2 Samuel 22 | King James Version

King James Version

1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had 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, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. 4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; 6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; 7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. 8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. 9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. 11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. 12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. 13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. 14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. 15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. 16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; 18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. 19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. 25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight. 26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright. 27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury. 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. 29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. 30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. 31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. 32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? 33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. 34 He maketh my feet like hinds'feet : and setteth me upon my high places. 35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great. 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. 38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them. 39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet. 40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me. 41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad. 44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me. 45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. 46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places. 47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. 48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, 49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. 51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

New International Reader’s Version

David’s song of praise

1 David sang the words of this song to the LORD. He sang them when the LORD saved him from the power of all his enemies and of Saul. 2 He said, ‘The LORD is my rock and my fort. He is the God who saves me. 3 My God is my rock. I go to him for safety. He is like a shield to me. He’s the power that saves me. He’s my place of safety. I go to him for help. He’s my Saviour. He saves me from those who want to hurt me. 4 I called out to the LORD. He is worthy of praise. He saved me from my enemies. 5 ‘The waves of death were all around me. A destroying flood swept over me. 6 The ropes of the grave were tight around me. Death set its trap in front of me. 7 When I was in trouble I called out to the LORD. I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice. My cry for help reached his ears. 8 ‘The earth trembled and shook. The pillars of the heavens rocked to and fro. They trembled because the LORD was angry. 9 Smoke came out of his nose. Flames of fire came out of his mouth. Burning coals blazed out of it. 10 He opened the heavens and came down. Dark clouds were under his feet. 11 He got on the cherubim and flew. The wings of the wind lifted him up. 12 He covered himself with darkness. The dark rain clouds of the sky were like a tent around him. 13 From the brightness all around him flashes of lightning blazed out. 14 The LORD thundered from heaven. The voice of the Most High God was heard. 15 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy. He sent flashes of lightning and chased them away. 16 The bottom of the sea could be seen. The foundations of the earth were uncovered. It happened when the LORD’s anger blazed out. It came like a blast of breath from his nose. 17 ‘He reached down from heaven. He took hold of me. He lifted me out of deep waters. 18 He saved me from my powerful enemies. He set me free from those who were too strong for me. 19 They stood up to me when I was in trouble. But the LORD helped me. 20 He brought me out into a wide and safe place. He saved me because he was pleased with me. 21 ‘The LORD has been good to me because I do what is right. He has rewarded me because I lead a pure life. 22 I have lived the way the LORD wanted me to. I’m not guilty of turning away from my God. 23 I keep all his laws in mind. I haven’t turned away from his commands. 24 He knows that I am without blame. He knows I’ve kept myself from sinning. 25 The LORD has rewarded me for doing what is right. He has rewarded me because I haven’t done anything wrong. 26 ‘LORD, to those who are faithful you show that you are faithful. To those who are without blame you show that you are without blame. 27 To those who are pure you show that you are pure. But to those whose paths are crooked you show that you are clever. 28 You save those who aren’t proud. But you watch the proud to bring them down. 29 LORD, you are my lamp. You bring light into my darkness. 30 With your help I can attack a troop of soldiers. With the help of my God I can climb over a wall. 31 ‘God’s way is perfect. The LORD’s word doesn’t have any flaws. He protects like a shield all who go to him for safety. 32 Who is God except the LORD? Who is the Rock except our God? 33 God gives me strength for the battle. He keeps my way secure. 34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He causes me to stand on the highest places. 35 He trains my hands to fight every battle. My arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36 LORD, you shield me with your saving help. Your help has made me great. 37 You give me a wide path to walk in so that I don’t twist my ankles. 38 ‘I chased my enemies and crushed them. I didn’t turn back until they were destroyed. 39 I crushed them completely so that they couldn’t get up. They fell under my feet. 40 LORD, you gave me strength to fight the battle. You caused my enemies to be humble in front of me. 41 You made them turn their backs and run away. So I destroyed my enemies. 42 They cried out for help. But there was no one to save them. They called out to the LORD. But he didn’t answer them. 43 I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth. I pounded them and walked on them like mud in the streets. 44 ‘You saved me when people attacked me. You have kept me as the ruler over nations. People I didn’t know serve me now. 45 People from other lands bow down to me in fear. As soon as they hear about me, they obey me. 46 All of them give up hope. They come trembling out of their hiding places. 47 ‘The LORD lives! Give praise to my Rock! Give honour to my God, the Rock! He is my Saviour! 48 He is the God who pays back my enemies. He brings the nations under my control. 49 He sets me free from my enemies. You have honoured me more than them. You have saved me from a man who wanted to hurt me. 50 LORD, I will praise you among the nations. I will sing your praise. 51 He gives his king great victories. He shows his faithful love to his anointed king. He shows it to David and his family for ever.’