1David spoke the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD had rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.
2He said, "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my rescuer;"
3the God of my rock; I will trust in him. He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour. You save me from violence.
4I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised. So I will be saved from my enemies.
5When the waves of death surrounded me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
6the sorrows of hell closed around me; the traps of death came before me.
7In my trouble I called on the LORD, and cried to my God. He heard my voice from his temple, and my cry came into his ears.
8Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was angry.
9Smoke went up from his nostrils, and fire from his mouth burned everything. Coals were set alight by it.
10He bent the heavens down and came down, and darkness was under his feet.
11He rode on a cherub, and flew. He was seen on the wings of the wind.
12He made darkness tents around him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
13Through the brightness before him coals of fire were set alight.
14The LORD thundered from heaven, and the Most High let his voice be heard.
15He sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning, and drove them into confusion.
16The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17He reached down from above and took hold of me. He drew me out of many waters.
18He rescued me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.
19They came before me on the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.
20He also brought me out into a wide place. He rescued me, because he delighted in me.
21The LORD rewarded me for my righteousness. He paid me back for the cleanness of my hands.
22For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly turned away from my God.
23For all his judgments were before me, and I did not turn away from his laws.
24I was also honest before him, and kept myself from my own sin.
25So the LORD has paid me back for my righteousness, for my cleanness in his sight.
26To the merciful you show yourself merciful, and to the honest man you show yourself honest.
27To the pure you show yourself pure, and to the crooked you show yourself harsh.
28You will save the suffering people. But your eyes are on the proud, to bring them down.
29For you are my lamp, LORD. The LORD will light up my darkness.
30For with you I have run through a troop of soldiers. With my God I have leaped over a wall.
31As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the LORD has been tested. He is a shield to all who trust in him.
32For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?
33God is my strength and my power, and he makes my way perfect.
34He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.
35He teaches my hands to fight, so that my arms can bend a bow of steel.
36You have also given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness has made me great.
37You have made a wide path for my steps, so that my feet did not slip.
38I have chased my enemies and destroyed them. I did not turn back until they were finished.
39I finished them and wounded them, so that they could not rise. Yes, they fell under my feet.
40For you have armed me with strength for battle. You have put those who rose against me down under me.
41You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, so that I could destroy those who hate me.
42They looked, but there was no one to save them; even to the LORD, but he did not answer them.
43Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth. I crushed them like the mud of the street, and spread them about.
44You have also rescued me from the quarrels of my people. You have kept me to be head of the nations. A people I did not know will serve me.
45Foreigners will give in to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.
46Foreigners will wither away, and come trembling out of their hiding places.
47The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock. Let the God of the rock of my salvation be lifted high.
48It is God who takes revenge for me, and brings the peoples down under me,
49and who brings me out from my enemies. You also lifted me up high above those who rose against me. You rescued me from the violent man.
50So I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations, and I will sing praises to your name.
51"He is the tower of salvation for his king, and he shows mercy to his anointed one, to David, and to his children for ever."