2 Samuel 22
22
David’s Song of Praise
1David sang the words of this song to the Lord. He sang them when the Lord saved him from the power of all his enemies and of Saul. 2He said,
“The Lord is my rock and my fort. He is the God who saves me.
3My God is my rock. I go to him for safety.
He is like a shield to me. He’s the power that saves me.
He’s my place of safety. I go to him for help. He’s my Savior.
He saves me from those who want to hurt me.
4I called out to the Lord. He is worthy of praise.
He saved me from my enemies.
5“The waves of death were all around me.
A destroying flood swept over me.
6The ropes of the grave were tight around me.
Death set its trap in front of me.
7When I was in trouble I called out to the Lord.
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice.
My cry for help reached his ears.
8“The earth trembled and shook.
The pillars of the heavens rocked back and forth.
They trembled because the Lord was angry.
9Smoke came out of his nose.
Flames of fire came out of his mouth.
Burning coals blazed out of it.
10He opened the heavens and came down.
Dark clouds were under his feet.
11He got on the cherubim and flew.
The wings of the wind lifted him up.
12He covered himself with darkness.
The dark rain clouds of the sky were like a tent around him.
13From the brightness all around him
flashes of lightning blazed out.
14The Lord thundered from heaven.
The voice of the Most High God was heard.
15He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy.
He sent flashes of lightning and chased them away.
16The bottom of the sea could be seen.
The foundations of the earth were uncovered.
It happened when the Lord’s anger blazed out.
It came like a blast of breath from his nose.
17“He reached down from heaven. He took hold of me.
He lifted me out of deep waters.
18He saved me from my powerful enemies.
He set me free from those who were too strong for me.
19They stood up to me when I was in trouble.
But the Lord helped me.
20He brought me out into a wide and safe place.
He saved me because he was pleased with me.
21“The Lord has been good to me because I do what is right.
He has rewarded me because I lead a pure life.
22I have lived the way the Lord wanted me to.
I’m not guilty of turning away from my God.
23I keep all his laws in mind.
I haven’t turned away from his commands.
24He knows that I am without blame.
He knows I’ve kept myself from sinning.
25The Lord has rewarded me for doing what is right.
He has rewarded me because I haven’t done anything wrong.
26“Lord, to those who are faithful you show that you are faithful.
To those who are without blame you show that you are without blame.
27To those who are pure you show that you are pure.
But to those whose paths are crooked you show that you are clever.
28You save those who aren’t proud.
But you watch the proud to bring them down.
29 Lord, you are my lamp.
You bring light into my darkness.
30With your help I can attack a troop of soldiers.
With the help of my God I can climb over a wall.
31“God’s way is perfect.
The Lord’s word doesn’t have any flaws.
He protects like a shield
all who go to him for safety.
32Who is God except the Lord?
Who is the Rock except our God?
33God gives me strength for the battle.
He keeps my way secure.
34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.
He causes me to stand on the highest places.
35He trains my hands to fight every battle.
My arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 Lord, you shield me with your saving help.
Your help has made me great.
37You give me a wide path to walk in
so that I don’t twist my ankles.
38“I chased my enemies and crushed them.
I didn’t turn back until they were destroyed.
39I crushed them completely so that they couldn’t get up.
They fell under my feet.
40 Lord, you gave me strength to fight the battle.
You caused my enemies to be humble in front of me.
41You made them turn their backs and run away.
So I destroyed my enemies.
42They cried out for help. But there was no one to save them.
They called out to the Lord. But he didn’t answer them.
43I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth.
I pounded them and walked on them like mud in the streets.
44“You saved me when people attacked me.
You have kept me as the ruler over nations.
People I didn’t know serve me now.
45People from other lands bow down to me in fear.
As soon as they hear about me, they obey me.
46All of them give up hope.
They come trembling out of their hiding places.
47“The Lord lives! Give praise to my Rock!
Give honor to my God, the Rock! He is my Savior!
48He is the God who pays back my enemies.
He brings the nations under my control.
49He sets me free from my enemies.
You have honored me more than them.
You have saved me from a man who wanted to hurt me.
50 Lord, I will praise you among the nations.
I will sing your praise.
51He gives his king great victories.
He shows his faithful love to his anointed king.
He shows it to David and his family forever.”
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2 Samuel 22: NIrV
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2 Samuel 22
22
David Sings to the Lord
(Psalm 18.1-50)
1David 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:
2Our Lord and our God,
you are my mighty rock,#22.2 mighty rock: The Hebrew text has “rock,” which is sometimes used in poetry to compare the Lord to a mountain where his people can run for protection from their enemies.
my fortress, my protector.
3You are the rock
where I am safe.
You are my shield,
my powerful weapon,#22.3 powerful weapon: The Hebrew has “the horn,” which refers to the horn of a bull, one of the most powerful animals in ancient Palestine.
and my place of shelter.
You rescue me and keep me
safe from violence.
4I praise you, our Lord!
I prayed to you,
and you rescued me
from my enemies.
5Death, like ocean waves,
surrounded me,
and I was almost swallowed
by its flooding waters.
6Ropes from the world
of the dead
had coiled around me,
and death had set a trap
in my path.
7I was in terrible trouble
when I called out to you,
but from your temple
you heard me
and answered my prayer.
8Earth shook and shivered!
The columns supporting the sky#22.8 columns … sky: The sky was sometimes described as a dome that was held up by a foundation or pillars.
rocked back and forth.
You were angry
9and breathed out smoke.
Scorching heat and fiery flames
spewed from your mouth.
10You opened the heavens
like curtains,
and you came down
with storm clouds
under your feet.
11You rode on the backs
of flying creatures.#22.11 flying creatures: These were supernatural beings (see the note at 6.2).
You appeared#22.11 appeared: Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts “swooped down” (see Psalm 18.10).
with the wind as wings.
12Darkness was your tent!
Thunderclouds filled the sky,
hiding you from sight.
13Fiery coals lit up the sky
in front of you.
14 Lord Most High, your voice
thundered from the heavens.
15You scattered your enemies
with arrows of lightning.
16You roared at the sea,
and its deepest channels
could be seen.
You snorted,
and the earth shook
to its foundations.
17You reached down from heaven,
and you lifted me
from deep in the ocean.
18You rescued me from enemies
who were hateful
and too powerful for me.
19On the day disaster struck,
they came and attacked,
but you defended me.
20When I was fenced in,
you freed and rescued me
because you love me.
21You are good to me, Lord,
because I do right,
and you reward me
because I am innocent.
22I do what you want
and never turn to do evil.
23I keep your laws in mind
and never turn away
from your teachings.
24I obey you completely
and guard against sin.
25You have been good to me
because I do right;
you have rewarded me
for being innocent
by your standards.
26You are always loyal
to your loyal people,
and you are faithful
to the faithful.
27With all who are sincere
you are sincere,
but you treat the unfaithful
as their deeds deserve.
28You rescue the humble,
but you look for ways
to put down the proud.
29Our Lord and God,
you are my lamp.
You turn darkness to light.
30You help me defeat armies
and capture cities.
31Your way is perfect, Lord,
and your word is correct.
You are a shield for those
who run to you for help.
32You alone are God!
Only you are a mighty rock.#22.32 mighty rock: See the note at 22.2.
33You are my strong fortress,
and you set me free.
34 #
Hb 3.19. You make my feet run as fast
as those of a deer,
and you help me stand
on the mountains.
35You teach my hands to fight
and my arms to use
a bow of bronze.
36You alone are my shield,
and by coming to help me,
you have made me famous.
37You clear the way for me,
and now I won't stumble.
38I kept chasing my enemies
until I caught them
and destroyed them.
39I destroyed them!
I stuck my sword
through my enemies,
and they were crushed
under my feet.
40You helped me win victories
and forced my attackers
to fall victim to me.
41You made my enemies run,
and I killed them.
42They cried out for help,
but no one saved them;
they called out to you,
but there was no answer.
43I ground them to dust,
and I squashed them
like mud in the streets.
44You rescued me
from my stubborn people
and made me the leader
of foreign nations,
who are now my slaves.
45They obey and come crawling.
46They have lost all courage
and from their fortresses
they come trembling.
47You are the living Lord!
I will praise you!
You are a mighty rock.#22.47 mighty rock: See the note at 22.2.
I will honor you
for keeping me safe.
48You took revenge for me,
and you put nations
in my power.
49You protected me
from violent enemies,
and you made me much greater
than all of them.
50 #
Ro 15.9. I will praise you, Lord,
and I will honor you
among the nations.
51You give glorious victories
to your chosen king.
Your faithful love for David
and for his descendants
will never end.
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