David's Song of Victory
(Psalm 18)1 When the Lord saved David from Saul and his other enemies, David sang this song to the Lord:
2 The Lord is my protector;
he is my strong fortress.
3 My God is my protection,
and with him I am safe.
He protects me like a shield;
he defends me and keeps me safe.
He is my savior;
he protects me and saves me from violence.
4 I call to the Lord,
and he saves me from my enemies.
Praise the Lord!
5 The waves of death were all around me;
the waves of destruction rolled over me.
6 The danger of death was around me,
and the grave set its trap for me.
7 In my trouble I called to the Lord;
I called to my God for help.
In his temple he heard my voice;
he listened to my cry for help.
8 Then the earth trembled and shook;
the foundations of the sky rocked and quivered
because God was angry!
9 Smoke poured out of his nostrils,
a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth.
10 He tore the sky open and came down,
with a dark cloud under his feet.
11 He flew swiftly on his winged creature;
he traveled on the wings of the wind.
12 He covered himself with darkness;
thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him;
13 burning coals flamed up from the lightning before him.
14 Then the Lord thundered from the sky,
and the voice of Almighty God was heard.
15 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
with flashes of lightning he sent them running.
16 The floor of the ocean was laid bare,
and the foundations of the earth were uncovered
when the Lord rebuked his enemies
and roared at them in anger.
17 The Lord reached down from above and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of the deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemies
and from all those who hate me—
they were too strong for me.
19 When I was in trouble, they attacked me,
but the Lord protected me.
20 He helped me out of danger;
he saved me because he was pleased with me.
21 The Lord rewards me because I do what is right;
he blesses me because I am innocent.
22 I have obeyed the law of the Lord;
I have not turned away from my God.
23 I have observed all his laws;
I have not disobeyed his commands.
24 He knows that I am faultless,
that I have kept myself from doing wrong.
25 And so he rewards me because I do what is right,
because he knows that I am innocent.
26 O Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you,
and completely good to those who are perfect.
27 You are pure to those who are pure,
but hostile to those who are wicked.
28 You save those who are humble,
but you humble those who are proud.
29 You, Lord, are my light;
you dispel my darkness.
30 You give me strength to attack my enemies
and power to overcome their defenses.
31 This God—how perfect are his deeds,
how dependable his words!
He is like a shield
for all who seek his protection.
32 The Lord alone is God;
God alone is our defense.
33 This God is my strong refuge;
he makes my pathway safe.
34 He makes me sure-footed as a deer;
he keeps me safe on the mountains.
35 He trains me for battle,
so that I can use the strongest bow.
36 O Lord, you protect me and save me;
your help has made me great.
37 You have kept me from being captured,
and I have never fallen.
38 I pursue my enemies and defeat them;
I do not stop until I destroy them.
39 I strike them down, and they cannot rise;
they lie defeated before me.
40 You give me strength for the battle
and victory over my enemies.
41 You make my enemies run from me;
I destroy those who hate me.
42 They look for help, but no one saves them;
they call to the Lord, but he does not answer.
43 I crush them, and they become like dust;
I trample on them like mud in the streets.
44 You saved me from my rebellious people
and maintained my rule over the nations;
people I did not know have now become my subjects.
45 Foreigners bow before me;
when they hear me, they obey.
46 They lose their courage
and come trembling from their fortresses.
47 The Lord lives! Praise my defender!
Proclaim the greatness of the strong God who saves me!
48 He gives me victory over my enemies;
he subdues the nations under me
49 and saves me from my foes.
O Lord, you give me victory over my enemies
and protect me from violent men.
50 And so I praise you among the nations;
I sing praises to you.
51 God gives great victories to his king;
he shows constant love to the one he has chosen,
to David and his descendants forever.
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!”
