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A Song of Victory

For the director of music. By the Lord’s servant, David. David sang this song to the Lord ·when [L on the day] the Lord had ·saved [rescued; T delivered] him from Saul and all his other enemies [C the occasion is unknown; 2 Sam. 22 parallels this psalm]. He said:

18 I love you, Lord. You are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my ·protection [L fortress], my ·Savior [rescuer; T deliverer].
    My God is my rock.
·I can run to him for safety [L …in whom I find protection/take refuge].
    He is my shield and ·my saving strength [L the horn of my salvation; C symbolizing strength based on an animal lifting its head triumphantly], my ·defender [stronghold].
I ·will call to [call upon] the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and I ·will be [or am] saved from my enemies.

The ·ropes [cords] of death ·came around [swirled about; encompassed] me;
    the ·deadly rivers [floods/torrents of destruction] overwhelmed me.
The ·ropes [cords] of death ·wrapped around [entangled; coiled around] me.
    The ·traps [snares] of death ·were before [confronted; lay ahead of] me.
In my ·trouble [distress; anguish] I ·called [cried out] to the Lord.
    I ·cried out [called] to my God for help.
From his ·Temple [sanctuary] he heard my voice;
    my ·call for help [cry] reached his ears.

The earth ·trembled [reeled; quaked] and ·shook [rocked].
    The foundations of the mountains began to ·shake [shudder].
    They ·trembled [reeled; quaked] because the Lord was angry.
Smoke ·came out of his nose [poured/rose from his nostrils],
    and ·burning [devouring] fire came out of his mouth.
    Burning coals ·went before [blazed/flamed out from] him.
He ·tore open [parted] the ·sky [heavens] and came down
    with ·dark clouds [storm clouds; thick darkness] under his feet.
10 He rode a ·creature with wings [L cherub; C a mighty spiritual being/angel; Ezek. 1] and flew.
    ·He raced […soaring] on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his ·shelter [canopy; shroud] around him,
    surrounded by ·fog [thick rain] and clouds.
12 Out of the brightness ·of his presence [before him] came clouds
    with hail and ·lightning [L fiery coals].
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the ·Most High raised his voice [voice of the Most High resounded],
    and there was hail and ·lightning [L fiery coals].
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies.
    His many bolts of lightning ·confused them with fear [routed them].
15 ·Lord, you spoke strongly [L At your rebuke, O Lord…].
    ·The wind blew from your nose [L …at the blast of breath from your nostrils…].
Then the ·valleys [floor; channels] of the sea ·appeared [were exposed],
    and the foundations of the earth were ·seen [laid bare].

16 The Lord reached down from ·above [heaven; on high] and ·took [rescued] me;
    he ·pulled me from the deep water [drew me out of mighty waters].
17 He ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me from my powerful enemies,
    from those who hated me, because they were too strong for me.
18 They ·attacked [confronted] me ·at my time of trouble [L in the day of my distress/calamity/disaster],
    but the Lord ·supported me [was my stay].
19 He took me to a ·safe [spacious; open; L broad] place.
    Because he delights in me, he ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me.

20 The Lord ·spared [rewarded] me ·because I did what was right [L according to my righteousness].
    Because ·I have not done evil [of my innocence; L of the cleanness of my hands], he has ·rewarded [restored] me.
21 I have ·followed [obeyed; kept; L guarded] the ways of the Lord;
    I have not done evil by turning away from my God.
22 I ·remember [follow; L have before me] all his ·laws [regulations]
    and have not ·broken [abandoned; L turned aside from] his ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements].
23 I am ·innocent [blameless] before him;
    I have kept myself from ·doing evil [sin; guilt; iniquity].
24 The Lord ·rewarded [repaid] me ·because I did what was right [L according to my righteousness],
    ·because I did what the Lord said was right [L according to my cleanness/purity in his sight].

25 Lord, you ·are [show yourself] ·loyal [faithful; kind] to those who are ·loyal [faithful; kind],
    and you are good to those who are good.
26 You ·are [show yourself] ·pure [sincere] to those who are ·pure [sincere],
    but you ·are [show yourself] ·against [hostile/shrewd/cunning/perverse to] those who are ·bad [perverse; devious; crooked].
27 You ·save [rescue; T deliver] the ·humble [afflicted],
    but you ·bring down [watch and humiliate] ·those who are proud [the haughty].
28 Lord, you give light to my lamp.
    My God ·brightens the darkness around me [lights up/illuminates my darkness].
29 With your help I can ·attack [crush] an army.
    With God’s help I can ·jump over [scale] a wall.

30 The ·ways [way; path] of God are ·without fault [blameless; perfect].
    The Lord’s ·words [promises] are ·pure [tested; flawless; proven true].
He is a shield to those who ·trust [seek protection/take refuge in] him.
31 Who is God? Only the Lord.
    Who is the Rock? Only our God.
32 God ·is my protection [is my strong fortress; or girds me with strength].
    He makes my way ·free from fault [perfect; secure; a wide path].
33 He makes ·me [L my feet] like a deer that does not stumble [C sure-footed];
    he ·helps me stand [sets me] on the ·steep mountains [heights].
34 He trains my hands for battle
    so my arms can bend a bronze bow.
35 You ·protect me with your saving shield [L have given me the shield of your salvation/victory].
    You support me with your right hand.
    ·You have stooped to make [Your help makes] me great.
36 You ·give me a better way to live [broaden my path; L widen my steps beneath me],
    so ·I live as you want me to [my feet do not slip; L my ankles do not weaken].
37 I ·chased [pursued] my enemies and ·caught [exterminated] them.
    I did not ·quit [turn back] until they were ·destroyed [annihilated; consumed].
38 I ·crushed them [shattered them; struck them down] so they couldn’t ·rise [get] up again.
    They fell beneath my feet.
39 You ·gave me [L armed/girded me with] strength ·in [for] battle.
    You ·made my enemies bow [humbled/subdued my enemies] ·before me [or under my feet].
40 You made my enemies ·turn back [turn their backs; retreat],
    and I destroyed ·those who hated me [my foes].
41 They ·called for help [looked around],
    but no one came to ·save [rescue; T deliver] them.
They ·called [looked] to the Lord,
    but he did not answer them.
42 I ·beat my enemies into pieces [ground/pulverized them], like dust in the wind.
    I poured them out like ·mud [mire] in the streets.

43 You ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me when the people ·attacked me [quarreled; fought].
    You made me the ·leader [ruler; head] of nations.
    People I never knew serve me.
44 As soon as they hear ·me [or of me], they obey me.
    Foreigners ·obey [cower/cringe before] me.
45 They all ·become afraid [lose heart/their courage]
    and ·tremble in [come trembling from] their ·hiding places [fortresses; strongholds].

46 The Lord lives!
    May my Rock be ·praised [blessed].
    Praise the God ·who saves me […of my salvation]!
47 God gives me ·victory [revenge; vengeance] over my enemies
    and brings ·people [nations] under ·my rule [me].
48 He ·saves [rescues; T delivers] me from my enemies.
You ·set me over those who hate me [exalt/lift me above my enemies].
    You ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me from violent people.
49 So I will ·praise [extol] you, Lord, among the nations.
    I will sing praises to your name.
50 The Lord ·gives great victories [is a tower of salvation] to his king.
    He ·is loyal [shows kindness/faithful love] to his ·appointed king [anointed],
to David and his descendants forever.

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