Theologa | Psalms 18:18:1

לַמְנַצֵּחַ לְעֶבֶד יְהוָה לְדָוִד אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַיהוָה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בְּיוֹם הִצִּיל־יְהוָה אוֹתוֹ מִכַּף כָּל־אֹיְבָיו וּמִיַּד שָׁאוּל׃

For the Leader. [A Psalm] of David the servant of the LORD, who spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul;

²

וַיֹּאמַר אֶרְחָמְךָ יְהוָה חִזְקִי׃

And he said: I love thee, O LORD, my strength.

¹

יְהוָה סַלְעִי וּמְצוּדָתִי וּמְפַלְטִי אֵלִי צוּרִי אֶחֱסֶה־בּוֹ מָגִנִּי וְקֶרֶן־יִשְׁעִי מִשְׂגַּבִּי׃

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in Him I take refuge; my shield, and my horn of salvation, my high tower.

¹

מְהֻלָּל אֶקְרָא יְהוָה וּמִן־אֹיְבַי אִוָּשֵׁעַ׃

Praised, I cry, is the LORD, and I am saved from mine enemies. .

¹

אֲפָפוּנִי חֶבְלֵי־מָוֶת וְנַחֲלֵי בְלִיַּעַל יְבַעֲתוּנִי׃

The cords of Death compassed me, and the floods of Belial assailed me.

¹

חֶבְלֵי שְׁאוֹל סְבָבוּנִי קִדְּמוּנִי מוֹקְשֵׁי מָוֶת׃

The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of Death confronted me.

¹

בַּצַּר־לִי אֶקְרָא יְהוָה וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַי אֲשַׁוֵּעַ יִשְׁמַע מֵהֵיכָלוֹ קוֹלִי וְשַׁוְעָתִי לְפָנָיו תָּבוֹא בְאָזְנָיו׃

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God; out of His temple He heard my voice, and my cry came before Him unto His ears.

¹

וַתִּגְעַשׁ וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ וּמוֹסְדֵי הָרִים יִרְגָּזוּ וַיִּתְגָּעֲשׁוּ כִּי־חָרָה לוֹ׃

Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations also of the mountains did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.

¹

עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּיו תֹּאכֵל גֶּחָלִים בָּעֲרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ׃

Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth did devour; coals flamed forth from Him.

¹

וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד וַעֲרָפֶל תַּחַת רַגְלָיו׃

He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.

¹

וַיִּרְכַּב עַל־כְּרוּב וַיָּעֹף וַיֵּדֶא עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רוּחַ׃

And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind.

¹

יָשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ סְבִיבוֹתָיו סֻכָּתוֹ חֶשְׁכַת־מַיִם עָבֵי שְׁחָקִים׃

He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

¹

מִנֹּגַהּ נֶגְדּוֹ עָבָיו עָבְרוּ בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי־אֵשׁ׃

At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds Hailstones and coals of fire.

¹

וַיַּרְעֵם בַּשָּׁמַיִם יְהוָה וְעֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּן קֹלוֹ בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי־אֵשׁ׃

The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire.

וַיִּשְׁלַח חִצָּיו וַיְפִיצֵם וּבְרָקִים רָב וַיְהֻמֵּם׃

And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.

וַיֵּרָאוּ אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם וַיִּגָּלוּ מוֹסְדוֹת תֵּבֵל מִגַּעֲרָתְךָ יְהוָה מִנִּשְׁמַת רוּחַ אַפֶּךָ׃

And the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at Thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils.

¹

יִשְׁלַח מִמָּרוֹם יִקָּחֵנִי יַמְשֵׁנִי מִמַּיִם רַבִּים׃

He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

¹

יַצִּילֵנִי מֵאֹיְבִי עָז וּמִשֹּׂנְאַי כִּי־אָמְצוּ מִמֶּנִּי׃

He delivered me from mine enemy most strong, and from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

יְקַדְּמוּנִי בְיוֹם־אֵידִי וַיְהִי־יְהוָה לְמִשְׁעָן לִי׃

They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the LORD was a stay unto me.

¹

וַיּוֹצִיאֵנִי לַמֶּרְחָב יְחַלְּצֵנִי כִּי חָפֵץ בִּי׃

He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.

יִגְמְלֵנִי יְהוָה כְּצִדְקִי כְּבֹר יָדַי יָשִׁיב לִי׃

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me. .

¹

כִּי־שָׁמַרְתִּי דַּרְכֵי יְהוָה וְלֹא־רָשַׁעְתִּי מֵאֱלֹהָי׃

For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

כִּי כָל־מִשְׁפָּטָיו לְנֶגְדִּי וְחֻקֹּתָיו לֹא־אָסִיר מֶנִּי׃

For all His ordinances were before me, and I put not away His statutes from me.

¹

וָאֱהִי תָמִים עִמּוֹ וָאֶשְׁתַּמֵּר מֵעֲוֺנִי׃

And I was single-hearted with Him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

וַיָּשֶׁב־יְהוָה לִי כְצִדְקִי כְּבֹר יָדַי לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו׃

Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

עִם־חָסִיד תִּתְחַסָּד עִם־גְּבַר תָּמִים תִּתַּמָּם׃

With the merciful Thou dost show Thyself merciful, with the upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright;

¹

עִם־נָבָר תִּתְבָּרָר וְעִם־עִקֵּשׁ תִּתְפַּתָּל׃

With the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle.

¹

כִּי־אַתָּה עַם־עָנִי תוֹשִׁיעַ וְעֵינַיִם רָמוֹת תַּשְׁפִּיל׃

For Thou dost save the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes Thou dost humble.

כִּי־אַתָּה תָּאִיר נֵרִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי יַגִּיהַּ חָשְׁכִּי׃

For Thou dost light my lamp; the LORD my God doth lighten my darkness.

¹

כִּי־בְךָ אָרֻץ גְּדוּד וּבֵאלֹהַי אֲדַלֶּג־שׁוּר׃

For by Thee I run upon a troop; and by my God do I scale a wall.

¹

הָאֵל תָּמִים דַּרְכּוֹ אִמְרַת־יְהוָה צְרוּפָה מָגֵן הוּא לְכֹל הַחֹסִים בּוֹ׃

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in Him.

¹

כִּי מִי אֱלוֹהַּ מִבַּלְעֲדֵי יְהוָה וּמִי צוּר זוּלָתִי אֱלֹהֵינוּ׃

For who is God, save the LORD? And who is a Rock, except our God?

הָאֵל הַמְאַזְּרֵנִי חָיִל וַיִּתֵּן תָּמִים דַּרְכִּי׃

The God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way straight;

¹

מְשַׁוֶּה רַגְלַי כָּאַיָּלוֹת וְעַל בָּמֹתַי יַעֲמִידֵנִי׃

Who maketh my feet like hinds', and setteth me upon my high places;

¹

מְלַמֵּד יָדַי לַמִּלְחָמָה וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת־נְחוּשָׁה זְרוֹעֹתָי׃

Who traineth my hands for war, so that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.

¹

וַתִּתֶּן־לִי מָגֵן יִשְׁעֶךָ וִימִינְךָ תִסְעָדֵנִי וְעַנְוַתְךָ תַרְבֵּנִי׃

Thou hast also given me Thy shield of salvation, and Thy right hand hath holden me up; and Thy condescension hath made me great.

¹

תַּרְחִיב צַעֲדִי תַחְתָּי וְלֹא מָעֲדוּ קַרְסֻלָּי׃

Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.

¹

אֶרְדּוֹף אוֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵם וְלֹא־אָשׁוּב עַד־כַּלּוֹתָם׃

I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them; neither did I turn back till they were consumed.

אֶמְחָצֵם וְלֹא־יֻכְלוּ קוּם יִפְּלוּ תַּחַת רַגְלָי׃

I have smitten them through, so that they are not able to rise; they are fallen under my feet.

וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי חַיִל לַמִּלְחָמָה תַּכְרִיעַ קָמַי תַּחְתָּי׃

For Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

וְאֹיְבַי נָתַתָּה לִּי עֹרֶף וּמְשַׂנְאַי אַצְמִיתֵם׃

Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, and I did cut off them that hate me.

¹

יְשַׁוְּעוּ וְאֵין־מוֹשִׁיעַ עַל־יְהוָה וְלֹא עָנָם׃

They cried, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but He answered them not.

¹

וְאֶשְׁחָקֵם כְּעָפָר עַל־פְּנֵי־רוּחַ כְּטִיט חוּצוֹת אֲרִיקֵם׃

Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind; I did cast them out as the mire of the streets.

¹

תְּפַלְּטֵנִי מֵרִיבֵי עָם תְּשִׂימֵנִי לְרֹאשׁ גּוֹיִם עַם לֹא־יָדַעְתִּי יַעַבְדוּנִי׃

Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people; Thou hast made me the head of the nations; a people whom I have not known serve me.

¹

לְשֵׁמַע אֹזֶן יִשָּׁמְעוּ לִי בְּנֵי־נֵכָר יְכַחֲשׁוּ־לִי׃

As soon as they hear of me, they obey me; The sons of the stranger dwindle away before me.

¹

בְּנֵי־נֵכָר יִבֹּלוּ וְיַחְרְגוּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם׃

The sons of the stranger fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.

¹

חַי־יְהוָה וּבָרוּךְ צוּרִי וְיָרוּם אֱלוֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי׃

The LORD liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation;

¹

הָאֵל הַנּוֹתֵן נְקָמוֹת לִי וַיַּדְבֵּר עַמִּים תַּחְתָּי׃

Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, and subdueth peoples under me.

¹

מְפַלְּטִי מֵאֹיְבָי אַף מִן־קָמַי תְּרוֹמְמֵנִי מֵאִישׁ חָמָס תַּצִּילֵנִי׃

He delivereth me from mine enemies; yea, Thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.

עַל־כֵּן אוֹדְךָ בַגּוֹיִם יְהוָה וּלְשִׁמְךָ אֲזַמֵּרָה׃

Therefore I will give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises unto Thy name.

מגדל [מַגְדִּיל] יְשׁוּעוֹת מַלְכּוֹ וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדָוִד וּלְזַרְעוֹ עַד־עוֹלָם׃

Great salvation giveth He to His king; and showeth mercy to His anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.

1

@TheMeaningOf44

Preserved twice in scripture

This psalm appears almost word for word in 2 Samuel 22 as well, one of the clearest examples of the same composition preserved in two different biblical books. It's credited to David specifically after deliverance from Saul and other enemies. The ima...

Literary

1

@Rashi

Rashi on Psalms 18:1

<b>on the day the Lord saved him etc.</b> When he became old and all his troubles had already passed over him and he was saved from them.<br><br><b>and from the hand of Saul</b> Was not Saul included? But [he is mentioned specifically] because he was...

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