David's Song of Victory
(2 Samuel 22.1-51)
1How I love you, Lord!
You are my defender.
2The Lord is my protector;
he is my strong fortress.
My God is my protection,
and with him I am safe.
He protects me like a shield;
he defends me and keeps me safe.
3I call to the Lord,
and he saves me from my enemies.
Praise the Lord!
4The danger of death was all around me;
the waves of destruction rolled over me.
5The danger of death was around me,
and the grave set its trap for me.
6In 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.
7Then the earth trembled and shook;
the foundations of the mountains rocked and quivered,
because God was angry.
8Smoke poured out of his nostrils,
a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth.
9He tore the sky open and came down
with a dark cloud under his feet.
10He flew swiftly on his winged creature;
he traveled on the wings of the wind.
11He covered himself with darkness;
thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him.
12Hailstones and flashes of fire
came from the lightning before him
and broke through the dark clouds.
13Then the Lord thundered from the sky;
and the voice of the Most High was heard.
14He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
with flashes of lightning he sent them running.
15The floor of the ocean was laid bare,
and the foundations of the earth were uncovered,
when you rebuked your enemies, Lord,
and roared at them in anger.
16The Lord reached down from above and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of the deep waters.
17He rescued me from my powerful enemies
and from all those who hate me—
they were too strong for me.
18When I was in trouble, they attacked me,
but the Lord protected me.
19He helped me out of danger;
he saved me because he was pleased with me.
20The Lord rewards me because I do what is right;
he blesses me because I am innocent.
21I have obeyed the law of the Lord;
I have not turned away from my God.
22I have observed all his laws;
I have not disobeyed his commands.
23He knows that I am faultless,
that I have kept myself from doing wrong.
24And so he rewards me because I do what is right,
because he knows that I am innocent.
25O Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you;
completely good to those who are perfect.
26You are pure to those who are pure,
but hostile to those who are wicked.
27You save those who are humble,
but you humble those who are proud.
28O Lord, you give me light;
you dispel my darkness.
29You give me strength to attack my enemies
and power to overcome their defenses.
30This God—how perfect are his deeds!
How dependable his words!
He is like a shield
for all who seek his protection.
31The Lord alone is God;
God alone is our defense.
32He is the God who makes me strong,
who makes my pathway safe.
33 He makes me sure-footed as a deer;
he keeps me safe on the mountains.
34He trains me for battle,
so that I can use the strongest bow.
35O Lord, you protect me and save me;
your care has made me great,
and your power has kept me safe.
36You have kept me from being captured,
and I have never fallen.
37I pursue my enemies and catch them;
I do not stop until I destroy them.
38I strike them down, and they cannot rise;
they lie defeated before me.
39You give me strength for the battle
and victory over my enemies.
40You make my enemies run from me;
I destroy those who hate me.
41They cry for help, but no one saves them;
they call to the Lord, but he does not answer.
42I crush them, so that they become like dust
which the wind blows away.
I trample on them like mud in the streets.
43You saved me from a rebellious people
and made me ruler over the nations;
people I did not know have now become my subjects.
44Foreigners bow before me;
when they hear me, they obey.
45They lose their courage
and come trembling from their fortresses.
46The Lord lives! Praise my defender!
Proclaim the greatness of the God who saves me.
47He gives me victory over my enemies;
he subdues the nations under me
48and saves me from my foes.
O Lord, you give me victory over my enemies
and protect me from violent people.
49 And so I praise you among the nations;
I sing praises to you.
50God gives great victories to his king;
he shows constant love to the one he has chosen,
to David and his descendants forever.