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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)

51 “He gives his king great victories;(CG)
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,(CH)
to David(CI) and his descendants forever.”(CJ)

#### Footnotes

1. 2 Samuel 22:3 Or sovereign
2. 2 Samuel 22:3 Horn here symbolizes strength.
3. 2 Samuel 22:8 Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains
4. 2 Samuel 22:11 Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10); most Hebrew manuscripts appeared
5. 2 Samuel 22:12 Septuagint (see also Psalm 18:11); Hebrew massed
6. 2 Samuel 22:25 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:24) to the cleanness of my hands
7. 2 Samuel 22:30 Or can run through a barricade
8. 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
9. 2 Samuel 22:36 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text shield; / you stoop down to make
10. 2 Samuel 22:46 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text they arm themselves

#### Cross references

1. 2 Samuel 22:1 : 22:1-51pp — Ps 18:1-50
2. 2 Samuel 22:1 : S Ex 15:1
3. 2 Samuel 22:2 : S 1Sa 2:2
4. 2 Samuel 22:2 : Ps 31:3; 91:2
5. 2 Samuel 22:2 : Ps 144:2
6. 2 Samuel 22:3 : S Dt 23:15; S 32:37; Ps 14:6; 31:2; 59:16; 71:7; 91:2; 94:22; Pr 10:29; Isa 25:4; Jer 16:19; Joel 3:16
7. 2 Samuel 22:3 : S Ge 15:1
8. 2 Samuel 22:3 : S Dt 33:17; S Lk 1:69
9. 2 Samuel 22:3 : Ps 9:9; 52:7
10. 2 Samuel 22:4 : Ps 48:1; 96:4; 145:3
11. 2 Samuel 22:5 : Ps 69:14-15; Jnh 2:3
12. 2 Samuel 22:6 : Ps 116:3; Ac 2:24
13. 2 Samuel 22:7 : Ge 35:3; S Jdg 2:15; 2Ch 15:4; Ps 4:1; 77:2; 120:1; Isa 26:16
14. 2 Samuel 22:7 : Ps 34:6, 15; 116:4
15. 2 Samuel 22:8 : Jdg 5:4; Ps 97:4
16. 2 Samuel 22:8 : S Ex 19:18; S Jdg 5:4; Ps 68:8; 77:18; Jer 10:10
17. 2 Samuel 22:8 : Job 9:6; 26:11; Ps 75:3
18. 2 Samuel 22:9 : Ps 50:3; 97:3; Heb 12:29; S Rev 11:5
19. 2 Samuel 22:9 : Isa 6:6; Eze 1:13; 10:2
20. 2 Samuel 22:10 : S Ex 19:9; Lev 16:2; S Dt 33:26; 1Ki 8:12; Job 26:9; Ps 104:3; Isa 19:1; Jer 4:13; Na 1:3
21. 2 Samuel 22:11 : S Ge 3:24; S Ex 25:22
22. 2 Samuel 22:11 : Ps 104:3
23. 2 Samuel 22:12 : S Ex 19:9
24. 2 Samuel 22:13 : Job 37:3; Ps 77:18
25. 2 Samuel 22:14 : S 1Sa 2:10
26. 2 Samuel 22:15 : S Dt 32:23
27. 2 Samuel 22:16 : Ps 6:1; 50:8, 21; 106:9; Na 1:4
28. 2 Samuel 22:16 : S Ex 14:21; Isa 30:33; 40:24
29. 2 Samuel 22:17 : Ps 144:7
30. 2 Samuel 22:17 : Ex 2:10
31. 2 Samuel 22:18 : Lk 1:71
32. 2 Samuel 22:19 : Ps 23:4
33. 2 Samuel 22:20 : Job 36:16; Ps 31:8
34. 2 Samuel 22:20 : Ps 118:5
35. 2 Samuel 22:20 : Ps 22:8; Isa 42:1; Mt 12:18
36. 2 Samuel 22:20 : S 2Sa 15:26
37. 2 Samuel 22:21 : S 1Sa 26:23
38. 2 Samuel 22:21 : Ps 26:6
39. 2 Samuel 22:21 : Job 17:9; 22:30; 42:7-8; Ps 24:4
40. 2 Samuel 22:22 : Ge 18:19; Ps 128:1; Pr 8:32
41. 2 Samuel 22:23 : Dt 6:4-9; Ps 119:30-32
42. 2 Samuel 22:23 : Ps 119:102
43. 2 Samuel 22:24 : S Ge 6:9; Eph 1:4
44. 2 Samuel 22:25 : S 1Sa 26:23
45. 2 Samuel 22:27 : Mt 5:8
46. 2 Samuel 22:27 : Lev 26:23-24
47. 2 Samuel 22:28 : S Ex 3:8; 1Sa 2:8-9; Ps 72:12-13
48. 2 Samuel 22:28 : Ps 131:1; Pr 30:13; Da 4:31; Zep 3:11
49. 2 Samuel 22:28 : Isa 2:12, 17; 5:15; S Lk 1:51
50. 2 Samuel 22:29 : Ps 27:1; Isa 2:5; Mic 7:8; Rev 21:23; 22:5
51. 2 Samuel 22:31 : S Dt 32:4; Mt 5:48
52. 2 Samuel 22:31 : Ps 12:6; 119:140; Pr 30:5-6
53. 2 Samuel 22:31 : S Ge 15:1
54. 2 Samuel 22:32 : S 1Sa 2:2
55. 2 Samuel 22:32 : S 2Sa 7:22
56. 2 Samuel 22:34 : Isa 35:6; Hab 3:19
57. 2 Samuel 22:34 : S Dt 32:13
58. 2 Samuel 22:35 : Ps 144:1
59. 2 Samuel 22:35 : Ps 7:12; 11:2; Zec 9:13
60. 2 Samuel 22:36 : Eph 6:16
61. 2 Samuel 22:37 : Pr 4:11
62. 2 Samuel 22:39 : Ps 44:5; 110:6; Mal 4:3
63. 2 Samuel 22:40 : S Jos 10:24; S 1Ki 5:3
64. 2 Samuel 22:41 : S Ex 23:27
65. 2 Samuel 22:42 : Isa 1:15
66. 2 Samuel 22:42 : Ps 50:22
67. 2 Samuel 22:42 : S 1Sa 14:37
68. 2 Samuel 22:43 : 1Ki 20:10; 2Ki 13:7; Isa 41:2; Am 1:3
69. 2 Samuel 22:43 : Ps 7:5; Isa 41:25; Mic 7:10; Zec 10:5
70. 2 Samuel 22:43 : Isa 5:25; 10:6; 22:5; Mic 7:10
71. 2 Samuel 22:44 : S Ex 11:3; S 2Sa 3:1
72. 2 Samuel 22:44 : Dt 28:13
73. 2 Samuel 22:44 : S 2Sa 8:1-14; Isa 55:3-5
74. 2 Samuel 22:45 : Ps 66:3; 81:15
75. 2 Samuel 22:45 : S Dt 33:29
76. 2 Samuel 22:46 : Mic 7:17
77. 2 Samuel 22:47 : S Ex 15:2
78. 2 Samuel 22:47 : Dt 32:15; Ps 18:31; 89:26; 95:1
79. 2 Samuel 22:48 : S Nu 31:3
80. 2 Samuel 22:48 : Ps 144:2
81. 2 Samuel 22:49 : Ps 140:1, 4
82. 2 Samuel 22:49 : Ps 27:6
83. 2 Samuel 22:50 : Ps 9:11; 47:6; 68:4
84. 2 Samuel 22:50 : Ro 15:9*
85. 2 Samuel 22:51 : Ps 21:1; 144:9-10
86. 2 Samuel 22:51 : 1Sa 16:13; Ps 89:20; Ac 13:23
87. 2 Samuel 22:51 : S 2Sa 7:13
88. 2 Samuel 22:51 : Ps 89:24, 29

New International Version (NIV)

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