Psalm 18:1-19

Thanksgiving for Deliverance

18¹ I love you, Lord ; you are my strength. ² The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. ³ I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. ⁴ The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. ⁵ The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. ⁶ But in my distress I cried out to the Lord ; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. ⁷ Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. ⁸ Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. ⁹ He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. ¹⁰ Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. ¹¹ He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. ¹² Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals. ¹³ The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. ¹⁴ He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; great bolts of lightning flashed, and they were confused. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. ¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. ¹⁸ They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. ¹⁹ He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.