2 Samuel Chapter 22

David’s Song of Praise (Psalm 18)

¹ David sang this song to Yahveh when he delivered him from his enemies and from Saul:

            ² “Yahveh is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,

                  ³ my God, my refuge, my shield,

                  the horn of my salvation, my fortress,

                  my savior who saves me from violence.

            ⁴ I called on him who deserves praise,

                  and he saved me from my enemies.

            ⁵ The waves of death entangled me;

                  the torrents of destruction flooded over me;

                  ⁶ the cords of Sheol tied me down;

                  the snares of death trapped me.

            ⁷ In my desperation I cried out to Yahveh,

                  and he heard me in his temple.                            

2 Sam 22:1-7

            ⁸ Then the earth quaked and the mountains shook

                  because he was angry.

            ⁹ Smoke poured out of his nostrils;

                  consuming fire flared from his mouth;

                  glowing coals erupted from him.

            ¹⁰ He lowered the sky too

                  and came down with dense darkness under his feet.

            ¹¹ He rode on a cherub

                  and came flying on the wings of the wind.

            ¹² He made blackness a canopy around him,

                  a mass of moisture, dark clouds in the sky.

            ¹³ Coals of fire flamed out

                  from the brightness in front of him.

            ¹⁴ Yahveh thundered from the sky;

                  the Most High raised his voice.                           

2 Sam 22:8-14

            ¹⁵ He shot arrows and scattered my enemies;

                  lightning flashes routed them.

            ¹⁶ Then the water in the sea receded;

                  the seabed was exposed at his rebuke,

                        at the blast from his nostrils.

            ¹⁷ He reached down from on high and grabbed me,

                  and pulled me out of the path of the raging tsunami.

            ¹⁸ He delivered me from powerful enemies

                  that hated me,

                  that were too strong for me.

            ¹⁹ They attacked me in a time of catastrophe,

                  but Yahveh supported me.

            ²⁰ He brought me out into a safe place

                  and rescued me because he delighted in me.      

2 Sam 22:15-20

            ²¹ “Yahveh has rewarded me according to my goodness,

                        according to my innocence—

                  ²² because I’d kept his ways

                        and hadn’t sinned by leaving him,

                  ²³ because his ordinances all stayed with me;

                        I hadn’t shoved any of his statutes away.

            ²⁴ I stood blameless in front of him

                  and kept away from sin.

            ²⁵ So Yahveh has rewarded me according to my goodness—

                  according to my godliness toward him.

²⁶ “With the kind you’re kind;

                  with the blameless you’re blameless;

                  ²⁷ with the pure you’re pure;

                  the devious you torture.

            ²⁸ You rescue the humble,

                  but bring down the haughty.

            ²⁹ You’re my lamp, Yahveh,

                  and shine light into my darkness.

            ³⁰ With your help I can crush a battalion; 

                  I can scale a wall.

            ³¹ God’s way is perfect;

                  Yahveh’s promise proves true;

                  he’s a shield for everyone that depends on him for protection.

2 Sam 22:21-31

            ³² “Who is God except Yahveh?

                  Who is a rock except our God,

                        ³³ who wraps me in strength

                              and makes my way safe,

                        ³⁴ who makes my feet like red deer’s hooves

                              and sets me securely on high ground,

                        ³⁵ who trains my hands for battle

                              and strengthens my arms to draw a bronze bow,

2 Sam 22:32-35

                        ³⁶ who gives me his deliverance as a shield

                              and helps make me great,

                        ³⁷ who widens the path for my feet

                              so they don’t slip.

            ³⁸ I chased my enemies and overtook them;

                  I didn’t turn back till I’d eliminated them.

            ³⁹ I thrust them through so they couldn’t get up again.                     

            They fell under my feet

                  ⁴⁰ because you’ve wrapped me in strength for battle;

                  and subdued my assailants under me.

            ⁴¹ You’ve made my enemies retreat;

                  I destroyed the ones that hated me.

            ⁴² They looked around for help, but there wasn’t any;

                  they even cried out to Yahveh, but he didn’t answer them.

            ⁴³ I pulverized them like dust,

                  crushed and stomped on them like dirt in the street.

2 Sam 22:36-43

            ⁴⁴ “You delivered me from conflict with my own people

                  and placed me at the head of nations;

                  people I didn’t know serve me now.

            ⁴⁵ Foreigners pretend to submit as soon as they hear me;

            ⁴⁶ they retreat and come cringing out of their fortresses.

2 Sam 22:44-46

            ⁴⁷ “Yahveh lives; blessed be my Rock;

                  exalted be God, the rock that saves me,

                        ⁴⁸ the God that carries out vengeance for me

                              and subdues nations under me,

                        ⁴⁹ who brought me out from my enemies

and lifted me above my attackers,

                        who rescued me from violent people.

            ⁵⁰ So I’ll thank you among the Gentiles, Yahveh,

                  and sing praises to you.

            ⁵¹ You’re a tower of victory for your king

                  and show enduring love to your anointed one—

                        David and his descendants forever.”             2 Sam 22:2-51 [= Ps 18:2-50]