2 Samuel 22
22
David’s thanksgiving psalm
1 # 22.1 This poem also occurs in Psalm 18 with some variations. David spoke the words of this song to the LORD after the LORD delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from Saul.
2He said:
The LORD is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer.
3My God is my rock—I take refuge in him!—
he’s my shield and my salvation’s strength,
my place of safety and my shelter.
My savior! Save me from violence!
4Because he is praiseworthy,#22.4 Heb uncertain
I cried out to the LORD,
and I was saved from my enemies.
5Death’s waves were all around me;
rivers of wickedness terrified me.
6The cords of the grave#22.6 Heb Sheol surrounded me;
death’s traps held me tight.
7In my distress I cried out to the LORD;
I cried out to my God.
God heard my voice from his temple;
my cry for help reached his ears.
8The earth rocked and shook;
the sky’s foundations trembled
and reeled because of God’s anger.
9Smoke went up from God’s nostrils;
out of his mouth came a devouring fire;
flaming coals blazed out in front of him!
10God parted the skies and came down;
thick darkness was beneath his feet.
11God mounted the heavenly creatures and flew;
he was seen on the wind’s wings.
12God made darkness his covering;
water gathered in dense clouds!
13Coals of fire blazed out of the brightness before him.
14The LORD thundered from heaven;
the Most High made his voice heard.
15God shot arrows, scattering the enemy;
he sent the lightning and whipped them into confusion.
16The seabeds were exposed;
the earth’s foundations were laid bare at the LORD’s rebuke,
at the angry blast of air coming from his nostrils.
17From on high God reached down and grabbed me;
he took me out of deep waters.
18God saved me from my powerful enemy,
saved me from my foes, who were too much for me.
19They came at me on the very day of my distress,
but the LORD was my support.
20He brought me out to wide-open spaces;
he pulled me out, because he is pleased with me.
21The LORD rewarded me for my righteousness;
he restored me because my hands are clean,
22because I have kept the LORD’s ways.
I haven’t acted wickedly against my God.
23All his rules are right in front of me;
I haven’t turned away from any of his laws.
24I have lived with integrity before him;
I’ve kept myself from wrongdoing.
25And so the LORD restored me for my righteousness,
because I am clean in his eyes.
26You deal faithfully with the faithful;
you show integrity toward the one who has integrity.
27You are pure toward the pure,
but toward the crooked, you are tricky.
28You are the one who saves people who suffer,
but your eyes are against the proud.
You bring them down!
29You are my lamp, LORD;
the LORD illumines my darkness.
30With you I can charge into battle;
with my God I can leap over a wall.
31God! His way is perfect;
the LORD’s word is tried and true.
He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
32Now really, who is divine except the LORD?
And who is a rock except our God?
33Only God! My mighty fortress,
who makes my way#22.33 Qere; Kethib his way perfect,
34who makes my step#22.34 Qere; Kethib his step as sure as the deer’s,
who lets me stand securely on the heights,
35who trains my hands for war
so my arms can bend a bronze bow.
36You’ve given me the shield of your salvation;
your help has made me great.
37You’ve let me walk fast and safe,
without even twisting an ankle.
38I chased my enemies and destroyed them!
I didn’t come home until I finished them off.
39I ate them up! I struck them down!
They couldn’t get up;
they fell under my feet.
40You equipped me with strength for war;
you brought my adversaries down underneath me.
41You made my enemies turn tail from me;
I destroyed my foes.
42They looked around, but there was no one to save them.
They looked to the LORD, but he wouldn’t answer them.
43I crushed them like dust on the ground;
I stomped on them, trampled them like mud dumped in the streets.
44You delivered me from struggles with many people;
you appointed me the leader of many nations.
Strangers come to serve me.
45Foreigners grovel before me;
after hearing about me, they obey me.
46Foreigners lose their nerve;
they come trembling out of their fortresses.#22.46 Or prisons
47The LORD lives! Bless God, my rock!
Let my God, the rock of my salvation, be lifted high!
48This is the God who avenges on my behalf,
who subdues peoples before me,
49who rescues me from my enemies.
You lifted me high above my adversaries;
you delivered me from violent people.
50That’s why I thank you, LORD, in the presence of the nations.
That’s why I sing praises to your name.
51You are the one who gives great victories to your king,
who shows faithful love to your anointed one—
to David and to his descendants forever.
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2 Samuel 22: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.