1 Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength.
2 My fortress is the Lord,My rock, and he that doth to medeliverance afford:My God, my strength, whom I will trust,a buckler unto me,The horn of my salvation,and my high tow'r, is he.
3 Upon the Lord, who worthy isof praises, will I cry;And then shall I preserved besafe from mine enemy.
4 Floods of ill men affrighted me,death's pangs about me went;
5 Hell's sorrows me environed;death's snares did me prevent.
6 In my distress I call'd on God,cry to my God did I;He from his temple heard my voice,to his ears came my cry.
7 Th' earth, as affrighted, then did shake,trembling upon it seiz'd:The hills' foundations moved were,because he was displeas'd.
8 Up from his nostrils came a smoke,and from his mouth there cameDevouring fire, and coals by itwere turned into flame.
9 He also bowed down the heav'ns,and thence he did descend;And thickest clouds of darkness didunder his feet attend.
10 And he upon a cherub rode,and thereon he did fly;Yea, on the swift wings of the windhis flight was from on high.
11 He darkness made his secret place:about him, for his tent,Dark waters were, and thickest cloudsof th' airy firmament.
12 And at the brightness of that light,which was before his eye,His thick clouds pass'd away, hailstonesand coals of fire did fly.
13 The Lord God also in the heav'nsdid thunder in his ire;And there the Highest gave his voice,hailstones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he his arrows sent abroad,and them he scattered;His lightnings also he shot out,and them discomfited.
15 The waters' channels then were seen,the world's foundations vastAt thy rebuke discover'd were,and at thy nostrils' blast.
16 And from above the Lord sent down,and took me from below;From many waters he me drew,which would me overflow.
17 He me reliev'd from my strong foes,and such as did me hate;Because he saw that they for metoo strong were, and too great.
18 They me prevented in the dayof my calamity;But even then the Lord himselfa stay was unto me.
19 He to a place where libertyand room was hath me brought;Because he took delight in me,he my deliv'rance wrought.
20 According to my righteousnesshe did me recompense,He me repaid according tomy hands' pure innocence.
21 For I God's ways kept, from my Goddid not turn wickedly.
22 His judgments were before me, Ihis laws put not from me.
23 Sincere before him was my heart;with him upright was I;And watchfully I kept myselffrom mine iniquity.
24 After my righteousness the Lordhath recompensed me,After the cleanness of my handsappearing in his eye.
25 Thou gracious to the gracious art,to upright men upright:
26 Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth'stunto the froward wight.
27 For thou wilt the afflicted savein grief that low do lie:But wilt bring down the countenanceof them whose looks are high.
28 The Lord will light my candle so,that it shall shine full bright:The Lord my God will also makemy darkness to be light.
29 By thee through troops of men I break,and them discomfit all;And, by my God assisting me,I overleap a wall.
30 As for God, perfect is his way:the Lord his word is try'd;He is a buckler to all thosewho do in him confide.
31 Who but the Lord is God? but hewho is a rock and stay?
32 'Tis God that girdeth me with strength,and perfect makes my way.
33 He made my feet swift as the hinds,set me on my high places.
34 Mine hands to war he taught, mine armsbrake bows of steel in pieces.
35 The shield of thy salvationthou didst on me bestow:Thy right hand held me up, and greatthy kindness made me grow.
36 And in my way my steps thou hastenlarged under me,That I go safely, and my feetare kept from sliding free.
37 Mine en'mies I pursued have,and did them overtake;Nor did I turn again till Ian end of them did make.
38 I wounded them, they could not rise;they at my feet did fall.
39 Thou girdedst me with strength for war;my foes thou brought'st down all:
40 And thou hast giv'n to me the necksof all mine enemies;That I might them destroy and slay,who did against me rise.
41 They cried out, but there was nonethat would or could them save;Yea, they did cry unto the Lord,but he no answer gave.
42 Then did I beat them small as dustbefore the wind that flies;And I did cast them out like dirtupon the street that lies.
43 Thou mad'st me free from people's strife,and heathen's head to be:A people whom I have not knownshall service do to me.
44 At hearing they shall me obey,to me they shall submit.
45 Strangers for fear shall fade away,who in close places sit.
46 God lives, bless'd be my Rock; the Godof my health praised be.
47 God doth avenge me, and subduesthe people under me.
48 He saves me from mine enemies;yea, thou hast lifted meAbove my foes; and from the manof vi'lence set me free.
49 Therefore to thee will I give thanksthe heathen folk among;And to thy name, O Lord, I willsing praises in a song.
50 He great deliv'rance gives his king:he mercy doth extendTo David, his anointed one,and his seed without end.