David Sings to the Lord
(Psalm 18.1-50)1 David sang a song to the Lord after the Lord had rescued him from his enemies, especially Saul. These are the words to David's song:
2 Our Lord and our God,
you are my mighty rock,
my fortress, my protector.
3 You are the rock
where I am safe.
You are my shield,
my powerful weapon,
and my place of shelter.
You rescue me and keep me
safe from violence.
4 I praise you, our Lord!
I prayed to you,
and you rescued me
from my enemies.
5 Death, like ocean waves,
surrounded me,
and I was almost swallowed
by its flooding waters.
6 Ropes from the world
of the dead
had coiled around me,
and death had set a trap
in my path.
7 I was in terrible trouble
when I called out to you,
but from your temple
you heard me
and answered my prayer.
8 Earth shook and shivered!
The columns supporting the sky
rocked back and forth.
You were angry
9 and breathed out smoke.
Scorching heat and fiery flames
spewed from your mouth.
10 You opened the heavens
like curtains,
and you came down
with storm clouds
under your feet.
11 You rode on the backs
of flying creatures.
You appeared
with the wind as wings.
12 Darkness was your tent!
Thunderclouds filled the sky,
hiding you from sight.
13 Fiery coals lit up the sky
in front of you.
14 Lord Most High, your voice
thundered from the heavens.
15 You scattered your enemies
with arrows of lightning.
16 You roared at the sea,
and its deepest channels
could be seen.
You snorted,
and the earth shook
to its foundations.
17 You reached down from heaven,
and you lifted me
from deep in the ocean.
18 You rescued me from enemies
who were hateful
and too powerful for me.
19 On the day disaster struck,
they came and attacked,
but you defended me.
20 When I was fenced in,
you freed and rescued me
because you love me.
21 You are good to me, Lord,
because I do right,
and you reward me
because I am innocent.
22 I do what you want
and never turn to do evil.
23 I keep your laws in mind
and never turn away
from your teachings.
24 I obey you completely
and guard against sin.
25 You have been good to me
because I do right;
you have rewarded me
for being innocent
by your standards.
26 You are always loyal
to your loyal people,
and you are faithful
to the faithful.
27 With all who are sincere
you are sincere,
but you treat the unfaithful
as their deeds deserve.
28 You rescue the humble,
but you look for ways
to put down the proud.
29 Our Lord and God,
you are my lamp.
You turn darkness to light.
30 You help me defeat armies
and capture cities.
31 Your way is perfect, Lord,
and your word is correct.
You are a shield for those
who run to you for help.
32 You alone are God!
Only you are a mighty rock.
33 You are my strong fortress,
and you set me free.
34 You make my feet run as fast
as those of a deer,
and you help me stand
on the mountains.
35 You teach my hands to fight
and my arms to use
a bow of bronze.
36 You alone are my shield,
and by coming to help me,
you have made me famous.
37 You clear the way for me,
and now I won't stumble.
38 I kept chasing my enemies
until I caught them
and destroyed them.
39 I destroyed them!
I stuck my sword
through my enemies,
and they were crushed
under my feet.
40 You helped me win victories
and forced my attackers
to fall victim to me.
41 You made my enemies run,
and I killed them.
42 They cried out for help,
but no one saved them;
they called out to you,
but there was no answer.
43 I ground them to dust,
and I squashed them
like mud in the streets.
44 You rescued me
from my stubborn people
and made me the leader
of foreign nations,
who are now my slaves.
45 They obey and come crawling.
46 They have lost all courage
and from their fortresses
they come trembling.
47 You are the living Lord!
I will praise you!
You are a mighty rock.
I will honor you
for keeping me safe.
48 You took revenge for me,
and you put nations
in my power.
49 You protected me
from violent enemies,
and you made me much greater
than all of them.
50 I will praise you, Lord,
and I will honor you
among the nations.
51 You give glorious victories
to your chosen king.
Your faithful love for David
and for his descendants
will never end.
Dāvida pateicības dziesma
(Ps 18:1–51)1 Dāvids teica Kungam šo dziesmu dienā, kad Kungs viņu glāba no visu viņa ienaidnieku un Saula ķetnām. 2 Viņš teica:
“Kungs – mana radze,
mans cietoksnis, mans glābējs!
3 Dievs – mana klints,
uz kuras tveros, mans vairogs,
mans glābšanās rags, mana kalnu pils!
Mans patvērums, mans glābējs –
tu mani glāb no varmācības!
4 Lai slavēts! – es saucu uz Kungu –
no saviem naidniekiem es glābts!
5 Mani apņēma nāves bangas,
gāzās pār mani posta straumes,
6 šeola saites apņēma mani,
tvēra pēc manis nāves slazdi,
7 savās bēdās es saucu Kungu,
es saucu savu Dievu –
viņš savā pilī dzird manu balsi,
mans palīgā sauciens skan viņa ausīs.
8 Tad līgojās un drebēja zeme,
debesu pamati šūpojās un grīļojās,
jo viņam bija dusmas.
9 Cēlās dūmi no viņa nāsīm,
rijēja uguns – no viņa mutes,
liesmu dzirkstis no viņa sprakst!
10 Viņš atvāza debesis un nāca lejā –
negaisa mākonis viņam zem kājām!
11 Ķerubā jāšus viņš laidās –
viņu redzēja uz vēja spārniem,
12 viņš sedzās tumsu visapkārt sev,
juma ūdeņu blīvu, mākoņvālus,
13 spožumā viņa priekšā liesmoja uguns dzirkstis!
14 Ducināja no debesīm Kungs,
Visuaugstais dārdināja savu balsi!
15 Viņš laida bultas un kliedēja tos,
zibeni – un mulsināja tos.
16 Kļuva redzamas jūras gultnes,
atsedzās vaļā pasaules pamati –
no Kunga rāšanās, no viņa nāšu dvašas!
17 Viņš sniedzās no augstumiem,
ņēma mani, izrāva mani no lielajiem ūdeņiem,
18 izglāba mani no stiprā naidnieka,
no maniem nīdējiem, pārlieku vareniem.
19 Tie man uzbruka posta dienā,
taču Kungs bija mans balsts!
20 Viņš izveda mani plašumos,
viņš izglāba mani, jo mīlēja mani.
21 Kungs atdarīja pēc manas taisnības,
pēc manu roku šķīstības mani atalgoja,
22 jo es staigāju Kunga ceļus
un nenoklīdu no sava Dieva –
23 visi viņa lēmumi man acu priekšā,
un viņa likumi – no tiem nenovērsos!
24 Es biju krietns pret viņu un sargājos darīt grēku –
25 Kungs atalgoja mani pēc taisnības,
pēc manas šķīstības viņa acu priekšā!
26 Uzticīgajam tu esi uzticīgs
un krietnajam atdari krietnu,
27 pret sirdsšķīsto tu esi sirdsšķīsts,
pret viltnieku tu proti viltu!
28 Tu paglāb nabaga ļaudis,
bet augstprāšus ar skatienu pazemo,
29 jo tu esi mans gaismeklis, Kungs!
Kungs manu tumsu dara gaišu!
30 Ak, ar tevi es satriecu karapulkus,
ar savu Dievu es lecu pār vaļņiem!
31 Redzi, Dievs, – viņa ceļš taisns!
Kunga sacītais – skaidrs, vairogs viņš visiem,
kas tveras pie viņa!
32 Kurš gan ir Dievs kā vien Kungs un kurš –
klints kā vien mūsu Dievs?
33 Dievs, mans stiprais patvērums –
viņš plati noklājis manu ceļu,
34 devis man kājas kā stirnai,
manās augstienēs mani stiprinājis!
35 Viņš manām rokām mācīja karot,
liekt vara loku maniem delmiem!
36 Tu man devi savu glābēja vairogu,
tava atbilde mani paaugstina.
37 Tu darīji platus man soļus,
nu neļogās mani stilbi.
38 Es vajāju naidniekus un nīcināju tos,
negriezos atpakaļ, iekams tie kauti,
39 es satriecu tos un nobeidzu,
ka tie necēlās, tie saļima man zem kājām!
40 Kaujai tu apjozi mani ar spēku,
apakš manis tu nolieci dumpiniekus,
41 tu naidnieku sprandus pavērsi man,
kas mani nīda – tos es iznīdēju!
42 Tie cieši raugās, bet glābēja nav,
uz Kungu – bet viņš tiem neatsaucas!
43 Es samalu tos kā zemes pīšļus,
kā dubļus uz ielas tos saberzu, saminu!
44 Tu mani paglābi no ļaužu ķildām,
tu mani norīkoji ciltīm par galvu,
tautas, ko nepazinu, tagad man kalpo!
45 Svešuma dēli lišķēja man –
kā padzird, tā tūliņ klausa!
46 Svešuma dēliem sašļuka dūša,
sajozušies tie nāk no saviem cietokšņiem.
47 Dzīvs Kungs! Svētīta mana klints!
Cildināts mans Dievs – mana glābiņa klints!
48 Dievs, kurš dāvājis man atmaksu
un noliecis tautas apakš manis,
49 kurš izvedis mani no naidniekiem! –
Tu pacēli mani pār pretiniekiem,
no varmākām tu paglābi mani,
50 tādēļ slavēšu tevi starp tautām, Kungs,
un dziedāšu tavam vārdam!
51 Viņš diženi glābj savu ķēniņu
un savam svaidītam dod žēlastību –
Dāvidam un viņa dzimumam uz mūžiem!”
