David's Song of Deliverance

1And David spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2He said,

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

3my22:3 Septuagint (compare Psalm 18:2); Hebrew lacks my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold and my refuge,

my saviour; you save me from violence.

4I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

and I am saved from my enemies.

5“For the waves of death encompassed me,

the torrents of destruction assailed me;22:5 Or terrified me

6the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

7“In my distress I called upon the LORD;

to my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry came to his ears.

8“Then the earth reeled and rocked;

the foundations of the heavens trembled

and quaked, because he was angry.

9Smoke went up from his nostrils,22:9 Or in his wrath

and devouring fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

10He bowed the heavens and came down;

thick darkness was under his feet.

11He rode on a cherub and flew;

he was seen on the wings of the wind.

12He made darkness around him his canopy,

thick clouds, a gathering of water.

13Out of the brightness before him

coals of fire flamed forth.

14The LORD thundered from heaven,

and the Most High uttered his voice.

15And he sent out arrows and scattered them;

lightning, and routed them.

16Then the channels of the sea were seen;

the foundations of the world were laid bare,

at the rebuke of the LORD,

at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

17“He sent from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of many waters.

18He rescued me from my strong enemy,

from those who hated me,

for they were too mighty for me.

19They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

but the LORD was my support.

20He brought me out into a broad place;

he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

21“The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

22For I have kept the ways of the LORD

and have not wickedly departed from my God.

23For all his rules were before me,

and from his statutes I did not turn aside.

24I was blameless before him,

and I kept myself from guilt.

25And the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

according to my cleanness in his sight.

26“With the merciful you show yourself merciful;

with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;

27with the purified you deal purely,

and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

28You save a humble people,

but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

29For you are my lamp, O LORD,

and my God lightens my darkness.

30For by you I can run against a troop,

and by my God I can leap over a wall.

31This God—his way is perfect;

the word of the LORD proves true;

he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

32“For who is God, but the LORD?

And who is a rock, except our God?

33This God is my strong refuge

and has made my22:33 Or his; also verse 34 way blameless.22:33 Compare Psalm 18:32; Hebrew he has blamelessly set my way free, or he has made my way spring up blamelessly

34He made my feet like the feet of a deer

and set me secure on the heights.

35He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your gentleness made me great.

37You gave a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet22:37 Hebrew ankles did not slip;

38I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,

and did not turn back until they were consumed.

39I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise;

they fell under my feet.

40For you equipped me with strength for the battle;

you made those who rise against me sink under me.

41You made my enemies turn their backs to me,22:41 Or You gave me my enemies' necks

those who hated me, and I destroyed them.

42They looked, but there was none to save;

they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.

43I beat them fine as the dust of the earth;

I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets.

44“You delivered me from strife with my people;22:44 Septuagint with the peoples

you kept me as the head of the nations;

people whom I had not known served me.

45Foreigners came cringing to me;

as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.

46Foreigners lost heart

and came trembling22:46 Compare Psalm 18:45; Hebrew equipped themselves out of their fortresses.

47“The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,

48the God who gave me vengeance

and brought down peoples under me,

49who brought me out from my enemies;

you exalted me above those who rose against me;

you delivered me from men of violence.

50“For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations,

and sing praises to your name.

51Great salvation he brings22:51 Or He is a tower of salvation to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his anointed,

to David and his offspring for ever.”