1 David spoke to the LORD the words of
this song in the day that the LORD delivered
him out of the hand of all his enemies,
and out of the hand of Saul,
2 and he said: “The LORD is my rock,
my fortress,
and my deliverer, even mine;
3 God is my rock in whom I take refuge;
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my high tower, and my refuge.
My saviour, you save me from violence.
4 I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be
praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
5 For the waves of death surrounded me.
The floods of ungodliness made me
afraid.
6 The cords of Sheol† were around me.
The snares of death caught me.
7 In my distress, I called on the LORD.
Yes, I called to my God.
He heard my voice out of his temple.
My cry came into his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled.
The foundations of heaven quaked
and were shaken,
because he was angry.
9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils.
Consuming fire came out of his mouth.
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.
Yes, he was seen on the wings of the
wind.
12 He made darkness a shelter around himself,
gathering of waters, and thick clouds
of the skies.
13 At the brightness before him,
coals of fire were kindled.
14 The LORD thundered from heaven.
The Most High uttered his voice.
15 He sent out arrows and scattered them,
lightning and confused them.
16 Then the channels of the sea appeared.
The foundations of the world were
laid bare by the LORD’s rebuke,
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 the LORD was my support.
20 He also brought me out into a large place.
He delivered me, because he delighted
in me.
21 The LORD rewarded me according to my
righteousness.
He rewarded me according to the
cleanness of my hands.
22 For I have kept the LORD’s ways,
and have not wickedly departed from
my God.
23 For all his ordinances were before me.
As for his statutes, I didn’t depart from
them.
24 I was also perfect towards him.
I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore the LORD has rewarded me
according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness in his eyesight.
26 With the merciful you will show yourself
merciful.
With the perfect man you will show
yourself perfect.
27 With the pure you will show yourself
pure.
With the crooked you will show yourself
shrewd.
28 You will save the afflicted people,
but your eyes are on the arrogant, that
you may bring them down.
29 For you are my lamp, LORD.
The LORD will light 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 LORD’s word is tested.
He is a shield to all those who take
refuge in him.
32 For who is God, besides the LORD?
Who is a rock, besides our God?
33 God is my strong fortress.
He makes my way perfect.
34 He makes his feet like hinds’ feet,
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.
Your gentleness has made me great.
37 You have enlarged my steps under me.
My feet have not slipped.
38 I have pursued my enemies and destroyed
them.
I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.
39 I have consumed them,
and struck them through,
so that they can’t arise.
Yes, they have fallen under my feet.
40 For you have armed 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 looked, but there was no one to
save;
even to the LORD, but he didn’t answer
them.
43 Then I beat them as small as the dust of
the earth.
I crushed them as the mire of the
streets, and spread them abroad.
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 The foreigners will submit themselves to
me.
As soon as they hear of me, they will
obey me.
46 The foreigners will fade away,
and will come trembling out of their
close places.
47 The LORD lives!
Blessed be my rock!
Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,
48 even the God who executes
vengeance for me,
who brings down peoples under me,
49 who brings me away from my enemies.
Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up
against me.
You deliver me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks to you,
LORD, amongst 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 offspring, forever
more.”
† 22:6: Sheol is the place of the dead.
