Online Bible

David’s Psalm of Rescue

^aDavid spoke ^bthe words of this song to the LORD when the LORD rescued him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said:“^aThe LORD is my rock and my fortress on the mountain and my rescuer; 1+@Sam 23:14, 25, 28

3 ¹^aMy God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;My ^bshield and ^cthe horn of my salvation, my stronghold and ^dmy refuge,My Savior—You save me from violence. Gen 15:14 “I call on the LORD, ^awho is worthy to be praised,And I am saved from my enemies.5 “For ^athe waves of death encompassed me;^bThe torrents of ¹destruction overwhelmed and terrified me.6 “^aThe cords of Sheol surrounded me;The snares of death confronted me.7 “^aIn my distress I called upon the LORD;I cried out to my God,And from His temple in the heavens He heard my voice;My cry for help came into His ears.8 “Then ^athe earth shook and quaked,^bThe foundations of the heavens trembledAnd were shaken, because He was angry.9 “Smoke went up out of His nostrils,And devouring ^afire from His mouth;^bCoals were kindled by it.10 “He bowed the heavens also, and came down^aWith thick darkness under His feet.11 “^aHe rode on a cherub and flew;He appeared upon ^bthe wings of the wind.12 “^aHe made darkness ¹canopies around Him,A mass of waters, thick clouds of the skies.13 “Out of the brightness before Him^aCoals of fire were set aflame.14 “^aThe LORD thundered from heaven,And the Most High uttered His voice.15 “^aHe sent out arrows and scattered them;Lightning, and confused them.16 “The channels of the sea appeared,The foundations of the world were uncoveredAt the rebuke of the LORD,^aAt the blast of the breath of His nostrils.17 “^aHe sent from above, He took me;^bHe drew me out of great waters.18 “He rescued me from my strong enemy,From those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.19 “They came upon me in the day of my calamity,^aBut the LORD was my support.20 “^aHe also brought me out to an open place;He rescued me ^bbecause He delighted in me.21 “^aThe LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;^bAccording to the cleanness of my hands He has rewarded me.22 “^aFor I have kept the ways of the LORD,And have not acted wickedly against my God.23 “^aFor all His judgments (legal decisions) were before me,And from His statutes I did not turn aside.24 “^aI was also blameless before Him,And kept myself from wrongdoing.25 “^aTherefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,According to my cleanness in His sight.26 “^aWith the loving and loyal You show Yourself loving and loyal,With the blameless You show Yourself blameless.27 “^aWith the pure You show Yourself pure,^bWith the perverted You show Yourself astute.28 “^aAnd You save the afflicted people;^bBut Your eyes are on the haughty whom You abase (humiliate) .29 “^aFor You, O LORD, are my lamp;The LORD illumines and dispels my darkness.30 “^aFor by You I can run upon a troop;By my God I can leap over a wall.31 “^aAs for God, His way is blameless and perfect;^bThe word of the LORD is tested.^cHe is a shield to all those who take refuge and trust in Him.32 “^aFor who is God, besides the LORD?^bAnd who is a rock, besides our God? 1+@Sam 2:233 “^aGod is my strong fortress;He sets the blameless in His way.34 “^aHe makes my feet like the doe’s feet firm and swift;^bHe sets me secure and confident on my high places.35 “^aHe trains my hands for war,^bSo that my arms can bend (pull back) a bow of bronze.36 “You have also given me ^athe shield of Your salvation,And Your help and gentleness make me great.37 “^aYou enlarge my steps under me,And my feet have not slipped.38 “I pursued my enemies and ^adestroyed them,And I did not turn back until they were consumed (eliminated) .39 “I consumed them and shattered them, so that they did not rise;^aThey fell under my feet.40 “For You have surrounded me with strength for the battle;^aYou have subdued under me those who stood against me.41 “You have also ^amade my enemies turn their backs to me in retreat,And I destroyed those who hated me.42 “^aThey looked, but there was no savior for them—^bEven to the LORD they looked, but He did not answer them.43 “^aThen I beat them as small as the dust of the earth;^bI crushed and stamped them as the mire (dirt, mud) of the streets.44 “^aYou also have rescued me from strife with my own people;^bYou have kept me as the head of the nations.^cPeople whom I have not known served me.45 “^aForeigners pretend obedience to me;As soon as they hear me, they obey me.46 “Foreigners lose heart;^aThey come trembling out of their strongholds.47 “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock,And exalted be ^amy God, the rock of my salvation.48 “It is ^aGod who executes vengeance for me,^bAnd brings down and disciplines the peoples under me,49 Who also brings me out from my enemies.You even lift me above ^athose who rise up against me;^bYou rescue me from the violent man.50 “^aFor this I will give thanks and praise You, O LORD, among the nations;I will sing praises to Your name.51 “^aHe is a tower of salvation and great deliverance to His king,And ^bshows lovingkindness to His anointed,^cTo David and his offspring forever.”