(KJV) 2 Samuel 22¹

⥃David’s Song of Deliverance ^{[ Psalms 18:1–50 ]}

[1] And David² spake unto the Lord the words³ of this song in⁴ the day [that] the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out⁵ of the hand of Saul: [2] And he said, The Lord [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;⁶ [3] The God of my rock; in him⁷ will I trust: [he is] my shield⁸, and the horn⁹ of my salvation, my high¹⁰ tower, and my refuge¹¹, my saviour¹²; thou savest¹³ me from violence. [4] I will¹⁴ call on the Lord, [who is] worthy¹⁵ to be praised: so¹⁶ shall I be saved from mine enemies. [5] When the waves¹⁷ of death compassed me, the floods¹⁸ of ungodly men¹⁹ made me afraid; [6] The sorrows²⁰ of hell compassed me about; the snares²¹ of death prevented me; [7] In my distress²² I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear²³ my voice out²⁴ of his temple, and my cry²⁵ [did enter] into his ears. [8] Then the earth²⁶ shook and trembled; the foundations²⁷ of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. [9] There went²⁸ up a smoke out of his²⁹ nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals³⁰ were kindled by it. [10] He bowed³¹ the heavens also, and came down; and darkness³² [was] under his feet. [11] And he rode upon a cherub³³, and did fly: and he was seen upon the³⁴ wings of the wind. [12] And he made³⁵ darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters³⁶, [and] thick clouds of the skies. [13] Through the brightness before him were coals of fire³⁷ kindled. [14] The Lord thundered³⁸ from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. [15] And he sent out arrows³⁹, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. [16] And the channels⁴⁰ of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking⁴¹ of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils⁴². [17] He sent⁴³ from above, he took me; he drew⁴⁴ me out of many⁴⁵ waters; [18] He delivered⁴⁶ me from my strong enemy, [and] from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. [19] They prevented⁴⁷ me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord⁴⁸ was my stay. [20] He brought⁴⁹ me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted⁵⁰ in me. [21] The Lord rewarded⁵¹ me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness⁵² of my hands hath he recompensed me. [22] For I have kept⁵³ the ways⁵⁴ of the Lord, and have not⁵⁵ wickedly departed from my God. [23] For all⁵⁶ his judgments⁵⁷ [were] before me: and [as for] his statutes, I did not⁵⁸ depart from them. [24] I was also upright⁵⁹ before him⁶⁰, and have kept⁶¹ myself from mine iniquity. [25] Therefore the Lord hath recompensed⁶² me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight⁶³. [26] With the merciful⁶⁴ thou wilt shew thyself merciful, [and] with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright. [27] With the pure⁶⁵ thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward⁶⁶ thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury⁶⁷. [28] And the afflicted⁶⁸ people thou wilt save: but thine⁶⁹ eyes [are] upon the haughty, [that] thou mayest bring [them] down. [29] For thou [art] my lamp⁷⁰, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten⁷¹ my darkness. [30] For by thee I have run through⁷² a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. [31] [As for] God, his way⁷³ [is] perfect; the word⁷⁴ of the Lord [is] tried⁷⁵: he [is] a buckler⁷⁶ to all them that trust in him. [32] For who⁷⁷ [is] God, save the Lord? and who [is] a rock⁷⁸, save our God? [33] God [is] my strength⁷⁹ [and] power: and he maketh⁸⁰ my way⁸¹ perfect⁸². [34] He maketh⁸³ my feet like hinds’⁸⁴ [feet]: and setteth⁸⁵ me upon my high places. [35] He teacheth⁸⁶ my hands to war⁸⁷; so that a bow⁸⁸ of steel is broken by mine arms. [36] Thou hast also given me the shield⁸⁹ of thy salvation: and thy gentleness⁹⁰ hath made me great⁹¹. [37] Thou hast enlarged⁹² my steps under me; so that my feet⁹³ did not slip. [38] I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.⁹⁴ [39] And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.⁹⁵ [40] For thou hast girded⁹⁶ me with strength to battle: them⁹⁷ that rose up against me hast thou subdued⁹⁸ under me. [41] Thou hast also given me the necks⁹⁹ of mine enemies, that I might¹⁰⁰ destroy them that hate me. [42] They looked, but [there was] none to save; [even] unto the Lord¹⁰¹, but he answered them not. [43] Then did I beat them as small¹⁰² as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire¹⁰³ of the street, [and] did spread¹⁰⁴ them abroad. [44] Thou also hast delivered¹⁰⁵ me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me [to be] head¹⁰⁶ of the heathen: a people¹⁰⁷ [which] I knew not shall serve me. [45] Strangers¹⁰⁸ shall submit themselves¹⁰⁹ unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. [46] Strangers shall fade away¹¹⁰, and they shall be afraid out¹¹¹ of their close places. [47] The Lord¹¹² liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of¹¹³ my salvation. [48] It [is] God that avengeth me¹¹⁴, and that bringeth¹¹⁵ down the people under me, [49] And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also¹¹⁶ hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent¹¹⁷ man. [50] Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among¹¹⁸ the heathen, and I will sing¹¹⁹ praises unto thy name. [51] [He is] the tower¹²⁰ of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed¹²¹, unto David, and to his seed¹²² for evermore.