Psalm 18

English Standard Version

The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, ^(A)the servant of the Lord, ^(B)who addressed the words of this ^(C)song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:

18 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
²The Lord is my ^(D)rock and my ^(E)fortress and my deliverer,
    my God, my ^(F)rock, in ^(G)whom I take refuge,
    my ^(H)shield, and ^(I)the horn of my salvation, my ^(J)stronghold.
³I call upon the Lord, who is ^(K)worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies.

⁴^(L)The cords of death encompassed me;
^(M)the torrents of destruction assailed me;^[a]
⁵^(N)the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

⁶^(O)In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his ^(P)temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.

⁷Then the earth ^(Q)reeled and rocked;
    the foundations also of the mountains trembled
    and quaked, because he was angry.
⁸Smoke went up from his nostrils,^[b]
    and devouring ^(R)fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
⁹He ^(S)bowed the heavens and ^(T)came down;
    ^(U)thick darkness was under his feet.
¹⁰He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly on ^(V)the wings of the wind.
¹¹He made darkness his covering, his ^(W)canopy around him,
    thick clouds ^(X)dark with water.
¹²Out of the brightness before him
    ^(Y)hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

¹³The Lord also ^(Z)thundered in the heavens,
    and the Most High uttered his ^(AA)voice,
    hailstones and coals of fire.
¹⁴And he sent out his ^(AB)arrows and scattered them;
    he flashed forth lightnings and ^(AC)routed them.
¹⁵Then ^(AD)the channels of the sea were seen,
    and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your ^(AE)rebuke, O Lord,
    at the blast of ^(AF)the breath of your nostrils.

¹⁶He ^(AG)sent from on high, he took me;
    he ^(AH)drew me out of ^(AI)many waters.
¹⁷He rescued me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were ^(AJ)too mighty for me.
¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹He brought me out into ^(AK)a broad place;
    he rescued me, because he ^(AL)delighted in me.

²⁰The Lord dealt with me ^(AM)according to my righteousness;
    according to ^(AN)the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
²¹For I have ^(AO)kept the ways of the Lord,
    and have not wickedly departed from my God.
²²For ^(AP)all his rules^[c] were before me,
    and his statutes I did not put away from me.
²³I was ^(AQ)blameless before him,
    and I kept myself from my guilt.
²⁴So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵With ^(AR)the merciful you show yourself merciful;
    with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
²⁶with the purified you show yourself pure;
    and with ^(AS)the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
²⁷For you save ^(AT)a humble people,
    but ^(AU)the haughty eyes you bring down.
²⁸For it is you who light my ^(AV)lamp;
    the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
²⁹For by you I can run against a troop,
    and by my God I can ^(AW)leap over ^(AX)a wall.
³⁰This God—his way is ^(AY)perfect;^[d]
    the word of the Lord ^(AZ)proves true;
    he is ^(BA)a shield for all those who ^(BB)take refuge in him.

³¹For ^(BC)who is God, but the Lord?
    And who is ^(BD)a rock, except our God?—
³²the God who ^(BE)equipped me with strength
    and made my way ^(BF)blameless.
³³He made my feet like the feet of a ^(BG)deer
    and set me secure on ^(BH)the heights.
³⁴He ^(BI)trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your right hand ^(BJ)supported me,
    and your ^(BK)gentleness made me great.
³⁶You ^(BL)gave a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.
³⁷I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
    and did not turn back till they were consumed.
³⁸I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
    they fell under my feet.
³⁹For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
    you made those who rise against me sink under me.
⁴⁰You made my enemies ^(BM)turn their backs to me,^[e]
    and those who hated me I destroyed.
⁴¹^(BN)They cried for help, but there was none to save;
    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
⁴²I beat them fine as ^(BO)dust before the wind;
    I cast them out like ^(BP)the mire of the streets.

⁴³You delivered me from ^(BQ)strife with the people;
    you made me ^(BR)the head of the nations;
    ^(BS)people whom I had not known served me.
⁴⁴As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
    ^(BT)foreigners ^(BU)came cringing to me.
⁴⁵^(BV)Foreigners lost heart
    and ^(BW)came trembling out of their fortresses.

⁴⁶The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be the God of my salvation—
⁴⁷the God who gave me vengeance
    and ^(BX)subdued peoples under me,
⁴⁸who rescued me from my enemies;
    yes, you ^(BY)exalted me above those who rose against me;
    you delivered me from ^(BZ)the man of violence.

⁴⁹^(CA)For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
    and ^(CB)sing to your name.
⁵⁰Great ^(CC)salvation he brings to his king,
    and shows steadfast love to his ^(CD)anointed,
    to ^(CE)David and his offspring forever.

Footnotes

Psalm 18:4 Or terrified me
Psalm 18:8 Or in his wrath
Psalm 18:22 Or just decrees
Psalm 18:30 Or blameless
Psalm 18:40 Or You gave me my enemies' necks

2 Samuel 22

English Standard Version

David's Song of Deliverance

22 And David spoke ^(A)to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. ²^(B)He said,

^(C)“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
³    ^(D)my^[a] God, my rock, ^(E)in whom I take refuge,
^(F)my shield, and ^(G)the horn of my salvation,
    ^(H)my stronghold and ^(I)my refuge,
    my savior; you save me from violence.
⁴I call upon the Lord, who is ^(J)worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies.

⁵^(K)“For the waves of death encompassed me,
the torrents of destruction assailed me;^[b]
⁶^(L)the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

⁷^(M)“In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry ^(N)came to his ears.

⁸“Then ^(O)the earth reeled and rocked;
    ^(P)the foundations of the heavens trembled
    and quaked, because he was angry.
⁹Smoke went up from his nostrils,^[c]
    and devouring fire from his mouth;
    ^(Q)glowing coals flamed forth from him.
¹⁰^(R)He bowed the heavens and ^(S)came down;
    ^(T)thick darkness was under his feet.
¹¹He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he was seen on ^(U)the wings of the wind.
¹²He made ^(V)darkness around him ^(W)his canopy,
    thick clouds, a gathering of water.
¹³Out of the brightness before him
    ^(X)coals of fire flamed forth.
¹⁴^(Y)The Lord thundered from heaven,
    and the Most High uttered his voice.
¹⁵And he sent out ^(Z)arrows and scattered them;
    lightning, and routed them.
¹⁶Then the channels of the sea were seen;
    the foundations of the world were laid bare,
at the rebuke of the Lord,
    at the ^(AA)blast of the breath of his nostrils.

¹⁷^(AB)“He sent from on high, he took me;
    he drew me out of many waters.
¹⁸He rescued me from my strong enemy,
    from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me.
¹⁹They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
²⁰^(AC)He brought me out into a broad place;
    he rescued me, because ^(AD)he delighted in me.

²¹“The Lord ^(AE)dealt with me according to my righteousness;
    according to the ^(AF)cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
²²^(AG)For I have kept the ways of the Lord
    and have not wickedly departed from my God.
²³^(AH)For all his rules were before me,
    and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
²⁴I was ^(AI)blameless before him,
    and I kept myself from guilt.
²⁵^(AJ)And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
    according to my cleanness in his sight.

²⁶^(AK)“With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
    with the ^(AL)blameless man you show yourself blameless;
²⁷with the purified you deal purely,
    and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
²⁸^(AM)You save a humble people,
    ^(AN)but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
²⁹^(AO)For you are my lamp, O Lord,
    and my God lightens my darkness.
³⁰For by you I can run against a troop,
    and by my God I can leap over a wall.
³¹This God—^(AP)his way is perfect;
    the ^(AQ)word of the Lord proves true;
    he is ^(AR)a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

³²“For who is God, but the Lord?
    ^(AS)And who is a rock, except our God?
³³This God is my ^(AT)strong refuge
    and has made my^[d] way blameless.^[e]
³⁴^(AU)He made my feet like the feet of a deer
    and set me secure ^(AV)on the heights.
³⁵^(AW)He trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁶You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your gentleness made me great.
³⁷^(AX)You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet^[f] did not slip;
³⁸I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,
    and did not turn back until they were consumed.
³⁹I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise;
    they fell ^(AY)under my feet.
⁴⁰For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
    you made ^(AZ)those who rise against me sink under me.
⁴¹You ^(BA)made my enemies turn their backs to me,^[g]
    those who hated me, and I destroyed them.
⁴²They looked, but there was none to save;
    they cried to the Lord, but ^(BB)he did not answer them.
⁴³I beat them fine ^(BC)as the dust of the earth;
    I crushed them and stamped them down ^(BD)like the mire of the streets.

⁴⁴“You delivered me from strife with my people;^[h]
    you kept me as the head of ^(BE)the nations;
    ^(BF)people whom I had not known served me.
⁴⁵Foreigners came cringing to me;
    as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.
⁴⁶Foreigners lost heart
    and came trembling^[i] ^(BG)out of their fortresses.

⁴⁷“The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be ^(BH)my God, ^(BI)the rock of my salvation,
⁴⁸the God who gave me vengeance
    and ^(BJ)brought down peoples under me,
⁴⁹who brought me out from my enemies;
    you exalted me above ^(BK)those who rose against me;
    you delivered me from ^(BL)men of violence.

⁵⁰^(BM)“For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
    and sing praises to your name.
⁵¹^(BN)Great salvation he brings^[j] to his king,
    and shows steadfast love to ^(BO)his anointed,
    to David and his offspring ^(BP)forever.”

Footnotes

2 Samuel 22:3 Septuagint (compare Psalm 18:2); Hebrew lacks my
2 Samuel 22:5 Or terrified me
2 Samuel 22:9 Or in his wrath
2 Samuel 22:33 Or his; also verse 34
2 Samuel 22:33 Compare Psalm 18:32; Hebrew he has blamelessly set my way free, or he has made my way spring up blamelessly
2 Samuel 22:37 Hebrew ankles
2 Samuel 22:41 Or You gave me my enemies' necks
2 Samuel 22:44 Septuagint with the peoples
2 Samuel 22:46 Compare Psalm 18:45; Hebrew equipped themselves
2 Samuel 22:51 Or He is a tower of salvation

2 Samuel 8:15-18

English Standard Version

David's Officials

¹⁵So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. ¹⁶^(A)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and ^(B)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, ¹⁷and ^(C)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and ^(D)Seraiah was secretary, ¹⁸and ^(E)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over^[a] the ^(F)Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were priests.

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Footnotes

2 Samuel 8:18 Compare 20:23, 1 Chronicles 18:17, Syriac, Targum, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks was over

1 Chronicles 18:14-17

English Standard Version

David's Administration

¹⁴So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people. ¹⁵And ^(A)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; ¹⁶^(B)and Zadok the son of Ahitub and ^(C)Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests; and ^(D)Shavsha was secretary; ¹⁷and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were the ^(E)chief officials in the service of the king.

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2 Samuel 7

English Standard Version

The Lord's Covenant with David

7 ^(A)Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord ^(B)had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, ²the king said to ^(C)Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell ^(D)in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells ^(E)in a tent.” ³And Nathan said to the king, ^(F)“Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, ⁵“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^(G)Would you build me a house to dwell in? ⁶I have not lived in a house ^(H)since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about ^(I)in a tent for my dwelling. ⁷In all places where ^(J)I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with ^(K)any of the judges^[a] of Israel, whom I commanded ^(L)to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ ⁸Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, ^(M)I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince^[b] over my people Israel. ⁹^(N)And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. ¹⁰And I will appoint a place for my people Israel ^(O)and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place ^(P)and be disturbed no more. ^(Q)And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, ¹¹^(R)from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And ^(S)I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that ^(T)the Lord will make you a house. ¹²^(U)When your days are fulfilled and ^(V)you lie down with your fathers, ^(W)I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³^(X)He shall build a house for my name, and ^(Y)I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴^(Z)I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, ^(AA)I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, ¹⁵^(AB)but my steadfast love will not depart from him, ^(AC)as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. ¹⁶^(AD)And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.^[c] ^(AE)Your throne shall be established forever.’” ¹⁷In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David's Prayer of Gratitude

¹⁸Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, ^(AF)“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁹And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. ^(AG)You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! ²⁰And what more can David say to you? ^(AH)For you know your servant, O Lord God! ²¹Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. ²²^(AI)Therefore you are great, O Lord God. ^(AJ)For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²³^(AK)And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name ^(AL)and doing for them^[d] great and awesome things by driving out before your people,^[e] whom ^(AM)you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? ²⁴^(AN)And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. ²⁵And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. ²⁶And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. ²⁷For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. ²⁸And now, O Lord God, you are God, and ^(AO)your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. ²⁹Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, ^(AP)and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

Footnotes

2 Samuel 7:7 Compare 1 Chronicles 17:6; Hebrew tribes
2 Samuel 7:8 Or leader
2 Samuel 7:16 Septuagint; Hebrew you
2 Samuel 7:23 With a few Targums, Vulgate, Syriac; Hebrew you
2 Samuel 7:23 Septuagint (compare 1 Chronicles 17:21); Hebrew awesome things for your land, before your people

1 Chronicles 17

English Standard Version

The Lord's Covenant with David

17 ^(A)Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” ²And Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

³But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, ⁴“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^(B)It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. ⁵For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, ^(C)but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. ⁶In all places where I have moved with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ ⁷Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, ⁸and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. ⁹And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, ¹⁰from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I ^(D)will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the Lord will build you a house. ¹¹When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹²He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³^(E)I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, ^(F)as I took it from him who was before you, ¹⁴but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’” ¹⁵In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David's Prayer

¹⁶Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁷And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations,^[a] O Lord God! ¹⁸And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. ¹⁹^(G)For your servant's sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. ²⁰There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²¹And who is like your people Israel, the one^[b] nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? ²²And you made your people Israel to be your people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God. ²³And now, O Lord, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as you have spoken, ²⁴and your name will be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. ²⁵For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. ²⁶And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. ²⁷Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you, for it is you, O Lord, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”