David Sings to the Lord

22:1 1 David sang2 to the Lord the words of this song when3 the Lord rescued him from the power4 of all his enemies, including Saul.5 22:2 He said:

“The Lord is my high ridge,6 my stronghold,7 my deliverer.

22:3 My God8 is my rocky summit where I take shelter,9

my shield, the horn that saves me,10 my stronghold,

my refuge, my savior. You save me from violence!11

22:4 I called12 to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,13

and I was delivered from my enemies.

22:5 The waves of death engulfed me;

the currents14 of chaos15 overwhelmed me.16

22:6 The ropes of Sheol17 tightened around me;18

the snares of death trapped me.19

22:7 In my distress I called to the Lord;

I called to my God.20

From his heavenly temple21 he heard my voice;

he listened to my cry for help.22

22:8 The earth heaved and shook;23

the foundations of the sky24 trembled.25

They heaved because he was angry.

22:9 Smoke ascended from26 his nose;27

fire devoured as it came from his mouth;28

he hurled down fiery coals.29

22:10 He made the sky sink30 as he descended;

a thick cloud was under his feet.

22:11 He mounted31 a winged angel32 and flew;

he glided33 on the wings of the wind.34

22:12 He shrouded himself in darkness,35

in thick rain clouds.36

22:13 From the brightness in front of him

came coals of fire.37

22:14 The Lord thundered38 from the sky;

the sovereign One39 shouted loudly.40

22:15 He shot41 arrows and scattered them,42

lightning and routed them.43

22:16 The depths44 of the sea were exposed;

the inner regions45 of the world were uncovered

by the Lord’s battle cry,46

by the powerful breath from his nose.47

22:17 He reached down from above and grabbed me;48

he pulled me from the surging water.49

22:18 He rescued me from my strong enemy,50

from those who hate me,

for they were too strong for me.

22:19 They confronted51 me in my day of calamity,

but the Lord helped me.52

22:20 He brought me out into a wide open place;

he delivered me because he was pleased with me.53

22:21 The Lord repaid54 me for my godly deeds;55

he rewarded56 my blameless behavior.57

22:22 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands;58

I have not rebelled against my God.59

22:23 For I am aware of all his regulations,60

and I do not reject his rules.61

22:24 I was blameless before him;

I kept myself from sinning.62

22:25 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds;63

he took notice of my blameless behavior.64

22:26 You prove to be loyal65 to one who is faithful;66

you prove to be trustworthy67 to one who is innocent.68

22:27 You prove to be reliable69 to one who is blameless,

but you prove to be deceptive70 to one who is perverse.71

22:28 You deliver oppressed72 people,

but you watch the proud and bring them down.73

22:29 Indeed,74 you are my lamp,75 Lord.

The Lord illumines76 the darkness around me.77

22:30 Indeed,78 with your help79 I can charge80 against an army;81

by my God’s power82 I can jump over a wall.83

22:31 The one true God acts in a faithful manner;84

the Lord’s promise is reliable;85

he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.

22:32 Indeed,86 who is God besides the Lord?

Who is a protector87 besides our God?88

22:33 The one true God89 is my mighty refuge;90

he removes91 the obstacles in my way.92

22:34 He gives me the agility of a deer;93

he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.94

22:35 He trains95 my hands for battle;96

my arms can bend even the strongest bow.97

22:36 You give me98 your protective shield;99

your willingness to help enables me to prevail.100

22:37 You widen my path;101

my feet102 do not slip.

22:38 I chase my enemies and destroy them;

I do not turn back until I wipe them out.

22:39 I wipe them out and beat them to death;

they cannot get up;

they fall at my feet.

22:40 You give me strength for battle;103

you make my foes kneel before me.104

22:41 You make my enemies retreat;105

I destroy those who hate me.

22:42 They cry out,106 but there is no one to help them;107

they cry out to the Lord,108 but he does not answer them.

22:43 I grind them as fine as the dust of the ground;

I crush them and stomp on them like clay109 in the streets.

22:44 You rescue me from a hostile army;110

you preserve me as a leader of nations;

people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects.111

22:45 Foreigners are powerless before me;112

when they hear of my exploits, they submit to me.113

22:46 Foreigners lose their courage;114

they shake with fear115 as they leave116 their strongholds.117

22:47 The Lord is alive!118

My protector119 is praiseworthy!120

The God who delivers me121 is exalted as king!122

22:48 The one true God completely vindicates me;123

he makes nations submit to me.124

22:49 He delivers me from my enemies;125

you snatch me away126 from those who attack me;127

you rescue me from violent men.

22:50 So I will give you thanks, O Lord, before the nations!128

I will sing praises to you.129

22:51 He gives his chosen king magnificent victories;130

he is faithful to his chosen ruler,131

to David and to his descendants forever!”