2 Samuel 22
1 David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,
David sang the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord saved him from all his enemies, and from Saul.
2 and he said: “Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;
He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior.
3 God is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence.
He is my God, my rock who protects me. He shields me from harm, his power saves me, he keeps me safe. He is my protector; he is my savior; he saves me from violence.
4 I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
I call for help from the Lord, who should be praised, and he saves me from those who hate me.
5 For the waves of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
The waves of death swept over me; surging waters of destruction flooded over me;
The grave wound its ropes around me; death set snares for me. (Sheol h7585)
7 In my distress, I called on Yahweh. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears.
In my despair I called on the Lord; I called out to my God. He heard my voice from his Temple; my cry for help reached his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
The earth shook to and fro; the foundations of the heavens trembled, shaking because of his anger.
9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
Smoke came out of his nostrils, and fire from his mouth, burning coals that blazed before him.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
He pushed aside the heavens and came down, with dark clouds beneath his feet.
11 He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.
Riding on a heavenly being he flew, swooping on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness a shelter around himself, gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
He hid himself in darkness, covering himself with black rainclouds.
13 At the brightness before him, coals of fire were kindled.
Burning coals blazed out of his brightness.
14 Yahweh thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He sent out arrows and scattered them, lightning and confused them.
He fired his arrows, scattering his enemies, he routed them with his lightning bolts.
16 Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by Yahweh’s rebuke, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
The Lord roared, and by the wind from the breath of his nostrils the valleys of the sea could be seen and the foundations of the earth were uncovered.
17 He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters.
He reached down his hand from above and grabbed hold of me. He dragged me out of the deep water.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and who were much stronger than me.
19 They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support.
They came at me at my worst possible moment, but the Lord supported me.
20 He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
He set me free, he rescued me because he's happy with me.
21 Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.
The Lord rewarded me because I do what's right; he repaid me because I am innocent.
22 For I have kept Yahweh’s ways, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For I have followed the Lord's ways; I have not sinned by turning away from my God.
23 For all his ordinances were before me. As for his statutes, I didn’t depart from them.
I have kept all his laws in mind; I have not ignored his commandments.
24 I was also perfect toward him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
I am blameless in his sight; I keep myself from sinning.
25 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.
The Lord rewarded me for doing what's right. I am innocent in his sight.
26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect.
You show trust to those who are trusting; you show integrity to those with integrity,
27 With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
You show yourself pure to those who are pure, but you show yourself astute to those who are crafty.
28 You will save the afflicted people, but your eyes are on the arrogant, that you may bring them down.
You save the humble, but your eyes watch the proud to bring them down.
29 For you are my lamp, Yahweh. Yahweh will light up my darkness.
You, Lord, are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness.
30 For by you, I run against a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
With you, I can charge down a troop of soldiers; with you, my God, I can climb a fortress wall.
31 As for God, his way is perfect. Yahweh’s word is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
God's way is absolutely right. What the Lord says is trustworthy. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
32 For who is God, besides Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God?
For who is God except the Lord? Who is a Rock, except our God?
33 God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.
God makes me strong and keeps me safe.
34 He makes his feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places.
He makes me surefooted like the deer, able to walk the heights in safety.
35 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
He teaches me how to fight in battle; he gives me the strength to draw a bronze bow.
36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.
You protect me with the shield of your salvation; your help has made me great.
37 You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped.
You gave me room to walk, and prevented my feet from slipping.
38 I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them. I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.
I chased my enemies, and caught up with them. I did not turn around until I had destroyed them.
39 I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet.
I struck them down—they couldn't get up. They fell at my feet.
40 For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
You made me strong for the battle; you made those who rose up against me kneel low before me.
41 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
You made my enemies run away; I destroyed all my enemies.
42 They looked, but there was no one to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.
They cried out for help, but no one came to rescue them. They even called out to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
43 Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.
I ground them into dust, like the dust of the earth. I crushed them and threw them out like mud in the street.
44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me.
You rescued me from rebellious people; you have kept me as ruler over nations—people I didn't know now serve me.
45 The foreigners will submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.
Foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey.
46 The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places.
They lose heart, and come trembling in surrender from their strongholds.
47 Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,
The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! May the God who saves me be praised!
48 even the God who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me,
God avenges me, he puts peoples under me,
49 who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.
He frees me from those who hate me. You keep me safe from those who rebel against me, you save me from violent men.
50 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
That's why I will praise you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about who you are.
51 He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.”
You have saved the king so often, showing your trustworthy love to David, your anointed, and to his descendants forever.”
