2 Samuel 22

Chapter 22

David’s Song of Praise

1 David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.

2 He sang:
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.4 I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.5 “The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.6 The gravet wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.7 But in my distress I cried out to the LORD;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.8 “Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the heavens shook;
they quaked because of his anger.9 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.10 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.11 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,t he flew,
soaringt on the wings of the wind.12 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.13 A great brightness shone around him,
and burning coalst blazed forth.14 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.15 He shot arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were confused.16 Then at the command of the LORD,
at the blast of his breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.17 “He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.18 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.19 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the LORD supported me.20 He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.21 The LORD rewarded me for doing right;
he restored me because of my innocence.22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.23 I have followed all his regulations;
I have never abandoned his decrees.24 I am blameless before God;
I have kept myself from sin.25 The LORD rewarded me for doing right.
He has seen my innocence.26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.27 To the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.28 You rescue the humble,
but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.29 O LORD, you are my lamp.
The LORD lights up my darkness.30 In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.31 “God’s way is perfect.
All the LORD’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.32 For who is God except the LORD?
Who but our God is a solid rock?33 God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.34 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.35 He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.36 You have given me your shield of victory;
your helpt has made me great.37 You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.38 “I chased my enemies and destroyed them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.39 I consumed them;
I struck them down so they did not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.40 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.41 You placed my foot on their necks.
I have destroyed all who hated me.42 They looked for help, but no one came to their rescue.
They even cried to the LORD, but he refused to answer.43 I ground them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trampled themt in the gutter like dirt.44 “You gave me victory over my accusers.
You preserved me as the ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.45 Foreign nations cringe before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they submit.46 They all lose their courage
and come tremblingt from their strongholds.47 “The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock!
May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!48 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he brings down the nations under me49 and delivers me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.50 For this, O LORD, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.51 You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.”

2 SAMUEL 22

David Sings //to the [Lord]

(Psalm 18.1-50)

1 David sang a song to the [Lord] after the [Lord] had rescued him from his enemies, especially Saul. These are the words to David's song:

2 Our [Lord] and our God,
you are my mighty rock, t
my fortress, my protector.

3 You are the rock
where I am safe.
You are my shield,
my powerful weapon, t
and my place of shelter.
You rescue me and keep me
safe from violence.

4 I praise you, our [Lord]!
I prayed to you,
and you rescued me
from my enemies.

5 Death, like ocean waves,
surrounded me,
and I was almost swallowed
by its flooding waters.

6 Ropes from the world
of the dead
had coiled around me,
and death had set a trap
in my path.

7 I was in terrible trouble
when I called out to you,
but from your temple
you heard me
and answered my prayer.

8 Earth shook and shivered!
The columns supporting the skyt
rocked back and forth.
You were angry

9 and breathed out smoke.
Scorching heat and fiery flames
spewed from your mouth.

10 You opened the heavens
like curtains,
and you came down
with storm clouds
under your feet.

11 You rode on the backs
of flying creatures.t
You appearedt
with the wind as wings.

12 Darkness was your tent!
Thunderclouds filled the sky,
hiding you from sight.

13 Fiery coals lit up the sky
in front of you.

14 [Lord] Most High, your voice
thundered from the heavens.

15 You scattered your enemies
with arrows of lightning.

16 You roared at the sea,
and its deepest channels
could be seen.
You snorted,
and the earth shook
to its foundations.

17 You reached down from heaven,
and you lifted me
from deep in the ocean.

18 You rescued me from enemies
who were hateful
and too powerful for me.

19 On the day disaster struck,
they came and attacked,
but you defended me.

20 When I was fenced in,
you freed and rescued me
because you love me.

21 You are good to me, [Lord],
because I do right,
and you reward me
because I am innocent.

22 I do what you want
and never turn to do evil.

23 I keep your laws in mind
and never turn away
from your teachings.

24 I obey you completely
and guard against sin.

25 You have been good to me
because I do right;
you have rewarded me
for being innocent
by your standards.

26 You are always loyal
to your loyal people,
and you are faithful
to the faithful.

27 With all who are sincere
you are sincere,
but you treat the unfaithful
as their deeds deserve.

28 You rescue the humble,
but you look for ways
to put down the proud.

29 Our [Lord] and God,
you are my lamp.
You turn darkness to light.

30 You help me defeat armies
and capture cities.

31 Your way is perfect, [Lord],
and your word is correct.
You are a shield for those
who run to you for help.

32 You alone are God!
Only you are a mighty rock.t

33 You are my strong fortress,
and you set me free.

34  t You make my feet run as fast
as those of a deer,
and you help me stand
on the mountains.

35 You teach my hands to fight
and my arms to use
a bow of bronze.

36 You alone are my shield,
and by coming to help me,
you have made me famous.

37 You clear the way for me,
and now I won't stumble.

38 I kept chasing my enemies
until I caught them
and destroyed them.

39 I destroyed them!
I stuck my sword
through my enemies,
and they were crushed
under my feet.

40 You helped me win victories
and forced my attackers
to fall victim to me.

41 You made my enemies run,
and I killed them.

42 They cried out for help,
but no one saved them;
they called out to you,
but there was no answer.

43 I ground them to dust,
and I squashed them
like mud in the streets.

44 You rescued me
from my stubborn people
and made me the leader
of foreign nations,
who are now my slaves.

45 They obey and come crawling.

46 They have lost all courage
and from their fortresses
they come trembling.

47 You are the living [Lord]!
I will praise you!
You are a mighty rock.t
I will honor you
for keeping me safe.

48 You took revenge for me,
and you put nations
in my power.

49 You protected me
from violent enemies,
and you made me much greater
than all of them.

50  t I will praise you, [Lord],
and I will honor you
among the nations.

51 You give glorious victories
to your chosen king.
Your faithful love for David
and for his descendants
will never end.