2 Samuel 22

₂The LORD is my protector;

he is my strong fortress.

₃My God is my protection,

and with him I am safe.

He protects me like a shield;

he defends me and keeps me safe.

He is my saviour;

he protects me and saves me from violence.

₄I call to the LORD,

and he saves me from my enemies.

Praise the LORD!

₅The waves of death were all round me;

the waves of destruction rolled over me.

₆The danger of death was round me,

and the grave set its trap for me.

₇In my trouble I called to the LORD;

I called to my God for help.

In his temple he heard my voice;

he listened to my cry for help.

₈Then the earth trembled and shook;

the foundations of the sky rocked and quivered

because God was angry!

₉Smoke poured out of his nostrils,

a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth.

₁₀He tore the sky apart and came down,

with a dark cloud under his feet.

₁₁He flew swiftly on his winged creature;

he travelled on the wings of the wind.

₁₂He covered himself with darkness;

thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him;

₁₃burning coals flamed up from the lightning before him.

₁₄Then the LORD thundered from the sky,

and the voice of Almighty God was heard.

₁₅He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;

with flashes of lightning he sent them running.

₁₆The floor of the ocean was laid bare,

and the foundations of the earth were uncovered

when the LORD rebuked his enemies

and roared at them in anger.

₁₇The LORD reached down from above and took hold of me;

he pulled me out of the deep waters.

₁₈He rescued me from my powerful enemies

and from all those who hate me —

they were too strong for me.

₁₉When I was in trouble, they attacked me,

but the LORD protected me.

₂₀He helped me out of danger;

he saved me because he was pleased with me.

₂₁The LORD rewards me because I do what is right;

he blesses me because I am innocent.

₂₂I have obeyed the law of the LORD;

I have not turned away from my God.

₂₃I have observed all his laws;

I have not disobeyed his commands.

₂₄He knows that I am faultless,

that I have kept myself from doing wrong.

₂₅And so he rewards me because I do what is right,

because he knows that I am innocent.

₂₆O LORD, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you,

and completely good to those who are perfect.

₂₇You are pure to those who are pure,

but hostile to those who are wicked.

₂₈You save those who are humble,

but you humble those who are proud.

₂₉You, LORD, are my light;

you dispel my darkness.

₃₀You give me strength to attack my enemies

and power to overcome their defences.

₃₁This God — how perfect are his deeds,

how dependable his words!

He is like a shield

for all who seek his protection.

₃₂The LORD alone is God;

God alone is our defence.

₃₃This God is my strong refuge;

he makes my pathway safe.

₃₄He makes me sure-footed as a deer;

he keeps me safe on the mountains.

₃₅He trains me for battle,

so that I can use the strongest bow.

₃₆O LORD, you protect me and save me;

your help has made me great.

₃₇You have kept me from being captured,

and I have never fallen.

₃₈I pursue my enemies and defeat them;

I do not stop until I destroy them.

₃₉I strike them down, and they cannot rise;

they lie defeated before me.

₄₀You give me strength for the battle

and victory over my enemies.

₄₁You make my enemies run from me;

I destroy those who hate me.

₄₂They look for help, but no one saves them;

they call to the LORD, but he does not answer.

₄₃I crush them, and they become like dust;

I trample on them like mud in the streets.

₄₄You saved me from my rebellious people

and maintained my rule over the nations;

people I did not know have now become my subjects.

₄₅Foreigners bow before me;

when they hear me, they obey.

₄₆They lose their courage

and come trembling from their fortresses.

₄₇The LORD lives! Praise my defender!

Proclaim the greatness of the strong God who saves me!

₄₈He gives me victory over my enemies;

he subdues the nations under me

₄₉and saves me from my foes.

O LORD, you give me victory over my enemies

and protect me from violent men.

₅₀And so I praise you among the nations;

I sing praises to you.

₅₁God gives great victories to his king;

he shows constant love to the one he has chosen,

to David and his descendants for ever.