Psalm 18

(from Day 3 Evening Prayer)

Diligam te, Domine

1. I WILL love thee, O Lord, my strength; the Lord is my stony rock, and my defence: my saviour, my God, and my might, in whom I will trust, my buckler, the horn also of my salvation, and my refuge.
2. I will call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.
3. The sorrows of death compassed me: and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid.
4. The pains of hell came about me: the snares of death overtook me.
5. In my trouble I will call upon the Lord: and complain unto my God.
6. So shall he hear my voice out of his holy temple: and my complaint shall come before him, it shall enter even into his ears.
7. The earth trembled and quaked: the very foundations also of the hills shook, and were removed, because he was wroth.
8. There went a smoke out in his presence: and a consuming fire out of his mouth, so that coals were kindled at it.
9. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and it was dark under his feet.
10. He rode upon the cherubins, and did fly: he came flying upon the wings of the wind.
11. He made darkness his secret place: his pavilion round about him, with dark water and thick clouds to cover him.
12. At the brightness of his presence his clouds removed: hail-stones, and coals of fire.
13. The Lord also thundered out of heaven, and the Highest gave his thunder: hail-stones, and coals of fire.
14. He sent out his arrows, and scattered them: he cast forth lightnings, and destroyed them.
15. The springs of water were seen, and the foundations of the round world were discovered, at thy chiding, O Lord: at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure.
16. He shall send down from on high to fetch me: and shall take me out of many waters.
17. He shall deliver me from my strongest enemy, and from them which hate me: for they are too mighty for me.
18. They prevented me in the day of my trouble: but the Lord was my upholder.
19. He brought me forth also into a place of liberty: he brought me forth, even because he had a favour unto me.
20. The Lord shall reward me after my righteous dealing: according to the cleanness of my hands shall he recompense me.
21. Because I have kept the ways of the Lord: and have not forsaken my God, as the wicked doth.
22. For I have an eye unto all his laws: and will not cast out his commandments from me.
23. I was also uncorrupt before him: and eschewed mine own wickedness.
24. Therefore shall the Lord reward me after my righteous dealing: and according unto the cleanness of my hands in his eye-sight.
25. With the holy thou shalt be holy: and with a perfect man thou shalt be perfect.
26. With the clean thou shalt be clean: and with the froward thou shalt learn frowardness.
27. For thou shalt save the people that are in adversity: and shalt bring down the high looks of the proud.
28. Thou also shalt light my candle: the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be light.
29. For in thee I shall discomfit an host of men: and with the help of my God I shall leap over the wall.
30. The way of God is an undefiled way: the word of the Lord also is tried in the fire; he is the defender of all them that put their trust in him.
31. For who is God, but the Lord: or who hath any strength, except our God?
32. It is God, that girdeth me with strength of war: and maketh my way perfect.
33. He maketh my feet like harts' feet: and setteth me up on high.
34. He teacheth mine hands to fight: and mine arms shall break even a bow of steel.
35. Thou hast given me the defence of thy salvation: thy right hand also shall hold me up, and thy loving correction shall make me great.
36. Thou shalt make room enough under me for to go: that my footsteps shall not slide.
37. I will follow upon mine enemies, and overtake them: neither will I turn again till I have destroyed them.
38. I will smite them, that they shall not be able to stand: but fall under my feet.
    
39. Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou shalt throw down mine enemies under me.
40. Thou hast made mine enemies also to turn their backs upon me: and I shall destroy them that hate me.
41. They shall cry, but there shall be none to help them: yea, even unto the Lord shall they cry, but he shall not hear them.
42. I will beat them as small as the dust before the wind: I will cast them out as the clay in the streets.
43. Thou shalt deliver me from the strivings of the people: and thou shalt make me the head of the heathen.
44. A people whom I have not known: shall serve me.
45. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: but the strange children shall dissemble with me.
46. The strange children shall fail: and be afraid out of their prisons.
47. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my strong helper: and praised be the Lord of my salvation;
48. Even the God that seeth that I be avenged: and subdueth the people unto me.
49. It is he that delivereth me from my cruel enemies, and setteth me up above mine adversaries: thou shalt rid me from the wicked man.
50. For this cause will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles: and sing praises unto thy Name.
51. Great prosperity giveth he unto his King: and sheweth loving-kindness unto David his Anointed, and unto his seed for evermore.