1THESE ARE THE WORDS OF THE SONG David sang to the LORD on the day when the LORD delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from the power of Saul:
2vv2-51: cp Ps. 18.2-50 The LORD is my stronghold, my fortress and my champion, 3my God, my rock where I find safety;
my shield, my mountain fastness, my strong tower,
my refuge, my deliverer, who saves me from violence. 4I will call on the LORD to whom all praise is due,
and I shall be delivered from my enemies. 5When the waves of death swept round me,
and torrents of destruction overtook me, 6the bonds of Sheol tightened about me,
the snares of death were set to catch me; 7then in anguish of heart I cried to the LORD,
I called for help to my God;
he heard me from his temple,
and my cry rang in his ears. 8The earth heaved and quaked,
heaven's foundations shook;
they heaved, because he was angry. 9Smoke rose from his nostrils,
devouring fire came out of his mouth,
glowing coals and searing heat. 10He swept the skies aside as he descended,
thick darkness lay under his feet. 11He rode on a cherub, he flew through the air;
he swooped prob. rdg, cp Ps. 18.10; Heb was seen on the wings of the wind. 12He curtained himself in darkness
and made dense vapour his canopy. 13Thick clouds came out of the radiance before him;
glowing coals burned brightly. 14The LORD thundered from the heavens
and the voice of the Most High spoke out. 15He loosed his arrows, he sped them far and wide,
his lightning shafts, and sent them echoing. 16The channels of the sea-bed were revealed,
the foundations of earth laid bare
at the LORD's rebuke,
at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17He reached down from the height and took me,
he drew me out of mighty waters, 18he rescued me from my enemies, strong as they were,
from my foes when they grew too powerful for me. 19They confronted me in the hour of my peril,
but the LORD was my buttress. 20He brought me out into an open place,
he rescued me because he delighted in me. 21The LORD rewarded me as my righteousness deserved;
my hands were clean, and he requited me. 22For I have followed the ways of the LORD
and have not turned wickedly from my God; 23all his laws are before my eyes,
I have not failed to follow his decrees. 24In his sight I was blameless
and kept myself from wilful sin; 25the LORD requited me as my righteousness deserved
and my purity in his eyes.
26With the loyal thou showest thyself loyal
and with the blameless man blameless. 27With the savage man thou showest thyself savage,
and With the savage ... savage, and:
or
With the pure thou showest thyself pure,
but tortuous with the perverse. 28Thou deliverest humble folk,
thou lookest with contempt upon the proud. 29Thou, LORD, art my lamp,
and the LORD will lighten my darkness. 30With thy help I leap over a bank,
by God's aid I spring over a wall.
31The way of God is perfect,
the LORD's word has stood the test;
he is the shield of all who take refuge in him. 32What god is there but the LORD?
What rock but our God?— 33the God who girds me who girds me: prob. rdg, cp Ps. 18.32; Heb my refuge or my strength with strength
and makes my way blameless and makes ... blameless: prob. rdg, cp Ps. 18.32; Heb unintelligible, 34who makes me swift as a hind
and sets me secure on the mountains; 35who trains my hands for battle,
and my arms aim an arrow tipped with bronze.
36Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation,
in thy providence thou makest me great. 37Thou givest me room for my steps,
my feet have not faltered. 38I pursue my enemies and destroy them,
I do not return until I have made an end of them. 39I make an end of them, I strike them down;
they rise no more, they fall beneath my feet. 40Thou dost arm me with strength for the battle
and dost subdue my foes before me. 41Thou settest prob. rdg, cp Ps. 18.40; Heb unintelligible my foot on my enemies' necks,
and I bring to nothing those that hate me. 42They cry out cry out: prob. rdg, cp Ps. 18.41; Heb look and there is no one to help them,
they cry to the LORD and he does not answer. 43I will pound them fine as dust on the ground,
like mud in the streets will I trample them prob. rdg, cp Ps. 18.42; Heb adds will I stamp them down. 44Thou dost deliver me from the clamour of the people,
and makest me master of the nations.
A people I never knew shall be my subjects. 45Foreigners shall come cringing to me;
as soon as they hear tell of me, they shall obey me. 46Foreigners shall be brought captive to me,
and come limping from their strongholds.
47The LORD lives, blessed is my rock,
high above all is God my rock and safe refuge.
48O God, who grantest me vengeance,
who dost subdue peoples under me, 49who dost snatch me from my foes and set me over my enemies,
thou dost deliver me from violent men. 50Therefore, LORD, I will praise thee among the nations
and sing psalms to thy name, 51to one who gives his king great victories
and in all his acts keeps faith with his a1ointed king,
with David and his descendants for ever.