The Lord is My Rock

(Psalm 27:1-14; Psalm 28:1-9)

1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: and he said, I love thee, O LORD, my strength.

2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strong rock, in him will I trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4The cords of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

5The cords of Sheol were round about me: the snares of death came on me.

6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry before him came into his ears.

7Then the earth shook and trembled, me foundations also of the mountains moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

9He bowed the heavens also, and came down, and thick darkness was under his feet.

10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly, yea, he flew swiftly upon the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion round about him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

12At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.

13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice; hailstones and coals of fire.

14And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; yea, lightnings manifold, and discomfited them.

15Then the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

16He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.

17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

18They came upon me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22For all his judgments were before me, and I put not away his statutes from me.

23I was also perfect with him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with the perfect man thou wilt shew thyself perfect;

26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt shew thyself froward.

27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but the haughty eyes thou wilt bring down.

28For thou wilt light my lamp: the LORD my God will lighten my darkness.

29For by thee I run upon a troop; and by my God do I leap over a wall.

30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried; he is a shield unto all them that trust in him.

31For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, beside our God?

32The God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

33He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places,

34He teacheth my hands to war; so that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.

35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.

37I will pursue mine enemies, and overtake them: neither will I turn again till they are consumed.

38I will smite them through that they shall not be able to rise: they shall fall under my feet.

39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

40Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, that I might cut off them that hate me.

41They cried, but there was none to save: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the mire of the streets.

43Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; thou hast made me the head of the nations: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

44As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

45The strangers shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.

46The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of my salvation:

47Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, and subdueth peoples under me.

48He rescueth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me: thou deliverest me from the violent man.

49Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises unto thy name.

50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth lovingkindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.