[1] And David made a song to the Lord in these words, on the day when the
Lord made him free from the hands of all his haters, and from the hand of
Saul: [2] And he said, The Lord is my Rock, my walled town, and my saviour,
even mine; [3] My God, my Rock, in him will I put my faith; my breastplate,
and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my safe place; my saviour,
who keeps me safe from the violent man. [4] I will send up my cry to the
Lord, who is to be praised; so will I be made safe from those who are
against me. [5] For the waves of death came round me, and the seas of evil
put me in fear; [6] The cords of hell were round me: the nets of death came
on me. [7] In my trouble my voice went up to the Lord, and my cry to my
God: my voice came to his hearing in his holy Temple, and my prayer came to
his ears. [8] Then the earth was moved with a violent shock; the bases of
heaven were moved and shaking, because he was angry. [9] There went up a
smoke from his nose, and a fire of destruction from his mouth: coals were
lighted by it. [10] The heavens were bent, so that he might come down; and
it was dark under his feet. [11] And he went through the air, seated on a
storm-cloud: going quickly on the wings of the wind. [12] And he made the
dark his tent round him, a mass of waters, thick clouds of the skies. [13]
Before his shining light his dark clouds went past, raining ice and coals
of fire. [14] The Lord made thunder in the heavens, and the voice of the
Highest was sounding out. [15] And he sent out his arrows, driving them in
all directions; by his flames of fire they were troubled. [16] Then the
deep beds of the sea were seen, and the bases of the world were uncovered,
because of the Lord's wrath, because of the breath of his mouth. [17] He
sent from on high, he took me, pulling me out of great waters. [18] He made
me free from my strong hater, from those who were against me, because they
were stronger than I. [19] They came on me in the day of my trouble: but
the Lord was my support. [20] He took me out into a wide place; he was my
saviour because he had delight in me. [21] The Lord gives me the reward of
my righteousness, because my hands are clean before him. [22] For I have
kept the ways of the Lord; I have not been turned away in sin from my God.
[23] For all his decisions were before me, and I did not put away his laws
from me. [24] And I was upright before him, and I kept myself from sin.
[25] Because of this the Lord has given me the reward of my righteousness,
because my hands are clean in his eyes. [26] On him who has mercy you will
have mercy; to the upright you will be upright; [27] He who is holy will
see that you are holy; but to the man whose way is not straight you will be
a hard judge. [28] For you are the saviour of those who are in trouble; but
your eyes are on men of pride, to make them low. [29] For you are my light,
O Lord; and the Lord will make the dark bright for me. [30] By your help I
have made a way through the wall which was shutting me in: by the help of
my God I have gone over a wall. [31] As for God, his way is all good: the
word of the Lord is tested; he is a safe cover for all those who put their
faith in him. [32] For who is God but the Lord? and who is a Rock but our
God? [33] God puts a strong band about me, guiding me in a straight way.
[34] He makes my feet like roes' feet, and puts me on high places. [35] He
makes my hands expert in war, so that a bow of brass is bent by my arms.
[36] You have given me the breastplate of your salvation, and your mercy
has made me great. [37] You have made my steps wide under me, so that my
feet make no slip. [38] I go after my haters and overtake them; not turning
back till they are all overcome. [39] I have sent destruction on them and
given them wounds, so that they are not able to get up: they are stretched
under my feet. [40] For I have been armed by you with strength for the
fight: you have made low under me those who came out against me. [41] By
you their backs are turned in flight, so that my haters are cut off. [42]
They were crying out, but there was no one to come to their help: even to
the Lord, but he gave them no answer. [43] Then they were crushed as small
as the dust of the earth, stamped down under my feet like the waste of the
streets. [44] You have made me free from the fightings of my people; you
have made me the head of the nations: a people of whom I had no knowledge
will be my servants. [45] Men of other countries will, with false hearts,
put themselves under my authority: from the time when my name comes to
their ears, they will be ruled by me. [46] They will be wasted away, they
will come out of their secret places shaking with fear. [47] The Lord is
living; praise be to my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be honoured:
[48] It is God who sends punishment on my haters, and puts peoples under my
rule. [49] He makes me free from my haters: I am lifted up over those who
come up against me: you have made me free from the violent man. [50]
Because of this I will give you praise, O Lord, among the nations, and will
make a song of praise to your name. [51] Great salvation does he give to
his king; he has mercy on the king of his selection, David, and on his seed
for ever.
