Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, December 22nd, 2024
the Fourth Week of Advent
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

2 Samuel 22

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David Sings to the Lord

1 David sang a song to the Lord after the Lord had rescued him from his enemies, especially Saul. These are the words to David's song:

2 Our Lord and our God,
you are my mighty rock,[a]
    my fortress, my protector.
3 You are the rock
    where I am safe.
You are my shield,
my powerful weapon,[b]
    and my place of shelter.

You rescue me and keep me
    from being hurt.
4 I praise you, our Lord!
    I prayed to you,
and you rescued me
    from my enemies.
5 Death, like ocean waves,
    surrounded me,
and I was almost swallowed
    by its flooding waters.

6 Ropes from the world
of the dead
    had coiled around me,
and death had set a trap
    in my path.
7 I was in terrible trouble
    when I called out to you,
but from your temple
you heard me
    and answered my prayer.
8 Earth shook and shivered!
The columns supporting the sky[c]
    rocked back and forth.
You were angry
9     and breathed out smoke.
Scorching heat and fiery flames
    spewed from your mouth.

10 You opened the heavens
    like curtains,
and you came down
with storm clouds
    under your feet.
11 You rode on the backs
    of flying creatures.[d]
You appeared[e]
    with the wind as wings.
12 Darkness was your tent!
Thunderclouds filled the sky,
    hiding you from sight.
13 Fiery coals lit up the sky
    in front of you.

14 Lord Most High, your voice
    thundered from the heavens.
15 You scattered your enemies
    with arrows of lightning.
16 You roared at the sea,
and its deepest channels
    could be seen.
You snorted,
and the earth shook
    to its foundations.

17 You reached down from heaven,
and you lifted me
    from deep in the ocean.
18 You rescued me from enemies
who were hateful
    and too powerful for me.
19 On the day disaster struck,
they came and attacked,
    but you defended me.
20 When I was fenced in,
you freed and rescued me
    because you love me.
21 You are good to me, Lord,
    because I do right,
and you reward me
    because I am innocent.
22 I do what you want
    and never turn to do evil.
23 I keep your laws in mind
and never turn away
    from your teachings.
24 I obey you completely
    and guard against sin.
25 You have been good to me
    because I do right;
you have rewarded me
for being innocent
    by your standards.

26 You are always loyal
    to your loyal people,
and you are faithful
    to the faithful.
27 With all who are sincere
    you are sincere,
but you treat the unfaithful
    as their deeds deserve.
28 You rescue the humble,
but you look for ways
    to put down the proud.

29 Our Lord and God,
    you are my lamp.
You turn darkness to light.
30 You help me defeat armies
    and capture cities.

31 Your way is perfect, Lord,
    and your word is correct.
You are a shield for those
    who run to you for help.
32 You alone are God!
    Only you are a mighty rock.[f]
33 You are my strong fortress,
    and you set me free.
34 You make my feet run as fast
    as those of a deer,
and you help me stand
    on the mountains.

35 You teach my hands to fight
and my arms to use
    a bow of bronze.
36 You alone are my shield,
and by coming to help me,
    you have made me famous.
37 You clear the way for me,
    and now I won't stumble.

38 I kept chasing my enemies
until I caught them
    and destroyed them.
39 I destroyed them!
I stuck my sword
    through my enemies,
and they were crushed
    under my feet.
40 You helped me win victories
and forced my attackers
    to fall victim to me.

41 You made my enemies run,
    and I killed them.
42 They cried out for help,
    but no one saved them;
they called out to you,
    but there was no answer.
43 I ground them to dust,
and I squashed them
    like mud in the streets.

44 You rescued me
    from my stubborn people
and made me the leader
of foreign nations,
    who are now my slaves.
45 They obey and come crawling.
46     They have lost all courage
and from their fortresses
    they come trembling.

47 You are the living Lord!
    I will praise you!
You are a mighty rock.[g]
I will honor you
    for keeping me safe.
48 You took revenge for me,
and you put nations
    in my power.
49 You protected me
    from violent enemies,
and you made me much greater
    than all of them.

50 I will praise you, Lord,
and I will honor you
    among the nations.
51 You give glorious victories
    to your chosen king.
Your faithful love for David
and for his descendants
    will never end.

 
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