2 Samuel 22
David’s Song of Thanksgiving
1David spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the grasp of Saul.23He said: The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,45my God, my rock where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, you save me from violence.6
7I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.8
9For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.10
11The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.12
13I called to the Lord in my distress; I called to my God. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry for help reached his ears.14
15Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they shook because he burned with anger.16
17Smoke rose from his nostrils, and consuming fire came from his mouth; coals were set ablaze by it.18
19He bent the heavens and came down, total darkness beneath his feet.20
21He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.22
23He made darkness a canopy around him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.24
25From the radiance of his presence, blazing coals were ignited.26
27The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice heard.28
29He shot arrows and scattered them; he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.30
31The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.32
33He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he pulled me out of deep water.34
35He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.36
37They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.38
39He brought me out to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.40
41The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; he repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.42
43For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not turned from my God to wickedness.44
45Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me and have not disregarded his statutes.46
47I was blameless before him and kept myself from my iniquity.48
49So the Lord repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.50
51With the faithful you prove yourself faithful, with the blameless you prove yourself blameless,52
53with the pure you prove yourself pure, but with the crooked you prove yourself shrewd.54
55You rescue an oppressed people, but your eyes are set against the proud — you humble them.56
57Lord, you are my lamp; the Lord illuminates my darkness.58
59With you I can attack a barricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall.60
61God — his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.62
63For who is God besides the Lord? And who is a rock? Only our God.64
65God is my strong refuge; he makes my way perfect.66
67He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.68
69He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.70
71You have given me the shield of your salvation; your help exalts me.72
73You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.74
75I pursue my enemies and destroy them; I do not turn back until they are wiped out.76
77I wipe them out and crush them, and they do not rise; they fall beneath my feet.78
79You have clothed me with strength for battle; you subdue my adversaries beneath me.80
81You have made my enemies retreat before me; I annihilate those who hate me.82
83They look, but there is no one to save them — they look to the Lord, but he does not answer them.84
85I pulverize them like dust of the earth; I crush them and trample them like mud in the streets.86
87You have freed me from the feuds among my people; you have preserved me as head of nations; a people I had not known serve me.88
89Foreigners submit to me cringing; as soon as they hear, they obey me.90
91Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their fortifications.92
93The Lord lives — blessed be my rock! God, the rock of my salvation, is exalted.94
95God — he grants me vengeance and casts down peoples under me.96
97He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; you rescue me from violent men.98
99Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about your name.100
101He is a tower of salvation for his king; he shows loyalty to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.102