David’s Psalm of Deliverance

1David composed the words of this song to the LORD the very day the LORD delivered him from the dominationa of all of his enemies, including from Saul’s hands. 2This is whatb he said:

LORD, you arec my stone stronghold

and my fortified place;

you are continuously deliveringd me.

3He is my God,

my strong stone—

in him I will find my refuge—

my shield,

the strengthe of my salvation,

my high tower,

my way of escape,

and the one who is saving me.

You will save me from violence.

4As I am praising him,f

I will call out to the LORD,

and I will be saved from my enemies.

5Because deadly breakersg engulfed me,

while torrents of abuseh from the ungodly overwhelmedi me.

6Binding ropes from Sheol entangled me

while lethal snares hindered me.

7I cried out to the LORD in the middle of my troubles;

I cried out to my God.

He listened to my voice from his sanctuary,

and my call for help was heard.

8Just then the earth shook and trembled!

The foundations of heaven reeled and quaked

because the LORDj was angry.

9Smoke poured out of his nostrils,

and fire from his mouth

kindling coals to flame by it.

10He deformed heaven itself as he descended.

Thick darkness enveloped his feet.

11He rode on a cherub and flew,

soaring on the wings of the wind!

12The darkness around him was his canopies—

amassed water was his overhanging clouds!

13From the shining lightk that was his presencel

coals of fire blazed into flame!

14The LORD roared from heaven!

The Most High let his voice be heard!

15He launched his arrows and scattered them—

his lightning routed them.

16The currents of the sea were revealed

and the foundations of the world were exposed

at the rebuke of the LORD

and at the blazing breath from his nostrils!

17He sent for me from on high!

He grabbed hold of me,

drawing me out of deep water.

18He rescued me from my strong enemy—

from those who hate me continually,

since they were stronger than I.

19They confronted me when I was in trouble,m

but the LORD remained my support!

20He brought me to a wide open area,

rescuing me because he was pleased with me!

21The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness,

rewarding me according to the degree of my innocence,n

22because I have kept the LORD’s way—

I haven’t willfully abandoned my God—

23and because all of his decrees remain in my thoughts,o

I have not turned aside from his statutes,

24I have been innocent before him,

and I’ve kept myself from incurringp guilt.

25The Lord has repaid me according to my righteousness,

that is, according to my clean standing as heq looks at me.r

26In the company of the gracious

you demonstrate your gracious love.

In the company of the blamelessly valiant

you demonstrate your blamelessness.

27In the company of the pure

you demonstrate your purity.

In the company of the perverted

you will appear to be perverse.

28You save the nation who is humble

but your eyes watch the proud,

to bring them down.

29For you are my lamp, LORD,

the LORD who illuminates my darkness.

30By you I devastate armies,

by my God I scale walls.

31This God! His way is perfect!

What the LORD declares proves true.

He shieldss everyone who flees for protection to him!

32For who is God apart from the LORD?

And who is a Rock, apart from our God?

33This God is my strong place of valor!

He has made my lifet blameless.

34He has made my feet like those of a deer,

setting me secure on his high places!

35He has trained my hands for battle readiness—

I can bend a bow made out of bronze.

36He has equipped me with the shield that is your salvation,

Your gentlenessu has made me great.

37You’ve made room beneath me for my footsteps,

and my feet didn’t slip.

38I pursued my enemies and conquered them;

I didn’t return until they were consumed.

39I devoured them,

striking them down

until they could not get up again.

They fell beneath my feet.

40You strengthened me with valor sufficient for the battle;

you made those who rebelled against me fall beneath me.

41You made my enemies turn and run—v

that is, those who hate me—

and I destroyed them!

42They looked around, but there was no one to savew themx —

they lookedy to the LORD, but he paid no attention!

43I pulverized them to powder,

like the dust of the earth;

I crushed them,

stomping on them like mud on a street.

44You delivered me from civil war among my own people.

You preserved me as head of the nations.

People whom I had never known served me!

45Foreignersz came cringing to me;

they obeyed as soon as they heardaa me.

46Foreignersbb lost their courage,

coming trembling from their strongholds.

47The LORD lives!

Blessed be my Rock,

and may my God be exalted,

the Rock who is my salvation!

48The God who keeps on avenging me,

subjugating people beneath me,

49delivering me from my enemies.

You exalted me above those who rebelled against me,

delivering me from violent men.

50Because of all of this I will praise you among the nations, LORD,

and I will sing praises to your name!

51Great is the salvation he brings to his king,

showing gracious love to his anointed,

to David and to his offspringcc forever.