Open English Translation 2SA Chapter 22

22 Then after Yahweh had rescued David from Sha’ul and all his enemies, David sang this song for Yahweh,

2 “Yahweh is my rock and my fortress

and the one who rescues me, yes, even me.

3 God of my rock—I find safety in him,

≈my shield and my powerful saviour,

my high fort and my refuge,

≈my saviour—you save me from violence.

4 I call out to Yahweh who deserves to be praised.

I was kept safe from my enemies.

5 Death was enveloping me like a wave.

≈Torrents of worthlessness were overwhelming me.

6 Sheol’s ropes tightened around me.

≈Deadly traps confronted me.

7 In my distress I called to Yahweh,

≈and to my God I called out.

He listened to my voice from his temple,

≈and he heard my cry for help.

8 The earth reeled and it shook.

≈The foundations of the heavens trembled,

and they shook because because he became angry.

9 Smoke went up from his nose,

≈and burning coals and fire from his mouth.

10 He stretched out the heavens,

then he came down and it was dark below him.

11 He rode on a winged creature, and he flew.

Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.

12 He placed darkness all around him as a covering—

a collection of dark clouds holding water in them.

13 From the brightness in front of him,

coals of fire burned.

14 Yahweh thundered from the sky.

≈The most high God made his voice known.

15 He sent out arrows, and he scattered them.

≈He sent out lightning, and he confused them.

16 The channels of the sea became visible.

≈The foundations of the world were uncovered

at Yahweh’s rebuke,

from the blast from his nostrils.

17 He reached down from above and picked me up.

≈He pulled me up out of the surging waters.

18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy—

from the people who hated me—

because they were stronger than me.

19 They confronted me when I was experiencing difficulties,

but Yahweh supported me.

20 He brought me out into a wide area.

He rescued me because he was pleased with me.

21 Yahweh has rewarded me because of my obedience.

≈He’s repaid me because my hands were clean,

22 because I’ve followed Yahweh’s paths,

≈and I haven’t acted wickedly by turning away from my God.

23 I’m aware of all his regulations,

≈and I haven’t turned away from his decrees.

24 I’ve done nothing that he can accuse me of,

≈and I’ve stopped myself when I wanted to disobey.

25 Yahweh rewarded me for my obedience,

because he saw my innocence.

26 With a faithful person, you show yourself faithful.

≈with a blameless warrior, you prove yourself blameless.

27 With someone who purifies themself, you show yourself pure,

^but you show yourself deceptive to a crooked person.

28 You save afflicted people,

^but you dislike the proud—you bring them down.

29 For you are my lamp, Yahweh,

≈and you lighten my darkness.

30 For by you, I can charge against a troop of warriors.

≈With my God’s help I can leap over a city wall.

31 God’s path is perfect.

≈Yahweh’s message is tried and tested.

≥He keeps everyone safe who requests his protection.

32 Who could be God other than Yahweh?

≈And who is a rock apart from our God?

33 This God is my strong fortress,

and he keeps my pathways cleared.

34 The one who makes my feet nimble like a deer,

≈and places me securely up on the heights.[ref]

35 The one who trains me how to win in battle,

≈and strengthens my arms to pull back a powerful bow.

36 You saved me from death like a shield,

and you helped me become well-known by answering my prayers.

37 You helped me make large strides,

and stopped my feet from slipping.

38 Let me chase down my enemies and destroy them.

≈Then I won’t return until they’re all defeated.

39 I will attack them and smash them.

≈They won’t stand again—they’ll fall under my feet.

40 You give me extra strength for the war.

You make the people who rebelled against me submit.

41 You make my enemies flee away from me.

You help me destroy the people who hate me.

42 They look, but there’s no one to rescue them.

They call out to you, Yahweh, but you don’t answer them.

43 I crush them as finely as the dust on the ground.

≈I trample them like the mud on the streets and flatten them.

44 You rescue me from the arguments of my people.

You help me remain as the head of nations.

People serve me even if I don’t even know them.

45 Foreigners are afraid of me.

≈When they hear me, they obey me.

46 They lose heart,

and come out of their fortresses trembling.

47 Yahweh is alive—may my secure rock be blessed.

≈May the God of the rock of my salvation be praised.

48 He’s the God who avenges me,

≈and the one who makes the people who rebelled against me submit.

49 He’s the one who helps me escape from my enemies.

≈You hold me up away from the ones who rise up against me.

≈You rescue me from violent men.

50 Therefore I praise you, Yahweh, among the nations,

and I sing praises about who you are.[ref]

51 The one who helps his king to save the people,

and the one who shows loyalty to the one he chose—

to David and to his descendants forever.”