלֹהַ֗י אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר׃	30.2	And by my God I can scale a wall.
הָאֵל֮ תָּמִ֪ים דַּ֫רְכּ֥וֹ	31.1	God—His way is perfect.
אִמְרַֽת־יְהוָ֥ה צְרוּפָ֑ה	31.2	The sayings of YHWH are true.
מָגֵ֥ן ה֝֗וּא לְכֹ֤ל ׀ הַחֹסִ֬ים בּֽוֹ׃	31.3	He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
כִּ֤י מִ֣י אֱ֭לוֹהַּ מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה	32.1	For who is God besides YHWH?
וּמִ֥י צ֝֗וּר זוּלָתִ֥י אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃	32.2	And who is a rock besides our God,
הָ֭אֵל הַמְאַזְּרֵ֣נִי חָ֑יִל	33.1	the God who arms me with strength
וַיִּתֵּ֖ן תָּמִ֣ים דַּרְכִּֽי׃	33.2	and makes my endeavor secure?
מְשַׁוֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַי כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת	34.1	He makes my feet like those of deer.
וְעַ֥ל בָּ֝מֹתַ֗י יַעֲמִידֵֽנִי׃	34.2	And he causes me to stand upon my heights.
מְלַמֵּ֣ד יָ֭דַי לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה	35.1	He trains my hands for war.
וְֽ*נִחַ֥ת* קֶֽשֶׁת־נְ֝חוּשָׁ֗ה זְרוֹעֹתָֽי׃	35.2	And he strengthens my arms with a bow of bronze.
וַתִּתֶּן־לִי֮ מָגֵ֪ן יִ֫שְׁעֶ֥ךָ	36.1	And you give me the shield of your victory.
וִֽימִינְךָ֥ תִסְעָדֵ֑נִי	36.2	And your right hand supports me.
וְֽ*עֶזְרָתְךָ֥* תַרְבֵּֽנִי׃	36.3	And your help makes me great.
תַּרְחִ֣יב צַעֲדִ֣י תַחְתָּ֑י	37.1	You enlarged my steps underneath me.
וְלֹ֥א מָ֝עֲד֗וּ קַרְסֻלָּֽי׃	37.2	And my ankles did not falter.
אֶרְדּ֣וֹף א֭וֹיְבַי	38.1	I chased my enemies
וְאַשִּׂיגֵ֑ם	38.2	and I overtook them.
וְלֹֽא־אָ֝שׁוּב	38.3	And I would not relent
עַד־כַּלּוֹתָֽם׃	38.4	until their destruction.
אֶ֭מְחָצֵם	39.1	I violently beat them,
וְלֹא־יֻ֣כְלוּ ק֑וּם	39.2	and they could not stand.
יִ֝פְּל֗וּ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָֽי	39.3	They fell beneath my feet.
וַתְּאַזְּרֵ֣נִי חַ֭יִל לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה	40.1	And so you armed me with strength for war.
תַּכְרִ֖יעַ קָמַ֣י תַּחְתָּֽי׃	40.2	You make those who rise up against me kneel underneath me.
וְֽאֹיְבַ֗י נָתַ֣תָּה לִּ֣י עֹ֑רֶף	41.1	And you have made my enemies retreat from me.
וּ֝מְשַׂנְאַ֗י אַצְמִיתֵֽם׃	41.2	And as for those who hate me, I wipe them out.
יְשַׁוְּע֥וּ	42.1	They cry out for help,
וְאֵין־מוֹשִׁ֑יעַ	42.2	and there is no rescuer.
*אֶל*־יְ֝הוָ֗ה	42.3	[They cry out for help] to YHWH,
וְלֹ֣א עָנָֽם׃	42.4	and he has not answered them.
וְֽאֶשְׁחָקֵ֗ם כְּעָפָ֥ר עַל־פְּנֵי־*אֹ֑֑רַח*	43.1	And I crush them like the dust on the road.
כְּטִ֖יט חוּצ֣וֹת *אֶרְקָעֵֽם*׃	43.2	I beat them like the mud of the streets.
תְּפַלְּטֵנִי֮ מֵרִ֪יבֵ֫י *עַםִ֥ים*	44.1	You will deliver me from people's indictments.
תְּ֭שִׂימֵנִי לְרֹ֣אשׁ גּוֹיִ֑ם	44.2	You will make me head of nations.
עַ֖ם לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי יַֽעַבְדֽוּנִי׃	44.3	A people I do not know will serve me.
לְשֵׁ֣מַֽע אֹ֭זֶן יִשָּׁ֣מְעוּ לִ֑י	45.1	As soon as they hear rumors of me they will show obedience to me.
בְּנֵֽי־נֵ֝כָ֗ר יְכַחֲשׁוּ־לִֽי׃	45.2	Foreigners will submit to me.
בְּנֵי־נֵכָ֥ר יִבֹּ֑לוּ	46.1	Foreigners will lose heart
וְ֝יַחְרְג֗וּ מִֽמִּסְגְּרֽוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃	46.2	and tremble from their fortresses.
חַי־יְ֭הוָה	47.1	YHWH lives!
וּבָר֣וּךְ צוּרִ֑י	47.2	And my rock is blessed!
וְ֝יָר֗וּם אֱלוֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃	47.3	And the God of my rescue is exalted!
הָאֵ֗ל הַנּוֹתֵ֣ן נְקָמ֣וֹת לִ֑י	48.1	God—who gives me vengeance,
וַיַּדְבֵּ֖ר עַמִּ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽי׃	48.2	and subdues peoples underneath me.
מְפַלְּטִ֗י מֵאֹ֫יְבָ֥י אַ֣ף מִן־קָ֭מַי תְּרוֹמְמֵ֑נִי	49.1	You who deliver me from my enemies will indeed exalt me over those who rise up against me.
מֵאִ֥ישׁ חָ֝מָ֗ס תַּצִּילֵֽנִי׃	49.2	You will rescue me from the violent man.
עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ אוֹדְךָ֖ בַגּוֹיִ֥ם ׀ יְהוָ֑ה	50.1	Therefore I shall praise you among the nations, YHWH!
וּלְשִׁמְךָ֥ אֲזַמֵּֽרָה׃	50.2	And I shall sing praise to your name,
מַגְדִּיל֮ יְשׁוּע֪וֹת מַ֫לְכּ֥וֹ	51.1	you who makes the deliverance of his king spectacular,
וְעֹ֤שֶׂה חֶ֨סֶד ׀ לִמְשִׁיח֗וֹ לְדָוִ֥ד וּלְזַרְע֗וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃	51.2	and performs acts of loyalty for his anointed one, for David, and for his seed, forever.”