2 Samuel 22:1-37

David’s Song of Praise 1David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD 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 Or sovereign and the horn Horn here symbolizes strength. of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me.

4“I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies.

5The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

6The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.

7“In my distress I called to the LORD ; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.

8The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.

9Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.

10He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.

11He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10); most Hebrew manuscripts appeared on the wings of the wind.

12He made darkness his canopy around him— the dark Septuagint (see also Psalm 18:11); Hebrew massed rain clouds of the sky.

13Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth.

14The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

15He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.

16The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of breath from his nostrils.

17“He 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 my foes, who were too strong for me.

19They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.

20He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

21“The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

22For I have kept the ways of the LORD ; I am not guilty of turning from my God.

23All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.

24I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.

25The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:24) to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

26“To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

27to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.

28You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.

29You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light.

30With your help I can advance against a troop Or can run through a barricade ; with my God I can scale a wall.

31“As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD ’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.

32For who is God besides the LORD ? And who is the Rock except our God?

33It is God who arms me with strength Dead Sea Scrolls, some Septuagint manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:32); Masoretic Text who is my strong refuge and keeps my way secure.

34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.

35He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36You make your saving help my shield; your help has made Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text shield; / you stoop down to make me great.

37You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.