The Psalms of David
Day 3. Evening Prayer
Psalm 18.
Diligam te, Domine
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 waters 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 God 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.
Text from The Book of Common Prayer, the
rights in which are vested in the Crown,
is reproduced by permission of the Crown's Patentee, Cambridge
University Press.