Psalms 18:1-24

He said: I love you, LORD, my strength. The LORD is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer. My God is my rock— I take refuge in him!— he’s my shield, my salvation’s strength, my place of safety. Because he is praiseworthy, I cried out to the LORD, and I was saved from my enemies. Death’s cords were wrapped around me; rivers of wickedness terrified me. The cords of the grave surrounded me; death’s traps held me tight. In my distress I cried out to the LORD; I called to my God for help. God heard my voice from his temple; I called to him for help, and my call reached his ears. The earth rocked and shook; the bases of the mountains trembled and reeled because of God’s anger. Smoke went up from God’s nostrils; out of his mouth came a devouring fire; flaming coals blazed out in front of him! God parted the skies and came down; thick darkness was beneath his feet. God mounted the heavenly creatures and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. God made darkness cloak him; his covering was dark water and dense cloud. God’s clouds went ahead of the brightness before him; hail and coals of fire went too. The LORD thundered in heaven; the Most High made his voice heard with hail and coals of fire. God shot his arrows, scattering the enemy; he sent the lightning and threw them into confusion. The seabeds were exposed; the earth’s foundations were laid bare at your rebuke, LORD, at the angry blast of air coming from your nostrils. From on high God reached down and grabbed me; he took me out of all that water. God saved me from my powerful enemy, saved me from my foes, who were too much for me. They came at me on the very day of my distress, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out to wide-open spaces; he pulled me out safe because he is pleased with me. The LORD rewarded me for my righteousness; he restored me because my hands are clean, because I have kept the LORD’s ways. I haven’t acted wickedly against my God. All his rules are right in front of me; I haven’t turned away from any of his laws. I have lived with integrity before him; I’ve kept myself from wrongdoing. And so the LORD restored me for my righteousness because my hands are clean in his eyes.