The Lord is My Rock

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

1I will love you, O LORD, my strength.

2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

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

4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

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

7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills 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 darkness was under his feet.

10And he rode on a cherub, and did fly: yes, he did fly on the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

14Yes, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightning, and discomfited them.

15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

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

18They prevented 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 has 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 did not put away his statutes from me.

23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.

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

25With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; with an upright man you will show yourself upright;

26With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the fraudulent you will show yourself devious.

27For you will save the afflicted people; but will bring down high looks.

28For you will light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

29For by you I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

32It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect.

33He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me on my high places.

34He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms.

35You have also given me the shield of your salvation: and your right hand has held me up, and your gentleness has made me great.

36You have enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

37I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

39For you have girded me with strength to the battle: you have subdued under me those that rose up against me.

40You have also given me the necks of my enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

41They cried, but there was none to save them: even to 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 dirt in the streets.

43You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; and you have made me the head of the heathen: 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 to me.

45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.

46The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47It is God that avenges me, and subdues the people under me.

48He delivers me from my enemies: yes, you lift me up above those that rise up against me: you have delivered me from the violent man.

49Therefore will I give thanks to you, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises to your name.

50Great deliverance gives he to his king; and shows mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for ever more.