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 by 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.”