2 Samuel 22

David sings praises to God

1David wrote this song when the LORD had saved him from Saul and from all his enemies.

2This is what he sang.

‘The LORD is my rock and my strong shelter, and he saved me.

3My God is the rock that I can hide in.

He is my shield that saves me.

He is my strong shelter and my safe place, and he saves me.

You have saved me from men who would have hurt me.

4I shout to the LORD because I must praise him.

He has saved me from my enemies.

5Death was like water that was all round me.

Strong waters covered me over.

6I felt that they were burying me.

7I was afraid so I cried to the LORD.

I shouted to my God.

From his holy place he heard my voice.

My loud noise reached his ears.

8The ground moved and it shook.

And the sky shook itself.

They shook because he was angry.

9Smoke came out of his nose.

Burning fire came out of his mouth.

Materials started to burn as a result.

10He broke through the sky and he came down.

He stood on dark clouds.

11He flew on the backs of angels.

He went like the wind.

12He made the air dark all round him

with the rain clouds of the sky.

13From his bright body

swords of light shone out.

14The LORD spoke with a loud noise.

His great voice was everywhere.

15He shot arrows that caused enemies to run away.

His swords of light beat them completely.

16The waters of the sea ran from their deep places.

Men could see the deepest places of the earth.

He caused this by the smoke from his mouth

because he was angry.

17His hand came out from the sky to hold me.

He pulled me from the deep waters.

18He saved me from my powerful enemy.

He saved me from those who were too strong for me.

19When troubles were all round me,

he held me up.

20He brought me into a safe place.

He saved me because he loved me very much.

21I do what is right. The LORD helps me because of that.

He blesses me because I do not sin.

22That is because I have obeyed his laws.

It is because I have not turned away from him.

23I have obeyed all his laws.

I have not turned away from them.

24I have done only what is right. He knows that.

I have not sinned.

25I do what is right. So the LORD has blessed me.

I want only what is good. And he sees that.

26You are faithful to those who are faithful to you, LORD.

You are completely good to those who are good.

27All good people know how good you are.

But you are against those who are wicked.

28You save humble people.

But you bring down proud people.

29You are like a light in my hand.

You turn dark into light.

30You make me strong to fight my enemies.

With you, my God, I can jump over a wall.

31All that God does is perfect.

The LORD‘s words are always good and right.

He is like a shield to all who trust him.

32The LORD is the only God.

He is the rock that holds us up.

33It is God who makes me strong.

He makes my path safe.

34He makes my feet like goat’s feet

so that I can stand on high hills.

35He teaches my hands to fight

so that I can bend an iron bow.

36You keep me safe in the fight.

Your help has made me great.

37You have saved me from my enemies

and I have never fallen.

38I ran after my enemies and I beat them.

I did not turn back until they were all gone.

39I knocked them down and they could not get up.

They fell under my feet.

40You made me strong for the fight.

You caused those that I fought to bend down in front of me.

41You caused my enemies to turn and so they ran away from me.

And I killed all those who were against me.

42They shouted for help but nobody came to save them.

They shouted to the LORD but he did not answer.

43I hit them until they were like small stones.

I beat them and I walked over them like the ground.

44You have saved me when my people were attacking me.

You have made me the ruler of many nations.

People that I did not know obey me.

45Foreign men come and they bend down to me.

They hear me speak and they obey me immediately.

46They are not brave now.

They are very afraid as they leave their strong cities.

47The LORD is alive! Praise him who is my strong rock.

Tell people how great he is. He is the strong God who saves me.

48He helps me to beat my enemies;

he causes me to rule over the nations.

49He saves me from my enemies.

You made me stronger than those who were against me.

And you save me from those who would hurt me.

50So I will praise you, LORD among the nations.

I will sing praises to your name.

51God wins big and important fights for his king.

He is always kind to the king that he has anointed,

to David and to his descendants for all time.’