2 Samuel 22

1 David prayed to God the words of this song after God saved him from all his enemies and from Saul.2-3 God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My God—the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout; My mountaintop refuge, he saves me from ruthless men.4 I sing to God the Praise-Lofty, and find myself safe and saved.5-6 The waves of death crashed over me, devil waters rushed over me. Hell's ropes cinched me tight; death traps barred every exit.7 A hostile world! I called to God, to my God I cried out. From his palace he heard me call; my cry brought me right into his presence— a private audience!8-16 Earth wobbled and lurched; the very heavens shook like leaves, Quaked like aspen leaves because of his rage. His nostrils flared, billowing smoke; his mouth spit fire. Tongues of fire darted in and out; he lowered the sky. He stepped down; under his feet an abyss opened up. He rode a winged creature, swift on wind-wings. He wrapped himself in a trenchcoat of black rain-cloud darkness. But his cloud-brightness burst through, a grand comet of fireworks. Then God thundered out of heaven; the High God gave a great shout. God shot his arrows—pandemonium! He hurled his lightnings—a rout! The secret sources of ocean were exposed, the hidden depths of earth lay uncovered The moment God roared in protest, let loose his hurricane anger.17-20 But me he caught—reached all the way from sky to sea; he pulled me out Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. They hit me when I was down, but God stuck by me. He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!21-25 God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I cleaned up my act, he gave me a fresh start. Indeed, I've kept alert to God's ways; I haven't taken God for granted. Every day I review the ways he works, I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.26-28 You stick by people who stick with you, you're straight with people who're straight with you, You're good to good people, you shrewdly work around the bad ones. You take the side of the down-and-out, but the stuck-up you take down a peg.29-31 Suddenly, God, your light floods my path, God drives out the darkness. I smash the bands of marauders, I vault the high fences. What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him Makes it.32-46 Is there any god like God? Are we not at bedrock? Is not this the God who armed me well, then aimed me in the right direction? Now I run like a deer; I'm king of the mountain. He shows me how to fight; I can bend a bronze bow! You protect me with salvation-armor; you touch me and I feel ten feet tall. You cleared the ground under me so my footing was firm. When I chased my enemies I caught them; I didn't let go till they were dead men. I nailed them; they were down for good; then I walked all over them. You armed me well for this fight; you smashed the upstarts. You made my enemies turn tail, and I wiped out the haters. They cried "uncle" but Uncle didn't come; They yelled for God and got no for an answer. I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind. I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter. You rescued me from a squabbling people; you made me a leader of nations. People I'd never heard of served me; the moment they got wind of me they submitted. They gave up; they came trembling from their hideouts.47-51 Live, God! Blessing to my Rock, my towering Salvation-God! This God set things right for me and shut up the people who talked back. He rescued me from enemy anger. You pulled me from the grip of upstarts, You saved me from the bullies. That's why I'm thanking you, God, all over the world. That's why I'm singing songs that rhyme your name. God's king takes the trophy; God's chosen is beloved. I mean David and all his children— always.

2 Samuel 22

1 And David spake unto Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:2 and he said, Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;

3 God, my rock, in him will I take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge; My saviour, thou savest me from violence.

4 I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

5 For the waves of death compassed me; The floods of ungodliness made me afraid:

6 The cords of Sheol were round about me; The snares of death came upon me.

7 In my distress I called upon Jehovah; Yea, I called unto my God: And he heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry came into his ears.

8 Then the earth shook and trembled, The foundations of heaven quaked And were shaken, because he was wroth.

9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it.

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

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

12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

13 At the brightness before him Coals of fire were kindled.

14 Jehovah thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered his voice.

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

16 Then the channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare, By the rebuke of Jehovah, At the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

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

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From them that hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

19 They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.

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

21 Jehovah rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

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

23 For all his ordinances were before me; And as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also perfect toward him; And I kept myself from mine iniquity.

25 Therefore hath Jehovah recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.

26 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; With the perfect man thou wilt show thyself perfect;

27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.

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

29 For thou art my lamp, O Jehovah; And Jehovah will lighten my darkness.

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

31 As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Jehovah is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him.

32 For who is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God?

33 God is my strong fortress; And he guideth the perfect in his way.

34 He maketh his feet like hinds’ feet, And setteth me upon my high places.

35 He teacheth my hands to war, So that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.

36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation; And thy gentleness hath made me great.

37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; And my feet have not slipped.

38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

39 And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, so that they cannot arise: Yea, they are fallen under my feet.

40 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

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

42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even unto Jehovah, but he answered them not.

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

44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people; Thou hast kept me to be the head of the nations: A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

45 The foreigners shall submit themselves unto me: As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.

46 The foreigners shall fade away, And shall come trembling out of their close places.

47 Jehovah liveth; And blessed be my rock; And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

48 Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, And that bringeth down peoples under me,

49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.

50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the nations, And will sing praises unto thy name.

51 Great deliverance giveth he to his king, And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.