2 Samuel
Chapter 22
1 David sang to God this song when God saved him from all his enemies and from Saul.
2 He said, “God is my rock, my fortress, and my savior.”
3 God is my protector; I will trust in him: he is my shield, my strength to save me, my safe place, and my shelter, my savior; you protect me from harm.
4 I will call on God, who deserves praise: so I will be saved from my enemies.
5 When the waves of death surrounded me, the attacks of evil men scared me.
6 The pains of death surrounded me; death’s traps were stopping me.
7 In my trouble, I called to God and shouted for help. He heard my voice from his place, and my call reached his ears.
8 The earth shook and quaked; the bases of the sky trembled and moved because God was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nose, and fire from his mouth consumed; coals blazed from it.
10 He bent the skies and came down; darkness was under his feet.
11 He rode on a cherub and flew; he appeared on the wings of the wind.
12 He made dark shelters around him, with dark waters and heavy clouds in the sky.
13 Bright light from God made coals of fire start burning.
14 God thundered from heaven, and the highest one spoke aloud.
15 He shot arrows and spread them out; he sent lightning and confused them.
16 The paths of the sea were shown, the base of the earth was uncovered, when God scolded, with the strong wind from his nose.
17 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he pulled me out of deep waters.
18 God saved me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me because they were too strong for me.
19 They stopped me when I was in trouble, but God supported me.
20 God brought me out into a spacious place; he freed me because he was pleased with me.
21 God rewarded me for doing right; he repaid me because my hands were clean.
22 I have followed God’s paths and have not turned away from my God to do wrong.
23 I kept all God’s rules in mind, and I did not turn away from his laws.
24 I was also honest before God, and I have kept myself from doing wrong.
25 So God has rewarded me for doing right; He has seen my clean actions.
26 You are kind to those who are kind, and you are good to those who are good.
27 You are pure to those who are pure, but you seem not good to those who are not good.
28 You will save those who are suffering, but you are watching the proud, to bring them down.
29 You are my light, God, and God will brighten my darkness.
30 With your help, I have charged through an army; with my God, I have jumped over a wall.
31 God’s way is perfect; his word is proven; he protects all who trust in him.
32 Who is God besides the LORD? Who is strong like our God?
33 God is my strength and power, and he makes my path perfect.
34 He makes my feet as sure as a deer’s: and places me on high ground.
35 He teaches my hands to fight; so that my arms can break a steel bow.
36 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your kindness has made me strong.
37 You have made my steps wide beneath me; so my feet did not slide.
38 I chased my enemies and defeated them; I did not stop until I had completely beaten them.
39 I have destroyed them and injured them so they could not get up; yes, they have fallen beneath my feet.
40 You have given me strength to fight; you have made those who attacked me fall under my control.
41 You have also let me defeat my enemies and destroy those who hate me.
42 They looked for help, but no one could save them; they even cried to God, but he did not respond.
43 I crushed them into dust on the ground, stomped them into mud on the street, and scattered them everywhere.
44 You have also saved me from my people’s conflicts and kept me as the leader of nations; people I didn’t know will serve me.
45 Foreigners will come to me and obey as soon as they hear me.
46 Foreigners will grow weak and be scared from their hiding spots.
47 God lives; praise to my rock; and may the God who saves me be lifted high.
48 God avenges me and makes other people submit to me.
49 You lead me away from my enemies; you lift me up above my opponents; you save me from violent people.
50 So I will thank you, God, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.
51 He is the saving tower for his king and shows kindness to his chosen one, David, and his descendants forever.