2 Samuel 22

1And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

2And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

3The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

4I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

5When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;footnote afootnote b

6The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;footnote c

7In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

8Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.

9There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.footnote d

10He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.

11And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.footnote e

13Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.

14The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.

15And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.

16And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

17He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;footnote f

18He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.

19They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

20He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

21The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

22For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

23For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

24I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.footnote g

25Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.footnote h

26With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.

27With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.footnote i

28And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

29For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.footnote j

30For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.footnote k

31As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.footnote l

32For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?

33God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.footnote m

34He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places.footnote n

35He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.footnote o

36Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.footnote p

37Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.footnote q

38I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.

39And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.

40For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.footnote r

41Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.

42They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

43Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.

44Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.

45Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.footnote sfootnote t

46Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.

47The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

48It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me,footnote u

49And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

50Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.

51He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

David’s Song of Deliverance

1And David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2He said:“The LORD is my rock,my fortress, and my deliverer. 3My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,my shield, and the horn of my salvation.My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior,You save me from violence. 4I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;so shall I be saved from my enemies.

5For the waves of death engulfed me;the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. 6The cords of Sheol entangled me;the snares of death confronted me. 7In my distress I called upon the LORD;I cried out to my God.And from His temple He heard my voice,and my cry for help reached His ears.

8Then the earth shook and quaked;the foundations of the heavensfootnote atrembled;they were shaken because He burned with anger. 9Smoke rose from His nostrils,and consuming fire came from His mouth;glowing coals blazed forth.

10He parted the heavens and came downwith dark clouds beneath His feet. 11He mounted a cherub and flew;He soaredfootnote bon the wings of the wind. 12He made darkness a canopy around Him,a gathering of water and thick clouds. 13From the brightness of His presencecoals of firefootnote cblazed forth.

14The LORD thundered from heaven;the voice of the Most High resounded. 15He shot His arrows and scattered the foes;He hurled lightning and routed them. 16The channels of the sea appeared,and the foundations of the world were exposedat the rebuke of the LORD,at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

17He reached down from on high and took hold of me;He drew me out of deep waters. 18He rescued me from my powerful enemy,from foes too mighty for me. 19They confronted me in my day of calamity,but the LORD was my support. 20He brought me out into the open;He rescued me because He delighted in me.

21The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands. 22For I have kept the ways of the LORDand have not wickedly departed from my God. 23For all His ordinances are before me;I have not disregarded His statutes. 24And I have been blameless before Himand kept myself from iniquity. 25So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness,according to my cleanness in His sight.footnote d

26To the faithful You show Yourself faithful,to the blameless You show Yourself blameless; 27to the pure You show Yourself pure,but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd. 28You save an afflicted people,but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

29For You, O LORD, are my lamp;the LORD lights up my darkness. 30For in You I can charge an army;with my God I can scale a wall. 31As for God, His way is perfect;the word of the LORD is flawless.He is a shield to allwho take refuge in Him.

32For who is God besides the LORD?And who is the Rock except our God? 33God is my strong fortress,and He makes my way clear. 34He makes my feet like those of a deerand stations me upon the heights. 35He trains my hands for battle;my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36You have given me Your shield of salvation,and Your gentleness exalts me.footnote e 37You broaden the path beneath meso that my ankles do not give way. 38I pursued my enemies and destroyed them;I did not turn back until they were consumed. 39I devoured and crushed them so they could not rise;they have fallen under my feet.

40You have armed me with strength for battle;You have subdued my foes beneath me. 41You have made my enemies retreat before me;I destroyed those who hated me. 42They looked, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but He did not answer. 43I ground them as the dust of the earth;I crushed and trampled them like mud in the streets.

44You have delivered me from the strife of my people;You have preserved me as the head of nations;a people I had not known shall serve me. 45Foreigners cower before me;when they hear me, they obey me. 46Foreigners lose heartand come tremblingfootnote ffrom their strongholds.

47The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock!And may God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted— 48the God who avenges meand brings down nations beneath me, 49who frees me from my enemies.You exalt me above my foes;You rescue me from violent men. 50Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations;I will sing praises to Your name.footnote g

51Great salvation He brings to His king.He shows loving devotion to His anointed,to David and his descendants forever.”