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2 Samuel 22
New International Version
2 Samuel 22
New International Version
David’s Song of Praise(A)
22 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. 2 He said:
“The Lord is my rock,(C) my fortress(D) and my deliverer;(E)
3 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.
4 “I called to the Lord, who is worthy(J) of praise,
and have been saved from my enemies.
5 The waves(K) of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave(L) coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7 “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.
8 The earth(O) trembled and quaked,(P)
the foundations(Q) of the heavens[c] shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire(R) came from his mouth,
burning coals(S) blazed out of it.
10 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds(T) were under his feet.
11 He mounted the cherubim(U) and flew;
he soared[d] on the wings of the wind.(V)
12 He made darkness(W) his canopy around him—
the dark[e] rain clouds of the sky.
13 Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning(X) blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered(Y) from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot his arrows(Z) and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
16 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.
17 “He reached down from on high(AC) and took hold of me;
he drew(AD) me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued(AE) me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.(AF)
20 He brought me out into a spacious(AG) place;
he rescued(AH) me because he delighted(AI) in me.(AJ)
21 “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(AK)
according to the cleanness(AL) of my hands(AM) he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept(AN) the ways of the Lord;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me;(AO)
I have not turned(AP) away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless(AQ) before him
and have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(AR)
according to my cleanness[f] in his sight.
26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure(AS) you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(AT)
28 You save the humble,(AU)
but your eyes are on the haughty(AV) to bring them low.(AW)
29 You, Lord, are my lamp;(AX)
the Lord turns my darkness into light.
30 With your help I can advance against a troop[g];
with my God I can scale a wall.
31 “As for God, his way is perfect:(AY)
The Lord’s word is flawless;(AZ)
he shields(BA) all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock(BB) except our God?(BC)
33 It is God who arms me with strength[h]
and keeps my way secure.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(BD)
he causes me to stand on the heights.(BE)
35 He trains my hands(BF) for battle;
my arms can bend a bow(BG) of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield;(BH)
your help has made[i] me great.
37 You provide a broad path(BI) for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed(BJ) them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.(BK)
41 You made my enemies turn their backs(BL) in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help,(BM) but there was no one to save them—(BN)
to the Lord, but he did not answer.(BO)
43 I beat them as fine as the dust(BP) of the earth;
I pounded and trampled(BQ) them like mud(BR) in the streets.
44 “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,
45 foreigners cower(BV) before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.(BW)
46 They all lose heart;
they come trembling[j](BX) from their strongholds.
47 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted(BY) be my God, the Rock, my Savior!(BZ)
48 He is the God who avenges(CA) me,(CB)
who puts the nations under me,
49 who sets me free from my enemies.(CC)
You exalted me(CD) above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises(CE) of your name.(CF)
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 22:3 Or sovereign
- 2 Samuel 22:3 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- 2 Samuel 22:8 Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains
- 2 Samuel 22:11 Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10); most Hebrew manuscripts appeared
- 2 Samuel 22:12 Septuagint (see also Psalm 18:11); Hebrew massed
- 2 Samuel 22:25 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:24) to the cleanness of my hands
- 2 Samuel 22:30 Or can run through a barricade
- 2 Samuel 22:33 Dead Sea Scrolls, some Septuagint manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:32); Masoretic Text who is my strong refuge
- 2 Samuel 22:36 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text shield; / you stoop down to make
- 2 Samuel 22:46 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text they arm themselves
2 Samuel 22
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
2 Samuel 22
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
22 And David spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,
2 And he said: The Lord is my rock, and my strength, and my saviour.
3 God is my strong one, in him will I trust: my shield, and the horn of my salvation: he lifteth me up, and is my refuge: my saviour, thou wilt deliver me from iniquity.
4 I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised: and I shall be saved from my enemies.
5 For the pangs of death have surrounded me: the floods of Belial have made me afraid.
6 The cords of hell compassed me: the snares of death prevented me.
7 In my distress I will call upon the Lord, and I will cry to my God: and he will hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry shall come to his ears.
8 The earth shook and trembled, the foundations of the mountains were moved, and shaken, because he was angry with them.
9 A smoke went up from his nostrils, and a devouring fire out of his mouth: coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
11 And he rode upon the cherubims, and flew: and slid upon the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness a covering round about him: dropping waters out of the clouds of the heavens.
13 By the brightness before him, the coals of fire were kindled.
14 The Lord shall thunder from heaven: and the most high shall give forth his voice.
15 He shot arrows and scattered them: lightning, and consumed them.
16 And the overflowings of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid open at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the spirit of his wrath.
17 He sent from on high, and took me, and drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my most mighty enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
19 He prevented me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my stay.
20 And he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, because I pleased him.
21 The Lord will reward me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands he will render to me.
22 Because I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his judgments are in my sight: and his precepts I have not removed from me.
24 And I shall be perfect with him: and shall keep myself from my iniquity.
25 And the Lord will recompense me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands in the sight of his eyes.
26 With the holy one thou wilt be holy: and with the valiant perfect.
27 With the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted.
28 And the poor people thou wilt save: and with thy eyes thou wilt humble the haughty.
29 For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and thou, O Lord, wilt enlighten my darkness.
30 For in thee I will run girded: in my God I will leap over the wall.
31 God, his way is immaculate, the word of the Lord is tried by fire: he is the shield of all that trust in him.
32 Who is God but the Lord: and who is strong but our God?
33 God who hath girded me with strength, and made my way perfect.
34 Making my feet like the feet of harts, and setting me upon my high places.
35 He teacheth my bands to war: and maketh my arms like a bow of brass.
36 Thou hast given me the shield of my salvation: and thy mildness hath multiplied me.
37 Thou shalt enlarge my steps under me: and my ankles shall not fail.
38 I will pursue after my enemies, and crush them: and will not return again till I consume them.
39 I will consume them and break them in pieces, so that they shall not rise: they shall fall under my feet.
40 Thou hast girded me with strength to battle: thou hast made them that resisted me to bow under me.
41 My enemies thou hast made to turn their back to me: them that hated me, and I shall destroy them.
42 They shall cry, and there shall be none to save: to the Lord, and he shall not hear them.
43 I shall beat them as small as the dust of the earth: I shall crush them and spread them abroad like the mire of the streets.
44 Thou wilt save me from the contradictions of my people: thou wilt keep me to be the head of the Gentiles: the people which I know not, shall serve me,
45 The sons of the stranger will resist me, at the hearing of the ear they will obey me.
46 The strangers are melted away, and shall be straitened in their distresses.
47 The Lord liveth, and my God is blessed: and the strong God of my salvation shall be exalted:
48 God who giveth me revenge, and bringest down people under me,
49 Who bringest me forth from my enemies, and liftest me up from them that resist me: from the wicked man thou shalt deliver me.
50 Therefore will I give thanks to thee. O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name.
51 Giving great salvation to his king, and shewing mercy to David his anointed, and to his seed for ever.
2 Samuel 22
New King James Version
2 Samuel 22
New King James Version
Praise for God’s Deliverance(A)
22 Then David (B)spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had (C)delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 And he (D)said:
(E)“The Lord is my rock and my (F)fortress and my deliverer;
3 The God of my strength, (G)in whom I will trust;
My (H)shield and the (I)horn[a] of my salvation,
My (J)stronghold and my (K)refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.
4 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
5 “When the waves of death surrounded me,
The floods of ungodliness [b]made me afraid.
6 The (L)sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress (M)I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He (N)heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry entered His ears.
8 “Then (O)the earth shook and trembled;
(P)The foundations of [c]heaven quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
9 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring (Q)fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
10 He (R)bowed the heavens also, and came down
With (S)darkness under His feet.
11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
And He [d]was seen (T)upon the wings of the wind.
12 He made (U)darkness canopies around Him,
Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
13 From the brightness before Him
Coals of fire were kindled.
14 “The Lord (V)thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.
15 He sent out (W)arrows and scattered them;
Lightning bolts, and He vanquished them.
16 Then the channels of the sea (X)were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered,
At the (Y)rebuke of the Lord,
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
17 “He(Z) sent from above, He took me,
He drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me;
For they were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my (AA)support.
20 (AB)He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He (AC)delighted in me.
21 “The(AD) Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the (AE)cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
22 For I have (AF)kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all His (AG)judgments were before me;
And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also (AH)blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore (AI)the Lord has [e]recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to [f]my cleanness in His eyes.
26 “With (AJ)the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And (AK)with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
28 You will save the (AL)humble[g] people;
But Your eyes are on (AM)the haughty, that You may bring them down.
29 “For You are my (AN)lamp, O Lord;
The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.
30 For by You I can run against a troop;
By my God I can leap over a (AO)wall.
31 As for God, (AP)His way is perfect;
(AQ)The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
32 “For (AR)who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
33 [h]God is my (AS)strength and power,
And He (AT)makes [i]my way (AU)perfect.
34 He makes [j]my feet (AV)like the feet of deer,
And (AW)sets me on my high places.
35 He teaches my hands [k]to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your gentleness has made me great.
37 You (AX)enlarged my path under me;
So my feet did not slip.
38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen (AY)under my feet.
40 For You have (AZ)armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [l]subdued under me (BA)those who rose against me.
41 You have also [m]given me the (BB)necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save;
Even (BC)to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
43 Then I beat them as fine (BD)as the dust of the earth;
I trod them (BE)like dirt in the streets,
And I [n]spread them out.
44 “You(BF) have also delivered me from the [o]strivings of my people;
You have kept me as the (BG)head of the nations.
(BH)A people I have not known shall serve me.
45 The foreigners submit to me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 The foreigners fade away,
And [p]come frightened (BI)from their hideouts.
47 “The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let God be exalted,
The (BJ)Rock of my salvation!
48 It is God who avenges me,
And (BK)subdues the peoples under me;
49 He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the (BL)violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among (BM)the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your (BN)name.
51 “He(BO) is the tower of salvation to His king,
And shows mercy to His (BP)anointed,
To David and (BQ)his descendants forevermore.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 22:3 Strength
- 2 Samuel 22:5 Or overwhelmed
- 2 Samuel 22:8 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Syr., Vg. hills (cf. Ps. 18:7)
- 2 Samuel 22:11 So with MT, LXX; many Heb. mss., Syr., Vg. flew (cf. Ps. 18:10); Tg. spoke with power
- 2 Samuel 22:25 rewarded
- 2 Samuel 22:25 LXX, Syr., Vg. the cleanness of my hands in His sight (cf. Ps. 18:24); Tg. my cleanness before His word
- 2 Samuel 22:28 afflicted
- 2 Samuel 22:33 DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. It is God who arms me with strength (cf. Ps. 18:32); Tg. It is God who sustains me with strength
- 2 Samuel 22:33 So with Qr., LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:32); Kt. His
- 2 Samuel 22:34 So with Qr., LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:33); Kt. His
- 2 Samuel 22:35 Lit. for the war
- 2 Samuel 22:40 Lit. caused to bow down
- 2 Samuel 22:41 given me victory over
- 2 Samuel 22:43 scattered
- 2 Samuel 22:44 contentions
- 2 Samuel 22:46 So with LXX, Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:45); MT gird themselves
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.