The Second Book of Samuel

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 22 -

(Psalm 18:1–50)

David sang to Yahweh the words of this song on the day that Yahweh rescued him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.

He prayed, “Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, the one who rescues me.

God is my rock. I take refuge in him. He is my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, and my refuge, the one who saves me from violence.

I will call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised, and I will be saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death surrounded me, the rushing waters of destruction overwhelmed me.

The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death trapped me.

In my distress I called to Yahweh; I called to my God; he heard my voice from his temple, and my call for help went into his ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of the heavens trembled and were shaken, because God was angry.

Smoke went up from out of his nostrils, and blazing fire came out of his mouth. Coals were ignited by it.

He opened the heavens and came down, and thick darkness was under his feet.

He rode on a cherub and flew. He was seen on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness a tent around him, gathering heavy rain clouds in the skies.

From the lightning before him coals of fire fell.

Yahweh thundered from the heavens. The Most High shouted.

He shot arrows and scattered his enemies-lightning bolts and dispersed them.

Then the water channels appeared; the foundations of the world were exposed at Yahweh’s battle cry, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

He reached down from above; he took hold of me! He pulled me out of the surging water.

He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

They came against me on the day of my distress, but Yahweh was my support.

He also brought me out to a wide open place. He saved me because he was pleased with me.

Yahweh has rewarded me to the measure of my righteousness; he has restored me to the measure of the cleanness of my hands.

For I have kept the ways of Yahweh and have not acted wickedly by turning from my God.

For all his righteous decrees have been before me; as for his statutes, I have not turned away from them.

I have also been innocent before him, and I have kept myself from sin.

Therefore, Yahweh has restored me to the measure of my righteousness, to the degree of my cleanness in his sight.

To one who is faithful, you show yourself to be faithful; to a man who is blameless, you show yourself to be blameless.

With the pure you show yourself pure, but you are perverse to the twisted.

You save afflicted people, but your eyes are against the proud, and you bring them down.

For you are my lamp, Yahweh. Yahweh lights up my darkness.

For by you I can run over a barricade; by my God I can leap over a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is pure. He is a shield to everyone who takes refuge in him.

For who is God except Yahweh, and who is a rock except our God?

God is my refuge, and he leads the blameless person on his path.

He makes my feet swift like a deer and places me on the high hills.

He trains my hands for war, and my arms to bend a bow of bronze.

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your favor has made me great.

You have made a wide place for my feet beneath me, so my feet have not slipped.

I pursued my enemies and destroyed them. I did not turn back until they were destroyed.

I devoured them and smashed them; they cannot rise. They have fallen under my feet.

You put strength on me like a belt for battle; you put under me those who rise up against me.

You gave me the back of my enemies’ necks; I annihilated those who hated me.

They cried for help, but no one saved them; they cried out to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.

I beat them into fine pieces like dust on the ground, I pulverized them like mud in the streets.

You also have rescued me from the disputes of my own people. You have kept me as the head of nations. A people that I have not known serves me.

Foreigners were forced to bow to me. As soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.

The foreigners came trembling out of their strongholds.

Yahweh lives! May my rock be praised. May God be exalted, the rock of my salvation.

This is the God who executes vengeance for me, the one who brings down peoples under me.

He sets me free from my enemies. Indeed, you lifted me up above those who rose up against me. You rescue me from violent men.

Therefore, I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.

God gives great victory to his king, and he shows his covenant loyalty to his anointed one, to David and to his descendants forever.”

(Psalm 18:1–50)

David spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,

and he said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;

God is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence.

I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

The cords of Sheol

(a)

were around me. The snares of death caught me.

In my distress, I called on the LORD. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.

Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.

He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness a shelter around himself, gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

At the brightness before him, coals of fire were kindled.

The LORD thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice.

He sent out arrows and scattered them, lightning and confused them.

Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by the LORD’s rebuke, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.

He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.

For I have kept the LORD’s ways, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all his ordinances were before me. As for his statutes, I didn’t depart from them.

I was also perfect toward him. I kept myself from my iniquity.

Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.

With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect.

With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

You will save the afflicted people, but your eyes are on the arrogant, that you may bring them down.

For you are my lamp, LORD. The LORD will light up my darkness.

For by you, I run against a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect. The LORD’s word is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

For who is God, besides the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God?

God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.

He makes his feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places.

He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.

You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped.

I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them. I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.

I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet.

For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.

They looked, but there was no one to save; even to the LORD, but he didn’t answer them.

Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.

You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me.

The foreigners will submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.

The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places.

The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

even the God who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me,

who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.

Therefore I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.

He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.”

Footnotes

(a)22:6 Sheol is the place of the dead.