[1] And David spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the
LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of
Saul. [2] He said, "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer, [3] my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the
horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; thou savest
me from violence. [4] I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies. [5] "For the waves of death encompassed me,
the torrents of perdition assailed me; [6] the cords of Sheol entangled me,
the snares of death confronted me. [7] "In my distress I called upon the
LORD; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry
came to his ears. [8] "Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of
the heavens trembled and quaked, because he was angry. [9] Smoke went up
from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed
forth from him. [10] He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness
was under his feet. [11] He rode on a cherub, and flew; he was seen upon
the wings of the wind. [12] He made darkness around him his canopy, thick
clouds, a gathering of water. [13] Out of the brightness before him coals
of fire flamed forth. [14] The LORD thundered from heaven, and the Most
High uttered his voice. [15] And he sent out arrows, and scattered them;
lightning, and routed them. [16] Then the channels of the sea were seen,
the foundations of the world were laid bare, at the rebuke of the LORD, at
the blast of the breath of his nostrils. [17] "He reached from on high, he
took me, he drew me out of many waters. [18] He delivered me from my strong
enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. [19] They
came upon me in the day of my calamity; but the LORD was my stay. [20] He
brought me forth into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted
in me. [21] "The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according
to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me. [22] For I have kept the
ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. [23] For all
his ordinances were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
[24] I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. [25]
Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight. [26] "With the loyal thou dost show
thyself loyal; with the blameless man thou dost show thyself blameless;
[27] with the pure thou dost show thyself pure, and with the crooked thou
dost show thyself perverse. [28] Thou dost deliver a humble people, but thy
eyes are upon the haughty to bring them down. [29] Yea, thou art my lamp, O
LORD, and my God lightens my darkness. [30] Yea, by thee I can crush a
troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. [31] This God--his way is
perfect; the promise of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those
who take refuge in him. [32] "For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a
rock, except our God? [33] This God is my strong refuge, and has made my
way safe. [34] He made my feet like hinds' feet, and set me secure on the
heights. [35] He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of
bronze. [36] Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy help
made me great. [37] Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me, and
my feet did not slip; [38] I pursued my enemies and destroyed them, and did
not turn back until they were consumed. [39] I consumed them; I thrust them
through, so that they did not rise; they fell under my feet. [40] For thou
didst gird me with strength for the battle; thou didst make my assailants
sink under me. [41] Thou didst make my enemies turn their backs to me,
those who hated me, and I destroyed them. [42] They looked, but there was
none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them. [43] I
beat them fine as the dust of the earth, I crushed them and stamped them
down like the mire of the streets. [44] "Thou didst deliver me from strife
with the peoples; thou didst keep me as the head of the nations; people
whom I had not known served me. [45] Foreigners came cringing to me; as
soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me. [46] Foreigners lost heart, and
came trembling out of their fastnesses. [47] "The LORD lives; and blessed
be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation, [48] the God
who gave me vengeance and brought down peoples under me, [49] who brought
me out from my enemies; thou didst exalt me above my adversaries, thou
didst deliver me from men of violence. [50] "For this I will extol thee, O
LORD, among the nations, and sing praises to thy name. [51] Great triumphs
he gives to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David,
and his descendants for ever."
