The Preacher's Bible

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

²and he said: “Jehovah is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;

³God 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.

⁴I call on Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

⁵For the waves of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

⁶The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death caught me.

⁷In my distress, I called on Jehovah. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears.

⁸Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.

⁹Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.

¹⁰He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.

¹¹He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.

¹²He made darkness a shelter around himself, gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

¹³At the brightness before him, coals of fire were kindled.

¹⁴Jehovah thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice.

¹⁵He sent out arrows and scattered them, lightning and confused them.

¹⁶Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by Jehovah’s rebuke, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

¹⁷He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters.

¹⁸He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁹They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my support.

²⁰He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²¹Jehovah rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.

²²For I have kept Jehovah’s ways, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

²³For all his ordinances were before me. As for his statutes, I didn’t depart from them.

²⁴I was also perfect toward him. I kept myself from my iniquity.

²⁵Therefore Jehovah has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.

²⁶With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect.

²⁷With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

²⁸You will save the afflicted people, but your eyes are on the arrogant, that you may bring them down.

²⁹For you are my lamp, Jehovah. Jehovah will light up my darkness.

³⁰For by you, I run against a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.

³¹As for God, his way is perfect. Jehovah’s word is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

³²For who is God, besides Jehovah? Who is a rock, besides our God?

³³God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.

³⁴He makes his feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places.

³⁵He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.

³⁶You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.

³⁷You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped.

³⁸I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them. I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.

³⁹I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet.

⁴⁰For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

⁴¹You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.

⁴²They looked, but there was no one to save; even to Jehovah, but he didn’t answer them.

⁴³Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.

⁴⁴You 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.

⁴⁵The foreigners will submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.

⁴⁶The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places.

⁴⁷Jehovah lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

⁴⁸even the God who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me,

⁴⁹who 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.

⁵⁰Therefore I will give thanks to you, Jehovah, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.

⁵¹He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.”