2 Samuel 22
22
David's Song of Victory
(Ps 18)
1When the LORD saved David from Saul and his other enemies, David sang this song to the LORD:
2The LORD is my protector;
he is my strong fortress.
3My God is my protection,
and with him I am safe.
He protects me like a shield;
he defends me and keeps me safe.
He is my saviour;
he protects me and saves me from violence.
4I call to the LORD,
and he saves me from my enemies.
Praise the LORD!
5The waves of death were all round me;
the waves of destruction rolled over me.
6The danger of death was round me,
and the grave set its trap for me.
7In my trouble I called to the LORD;
I called to my God for help.
In his temple he heard my voice;
he listened to my cry for help.
8Then the earth trembled and shook;
the foundations of the sky rocked and quivered
because God was angry!
9Smoke poured out of his nostrils,
a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth.
10He tore the sky apart and came down,
with a dark cloud under his feet.
11He flew swiftly on his winged creature;#22.11 winged creature: See Word List.
he travelled on the wings of the wind.
12He covered himself with darkness;
thick clouds, full of#22.12 Some ancient translations (and see Ps 18.11) full of; Hebrew unclear. water, surrounded him;
13burning coals flamed up from the lightning before him.
14Then the LORD thundered from the sky,
and the voice of Almighty God was heard.
15He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
with flashes of lightning he sent them running.
16The floor of the ocean was laid bare,
and the foundations of the earth were uncovered
when the LORD rebuked his enemies
and roared at them in anger.
17The LORD reached down from above and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of the deep waters.
18He rescued me from my powerful enemies
and from all those who hate me —
they were too strong for me.
19When I was in trouble, they attacked me,
but the LORD protected me.
20He helped me out of danger;
he saved me because he was pleased with me.
21The LORD rewards me because I do what is right;
he blesses me because I am innocent.
22I have obeyed the law of the LORD;
I have not turned away from my God.
23I have observed all his laws;
I have not disobeyed his commands.
24He knows that I am faultless,
that I have kept myself from doing wrong.
25And so he rewards me because I do what is right,
because he knows that I am innocent.
26O LORD, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you,
and completely good to those#22.26 Probable text (see Ps 18.25) those; Hebrew the strong. who are perfect.
27You are pure to those who are pure,
but hostile to those who are wicked.
28You save those who are humble,
but you humble those who are proud.
29You, LORD, are my light;
you dispel my darkness.
30You give me strength to attack my enemies
and power to overcome their defences.
31This God — how perfect are his deeds,
how dependable his words!
He is like a shield
for all who seek his protection.
32The LORD alone is God;
God alone is our defence.
33This God is my strong refuge;
he makes#22.33 Probable text (see Ps 18.32) he makes; Hebrew unclear. my pathway safe.
34 #
Hab 3.19
He makes me sure-footed as a deer;
he keeps me safe on the mountains.
35He trains me for battle,
so that I can use the strongest bow.
36O LORD, you protect me and save me;
your help has made me great.
37You have kept me from being captured,
and I have never fallen.
38I pursue my enemies and defeat them;
I do not stop until I destroy them.
39I strike them down, and they cannot rise;
they lie defeated before me.
40You give me strength for the battle
and victory over my enemies.
41You make my enemies run from me;
I destroy those who hate me.
42They look for help, but no one saves them;
they call to the LORD, but he does not answer.
43I crush them, and they become like dust;
I trample on them like mud in the streets.
44You saved me from my rebellious people
and maintained my rule over the nations;
people I did not know have now become my subjects.
45Foreigners bow before me;
when they hear me, they obey.
46They lose their courage
and come trembling#22.46 Probable text (see Ps 18.45) come trembling; Hebrew come ready to fight. from their fortresses.
47The LORD lives! Praise my defender!
Proclaim the greatness of the strong God who saves me!
48He gives me victory over my enemies;
he subdues the nations under me
49and saves me from my foes.
O LORD, you give me victory over my enemies
and protect me from violent men.
50 #
Rom 15.9
And so I praise you among the nations;
I sing praises to you.
51God gives great victories to his king;
he shows constant love to the one he has chosen,
to David and his descendants for ever.
Currently Selected:
2 Samuel 22: GNBDK
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.