2 Samuel 22:1-51 CEB

[1] David spoke the words of this song to the LORD after the LORD delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from Saul. [2] He said: The LORD is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer. [3] My God is my rock—I take refuge in him!—he’s my shield and my salvation’s strength, my place of safety and my shelter. My savior! Save me from violence! [4] Because he is praiseworthy, I cried out to the LORD, and I was saved from my enemies. [5] Death’s waves were all around me; rivers of wickedness terrified me. [6] The cords of the grave surrounded me; death’s traps held me tight. [7] In my distress I cried out to the LORD; I cried out to my God. God heard my voice from his temple; my cry for help reached his ears. [8] The earth rocked and shook; the sky’s foundations trembled and reeled because of God’s anger. [9] Smoke went up from God’s nostrils; out of his mouth came a devouring fire; flaming coals blazed out in front of him! [10] God parted the skies and came down; thick darkness was beneath his feet. [11] God mounted the heavenly creatures and flew; he was seen on the wind’s wings. [12] God made darkness his covering; water gathered in dense clouds! [13] Coals of fire blazed out of the brightness before him. [14] The LORD thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice heard. [15] God shot arrows, scattering the enemy; he sent the lightning and whipped them into confusion. [16] The seabeds were exposed; the earth’s foundations were laid bare at the LORD’s rebuke, at the angry blast of air coming from his nostrils. [17] From on high God reached down and grabbed me; he took me out of deep waters. [18] God saved me from my powerful enemy, saved me from my foes, who were too much for me. [19] They came at me on the very day of my distress, but the LORD was my support. [20] He brought me out to wide-open spaces; he pulled me out, because he is pleased with me. [21] The LORD rewarded me for my righteousness; he restored me because my hands are clean, [22] because I have kept the LORD’s ways. I haven’t acted wickedly against my God. [23] All his rules are right in front of me; I haven’t turned away from any of his laws. [24] I have lived with integrity before him; I’ve kept myself from wrongdoing. [25] And so the LORD restored me for my righteousness, because I am clean in his eyes. [26] You deal faithfully with the faithful; you show integrity toward the one who has integrity. [27] You are pure toward the pure, but toward the crooked, you are tricky. [28] You are the one who saves people who suffer, but your eyes are against the proud. You bring them down! [29] You are my lamp, LORD; the LORD illumines my darkness. [30] With you I can charge into battle; with my God I can leap over a wall. [31] God! His way is perfect; the LORD’s word is tried and true. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. [32] Now really, who is divine except the LORD? And who is a rock except our God? [33] Only God! My mighty fortress, who makes my way perfect, [34] who makes my step as sure as the deer’s, who lets me stand securely on the heights, [35] who trains my hands for war so my arms can bend a bronze bow. [36] You’ve given me the shield of your salvation; your help has made me great. [37] You’ve let me walk fast and safe, without even twisting an ankle. [38] I chased my enemies and destroyed them! I didn’t come home until I finished them off. [39] I ate them up! I struck them down! They couldn’t get up; they fell under my feet. [40] You equipped me with strength for war; you brought my adversaries down underneath me. [41] You made my enemies turn tail from me; I destroyed my foes. [42] They looked around, but there was no one to save them. They looked to the LORD, but he wouldn’t answer them. [43] I crushed them like dust on the ground; I stomped on them, trampled them like mud dumped in the streets. [44] You delivered me from struggles with many people; you appointed me the leader of many nations. Strangers come to serve me. [45] Foreigners grovel before me; after hearing about me, they obey me. [46] Foreigners lose their nerve; they come trembling out of their fortresses. [47] The LORD lives! Bless God, my rock! Let my God, the rock of my salvation, be lifted high! [48] This is the God who avenges on my behalf, who subdues peoples before me, [49] who rescues me from my enemies. You lifted me high above my adversaries; you delivered me from violent people. [50] That’s why I thank you, LORD, in the presence of the nations. That’s why I sing praises to your name. [51] You are the one who gives great victories to your king, who shows faithful love to your anointed one—to David and to his descendants forever.