Psalms as Prayers: How to Pray When You Can't Find Words: Psalm 18

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Psalm 18 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

		I love you, LORD; you are my strength.
		LORD you are my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. God you are my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
		I called on you LORD, you are worthy of praise, and you saved me from my enemies.
		The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me.
		The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.
		But in my distress I cried out to you LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. You heard me from your sanctuary; my cry to you God reached your ears.
		Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of your anger.
		Smoke poured from your nostrils; fierce flames leaped from your mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from you.
		You opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath your feet.
		Mounted on a mighty angelic being, God you flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.
		You shrouded yourself in darkness, veiling your approach with dark rain clouds.
		Thick clouds shielded the brightness around you and rained down hail and burning coals
		LORD you thundered from heaven; your voice resounded amid the hail and burning coals.
		You shot your arrows and scattered my enemies; your lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused.
		Then at your command, O LORD, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
		you reached down from heaven and rescued me; you drew me out of deep waters.
		you rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
		They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but LORD you supported me.
		you led me to a place of safety; you rescued me because you delight in me.
		LORD you rewarded me for doing right; you restored me because of my innocence.
		For I have kept your ways LORD; I have not turned from you God to follow evil.
		I have followed all your regulations; I have never abandoned your decrees.
		I am blameless before you God; I have kept myself from sin.
		LORD you rewarded me for doing right. you have seen my innocence.
		To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity.
		To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.
		God You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud.
		You light a lamp for me. LORD, my God, you light up my darkness.
		In your strength I can crush an army; with you God I can scale any wall.
		God your way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
		For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock?
		God you arm me with strength, and you make my way perfect.
		You God make me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
		You train my hands for battle; You strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
		You God have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great.
		You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.
		I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered.
		I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet.
		You Lord have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
		You placed my foot on their necks. I have destroyed all who hated me.
		They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to you LORD, but you refused to answer.
		I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
		You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me ruler over nations; people I don’t even know now serve me.
		As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me.
		They all lose their courage and come trembling from their strongholds.
		The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted!
		You are the God who pays back those who harm me; You Lord subdue the nations under me
		and rescue me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents.
		For this, O LORD, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.
		You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever.