2 Samuel 22

¹And David speaketh to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.

²And he saith: ‘Jehovah is my rock, And my bulwark, and a deliverer to me, ³My God is my rock—I take refuge in Him; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower, and my refuge! My Saviour, from violence Thou savest me! ⁴The Praised One, I call Jehovah: And from mine enemies I am saved. ⁵When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me, ⁶The cords of Sheol have surrounded me, Before me have been the snares of death. ⁷In mine adversity I call Jehovah, And unto my God I call, And He heareth from His temple my voice, And my cry is in His ears, ⁸And shake and tremble doth the earth, Foundations of the heavens are troubled, And are shaken, for He hath wrath! ⁹Gone up hath smoke by His nostrils. And fire from His mouth devoureth, Brands have been kindled by it. ¹⁰And He inclineth heaven, and cometh down, And thick darkness is under His feet. ¹¹And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And is seen on the wings of the wind. ¹²And He setteth darkness Round about Him—tabernacles, Darkness of waters—thick clouds of the skies. ¹³From the brightness before Him Were brands of fire kindled! ¹⁴Thunder from the heavens doth Jehovah, And the Most High giveth forth His voice. ¹⁵And He sendeth forth arrows, And scattereth them; Lightning, and troubleth them; ¹⁶And seen are the streams of the sea, Revealed are foundations of the world, By the rebuke of Jehovah, From the breath of the spirit of His anger. ¹⁷He sendeth from above—He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters. ¹⁸He delivereth me from my strong enemy, From those hating me, For they were stronger than I. ¹⁹They are before me in a day of my calamity, And Jehovah is my support, ²⁰And He bringeth me out to a large place, He draweth me out for He delighted in me. ²¹Jehovah recompenseth me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me. ²²For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God. ²³For all His judgments are before me, As to His statutes, I turn not from them. ²⁴And I am perfect before Him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity. ²⁵And Jehovah returneth to me, According to my righteousness, According to my cleanness before His eyes. ²⁶With the kind Thou shewest Thyself kind, With the perfect man Thou shewest Thyself perfect, ²⁷With the pure Thou shewest Thyself pure, And with the perverse Thou shewest Thyself a wrestler. ²⁸And the poor people Thou dost save, And Thine eyes on the high causest to fall. ²⁹For Thou art my lamp, O Jehovah, And Jehovah doth lighten my darkness. ³⁰For by Thee I run—a troop, By my God I leap a wall. ³¹God! Perfect is His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield He is to all those trusting in Him. ³²For who is God save Jehovah? And who a Rock save our God? ³³God—my bulwark, my strength, And He maketh perfect my way; ³⁴Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand, ³⁵Teaching my hands for battle, And brought down was a bow of brass by mine arms, ³⁶And Thou givest to me the shield of Thy salvation, And Thy lowliness maketh me great. ³⁷Thou enlargest my step under me, And mine ankles have not slidden. ³⁸I pursue mine enemies and destroy them, And I turn not till they are consumed. ³⁹And I consume them, and smite them, And they rise not, and fall under my feet. ⁴⁰And Thou girdest me with strength for battle, Thou causest my withstanders to bow under me. ⁴¹And mine enemies—Thou givest to me the neck, Those hating me—and I cut them off. ⁴²They look, and there is no saviour; Unto Jehovah, and He hath not answered them. ⁴³And I beat them as dust of the earth, As mire of the streets I beat them small—I spread them out! ⁴⁴And—Thou dost deliver me From the strivings of my people, Thou placest me for a head of nations; A people I have not known do serve me. ⁴⁵Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me, At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me. ⁴⁶Sons of a stranger fade away, And gird themselves by their close places. ⁴⁷Jehovah liveth, and blessed is my Rock, And exalted is my God—The Rock of my salvation. ⁴⁸God—who is giving vengeance to me, And bringing down peoples under me, ⁴⁹And bringing me forth from mine enemies, Yea, above my withstanders Thou raisest me up. From a man of violence Thou deliverest me. ⁵⁰Therefore I confess Thee, O Jehovah, among nations. And to Thy name I sing praise. ⁵¹Magnifying the salvations of His king, And doing loving-kindness to His anointed, To David, and to his seed—unto the age!’

Chapter 23