< 2 Samuel 22 >
1 David spoke to YHWH the words of this song in the day that YHWH delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
2 and he said, "YHWH is my Rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.
3 My God, my Rock, in him I will take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; from violent people he saves me.
4 I call on YHWH, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
5 For the waves of death surrounded me, and the currents of ungodliness overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death caught me. (Sheol )
7 In my distress I called upon YHWH, and I cried out to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came into his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
11 He rode on a cherub, and flew; and he soared on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his hiding place, his canopy around him thick clouds dark with water.
13 From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed on, with hailstones and coals of fire.
14 YHWH thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice.
15 And he sent out arrows and scattered them, and he shot lightning bolts and routed them.
16 Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of YHWH, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
19 They came on me in the day of my calamity, but YHWH was my support.
20 He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21 YHWH rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.
22 For I have kept the ways of YHWH, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his ordinances were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me.
24 I was also perfect toward him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore YHWH has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
26 With the faithful you show yourself faithful. With the innocent you show yourself innocent.
27 With the pure you show yourself pure. And with the crooked you show yourself tortuous.
28 You save a humble people, but the eyes of the proud you will bring low.
29 For you light my lamp. YHWH my God lights up my darkness.
30 For by you, I run against a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
31 As for God, his way is perfect. The word of YHWH is pure. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God, besides YHWH? Who is a rock, besides our God,
33 the God who girds me with strength, and makes my way blameless?
34 He makes my feet like those of a deer, and sets me on my high places.
35 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand holds me up, and your help has made me great.
37 You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped.
38 I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and I did not turn back until they were destroyed.
39 And I consumed them, and struck them through, so that they did not rise. And they fell beneath my feet.
40 For you have equipped me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
41 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
42 They cry out, but there was none to save; even to YHWH, but he did not answer them.
43 Then I ground them as fine as the dust on the surface of a path. Like the mud in the streets, I trampled them.
44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me.
45 As soon as they hear of me they obey me. Foreigners come cringing to me;
46 they are not bound in chains.
47 YHWH lives. Blessed be my rock. Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,
48 even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me,
49 who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You protect me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will praise you, YHWH, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
51 He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his descendants, until forever."
