The Victory Song of David

22 Then David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song,[fn] on the day Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

• 2 And he said:
  • “Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.
• 3 I take refuge in God, my rock,[fn] my shield, and the strength[fn] of my salvation.
  • My stronghold and my refuge, O my savior, you will save me from violence!
• 4 I call upon Yahweh who is praiseworthy,
  • and I am saved from those who hate me.
• 5 For the breaker waves of death engulfed me;
  • the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.
• 6 The ropes of Sheol entangled me;
  • the snares of death confronted me.
• 7 In my distress I called upon Yahweh, and to my God I called.
  • He heard my voice from his temple,
  • and my cry for help was to his ears.
• 8 The earth heaved and shook,
  • the foundations of heaven trembled and heaved
  • because he was angry .[fn]
• 9 Smoke went up from his nostrils and fire from his mouth.
  • Burning coals devoured, they burned from him.
• 10 He bowed the heavens and came down;
  • a very thick cloud was under his feet.
• 11 He rode upon a cherub and flew;
  • he was seen on the wings of the wind.
• 12 He put darkness as a canopy all around him,
  • a collection of thick rain clouds .[fn]
• 13 From the brightness before him
  • flamed burning coals of fire.
• 14 Yahweh thundered from heaven,
  • and the Most High uttered his voice .[fn]
• 15 He sent arrows and he scattered them,
  • lightning, and he directed them.
• 16 Then the channels of water of the sea were exposed,
  • the foundations of the world,
  • at the rebuke of Yawheh,
  • from the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
• 17 He sent from a high position and took me;
  • he drew me from mighty waters.
• 18 He delivered me from my strong enemies,
  • from those who hate me, for they were mightier than I.
• 19 They approached me on the day of my disaster,
  • but Yahweh was my support.
• 20 He brought me out to a spacious place.
  • He delivered me because he delighted in me.
• 21 Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness,
  • according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
• 22 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh;
  • I have not acted wickedly against my God.
• 23 For all of his ordinances were before me,
  • and I did not turn aside from his statutes.
• 24 I was blameless before him,
  • and I kept myself from my iniquity.
• 25 Yahweh has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
  • according to my cleanness before his eyes.
• 26 With the loyal, you act as loyal,
  • and with the blameless, you show yourself blameless.
• 27 With the pure, you show yourself pure,
  • but with the crooked, you appear as a fool.
• 28 Humble people you will deliver,
  • but your eyes are on the haughty, whom you bring down.
• 29 For you, O Yahweh are my lamp,
  • and Yahweh lightens my darkness.
• 30 For by you I can run a raid;
  • by my God I can leap over a wall.
• 31 This God, his way is blameless;
  • the promise of Yahweh is flawless.
  • He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.
• 32 For who is God apart from Yahweh?
  • And who is a rock apart from our God?
• 33 God is my strong refuge,
  • he has fully opened my way.[fn]
• 34 He makes my feet[fn] like a doe deer,
  • and on my high places he has set me.
• 35 He trains my hands for the war,
  • so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
• 36 You have given me the shield of your salvation;
  • your willingness to help has made me great.
• 37 You have broadened my steps beneath me;
  • my ankles have not wobbled.
• 38 I pursued those who hate me, and I destroyed them.
  • I did not turn back until finishing them.
• 39 I wiped them out and I smashed them;
  • they did not get up; they fell under my feet.
• 40 You have girded me with physical strength for the battle;
  • you caused those who rose up against me to kneel under me.
• 41 My enemies you cause to retreat from me ;[fn]
  • I destroy those who hate me.
• 42 They looked out, but there was no deliverer,
  • even to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.
• 43 I beat them fine, like the dust of the earth;
  • like the mire of the streets, I crushed them, I stamped them down.
• 44 You delivered me from the strife of my people;
  • you preserved me as the head of the nations.
  • A people I had not known served me.
• 45 Children of a foreign land came cringing to me;
  • when they heard of me ,[fn] they became obedient to me.
• 46 Children of a foreign land lost heart
  • and came trembling from their strongholds.
• 47 Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock!
  • May God, the rock of my salvation, be exalted!
• 48 God does vengeance for me,
  • bringing down peoples under me.
• 49 He brings me out from my enemies,
  • and from those who rose up against me you lift me up,
  • and from men of violence you rescue me.
• 50 Therefore I will extol you, Yahweh, among the nations!
  • I will sing praises to your name!
• 51 He makes great salvation for his king
  • and shows loyal love to his anointed one, David
  • and to his descendants forever.”