Study Desk

David's Song of Praise^(a)

David sang^(b) to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

He said: "The Lord is my rock,^(c) my fortress^(d) and my deliverer;^(e)

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,^(f) my shield^[a](g) and the horn^[b](h) of my salvation. He is my stronghold,⁽ⁱ⁾ my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me.

"I called to the Lord , who is worthy^(j) of praise, and have been saved from my enemies.

The waves^(k) of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

The cords of the grave^(l) coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.

"In my distress^(m) I called⁽ⁿ⁾ to the Lord ; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.

The earth^(o) trembled and quaked,^(p) the foundations^(q) of the heavens^[c] shook; they trembled because he was angry.

Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire^(r) came from his mouth, burning coals^(s) blazed out of it.

He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds^(t) were under his feet.

He mounted the cherubim^(u) and flew; he soared^[d] on the wings of the wind.^(v)

He made darkness^(w) his canopy around him— the dark^[e] rain clouds of the sky.

Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning^(x) blazed forth.

The Lord thundered^(y) from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

He shot his arrows^(z) and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.

The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at the rebuke^(aa) of the Lord , at the blast^(ab) of breath from his nostrils.

"He reached down from on high^(ac) and took hold of me; he drew^(ad) me out of deep waters.

He rescued^(ae) me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.^(af)

He brought me out into a spacious^(ag) place; he rescued^(ah) me because he delighted^(ai) in me.^(aj)

"The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;^(ak) according to the cleanness^(al) of my hands^(am) he has rewarded me.

For I have kept^(an) the ways of the Lord ; I am not guilty of turning from my God.

All his laws are before me;^(ao) I have not turned^(ap) away from his decrees.

I have been blameless^(aq) before him and have kept myself from sin.

The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,^(ar) according to my cleanness^[f] in his sight.

"To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

to the pure^(as) you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.^(at)

You save the humble,^(au) but your eyes are on the haughty^(av) to bring them low.^(aw)

You, Lord , are my lamp;^(ax) the Lord turns my darkness into light.

With your help I can advance against a troop^[g]; with my God I can scale a wall.

"As for God, his way is perfect:^(ay) The Lord 's word is flawless;^(az) he shields^(ba) all who take refuge in him.

For who is God besides the Lord ? And who is the Rock^(bb) except our God?^(bc)

It is God who arms me with strength^[h] and keeps my way secure.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;^(bd) he causes me to stand on the heights.^(be)

He trains my hands^(bf) for battle; my arms can bend a bow^(bg) of bronze.

You make your saving help my shield;^(bh) your help has made^[i] me great.

You provide a broad path^(bi) for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.

"I pursued my enemies and crushed them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

I crushed^(bj) them completely, and they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.

You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.^(bk)

You made my enemies turn their backs^(bl) in flight, and I destroyed my foes.

They cried for help,^(bm) but there was no one to save them—^(bn) to the Lord , but he did not answer.^(bo)

I beat them as fine as the dust^(bp) of the earth; I pounded and trampled^(bq) them like mud^(br) in the streets.

"You have delivered^(bs) me from the attacks of the peoples; you have preserved^(bt) me as the head of nations. People^(bu) I did not know now serve me,

foreigners cower^(bv) before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.^(bw)

They all lose heart; they come trembling^[j](bx) from their strongholds.

"The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted^(by) be my God, the Rock, my Savior!^(bz)

He is the God who avenges^(ca) me,^(cb) who puts the nations under me,

who sets me free from my enemies.^(cc) You exalted me^(cd) above my foes; from a violent man you rescued me.

Therefore I will praise you, Lord , among the nations; I will sing the praises^(ce) of your name.^(cf)

"He gives his king great victories;^(cg) he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,^(ch) to David^(ci) and his descendants forever."^(cj)