World English Bible · The united kingdom
Psalms 18
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. By the , who spoke to the words of this song in the day that him from the hand of all his , and from the hand of . He said, I love you, , my strength. is , my , and my deliverer; my , , in whom I take refuge; my shield, and of my , my high tower. I call on , who is worthy to be praised; and I am from . The cords of surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The cords of were around me. The snares of came on me. In my distress I called on , and cried to my . He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. Smoke went out of his nostrils. came out of his . Coals were kindled by it. He bowed also, and came down. Thick was . He rode on a , and flew. Yes, he soared on the of the wind. He made his hiding place, his pavilion around him, of waters, thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of . also thundered in . uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of . He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts. Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid at your rebuke, , at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters. He me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. They came on me in the day of my calamity, but was my support. He brought me out also into a large place. He me, because he delighted in me. has rewarded me according to my . According to the cleanness of my hands, he has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of , and have not wickedly departed from my . For all his were before me. I didn't his from me. I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my . Therefore has rewarded me according to my , according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect. With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd. For you will people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down. For you will my lamp, . My will up my . For by you, I advance through a troop. By my , I leap over a wall. As for , his way is perfect. word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. For who is , except ? Who is a , besides our , the who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect? He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my . He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of your . Your sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great. You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped. I will pursue , and overtake them. I won't turn away until they are consumed. I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet. For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. You have also made turn their backs to me, that I might those who hate me. They cried, but there was no one to ; even to , but he didn't answer them. Then I beat them small as before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets. You have me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall me. As soon as they hear of me they shall me. The shall submit themselves to me. The shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their strongholds. lives! be . Exalted be the of my , even the who executes for me, and subdues peoples under me. He rescues me from . Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You me from the man. Therefore I will to you, , among the nations, and will sing to your name. He gives great to his king, and shows to his , to and to his , more.
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · The united kingdom, 1050 BC to 931 BC ›
Saul, David, and Solomon. A rare window when both Egypt and Mesopotamia are weak, which is how a small kingdom in the corridor between them could briefly become a regional power.
- The power vacuum
- This is the whole political explanation for the united kingdom. Egypt is fragmented, Assyria is recovering but still local, the Hittites are gone, and nobody is in a position to object to a strong state in the corridor. It lasts about a century, and Israel's golden age fits exactly inside it.
- Phoenicia
- Tyre under Hiram is the commercial power of the coast, and supplies the cedar, the craftsmen, and the shipping for Solomon's building programme. The alliance is trade, not charity: Israel had grain and a land route, Tyre had timber and ships.
- Egypt
- Weak enough that a pharaoh gives a daughter in marriage to an Israelite king, which is the opposite of Egyptian practice in stronger centuries. Late in the era it recovers under a new house, and Shishak will invade within five years of Solomon's death.
- Further afield
- Greece is still in its dark age but beginning to recover, and will adopt the Phoenician alphabet within a century or two. Carthage is founded by settlers from Tyre by tradition in 814 BC. In the Americas the Olmec centre shifts to La Venta.
All of Psalms
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