Self-interpreting Bible

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2 Samuel 22

David's psalm of thanksgiving for God's mighty deliverances and manifold blessings.


1 AND David aspake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the bLORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

2 And he said, cThe LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

3 The God dof my rock; ein him will I trust: he is my fshield, and the ghorn of my salvation, my hhigh tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

4 I iwill call on the LORD, jwho is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

5 When kthe 1waves of death compassed me, the floods of 2ungodly men made me afraid;

6 The 3sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;

7 In lmy distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry mdid enter into his ears.

8 Then nthe earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was *wroth.

9 There owent up a smoke 4out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

10 He pbowed the heavens also, and came down; and qdarkness was under his feet.

11 And rhe rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12 And he made sdarkness t*pavilions round about him, 5dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.

    14 The uLORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.

    15 And he vsent out warrows, and scattered them; lightning, and *discomfited them.

    16 And xthe channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were *discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

    17 He ysent from above, he took me; zhe drew me out of 6many waters;

    18 He adelivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.

    19 They bprevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my *stay.

    20 He cbrought me forth also dinto a large place: he edelivered me, because he delighted in me.

    21 The fLORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

    22 For I have gkept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

    23 For all his hjudgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

    24 I iwas also upright 7before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.

    25 Therefore jthe LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness 8in his eye sight.

    26 With kthe merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.

    27 With lthe pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the *froward thou wilt 9shew thyself unsavoury.

    28 And mthe afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

    29 For thou art my 10lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.

    30 For by thee I have 11run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.

    31 As for God, nhis way is perfect; the word of the LORD is 12tried: he is oa *buckler to all them that trust in him.

    32 For pwho is God, *save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?

    33 God qis my strength and power: and he 13maketh my way perfect.

    34 He 14maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.

    35 He rteacheth my hands 15to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

    36 Thou shast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath 16made me great.

    37 Thou thast enlarged my steps under me; so that my 17feet did not slip.

    38 I uhave pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.

    39 And vI have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.

    40 For wthou hast *girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou 18subdued under me.

    41 Thou xhast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.

    42 They ylooked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

    43 Then zdid I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them *abroad.

    44 Thou aalso hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be bhead of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.

    45 19Strangers shall 20submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.

    46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall 21be afraid cout of their close places.

    47 The dLORD liveth; and blessed be my erock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

    48 It is fGod that 22avengeth me, and that gbringeth down the people under me,

    49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: hthou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

    50 Therefore iI will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.

    51 He jis the tower of ksalvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his lanointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.