*For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord rescued him from the power of all his enemies, including Saul. He said: “I love you, Lord, my source of strength! *The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer. My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter, my shield, the horn that saves me, and my refuge. *I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was delivered from my enemies.*The waves of death engulfed me, the currents of chaos overwhelmed me. *The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, the snares of death trapped me. *In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried out to my God. From his heavenly temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help. *The earth heaved and shook; the roots of the mountains trembled; they heaved because he was angry.*Smoke ascended from his nose; fire devoured as it came from his mouth; he hurled down fiery coals. *He made the sky sink as he descended; a thick cloud was under his feet.*He mounted a winged angel and flew; he glided on the wings of the wind. *He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds. *From the brightness in front of him came hail and fiery coals. *The Lord thundered in the sky; the sovereign One shouted. *He shot his arrows and scattered them, many lightning bolts and routed them. *The depths of the sea were exposed; the inner regions of the world were uncovered by your battle cry, Lord, by the powerful breath from your nose. *He reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me from the surging water. *He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me.*They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me. *He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me. *The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds; he rewarded my blameless behavior. *For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; I have not rebelled against my God. *For I am aware of all his regulations, and I do not reject his rules. *I was innocent before him, and kept myself from sinning. *The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; he took notice of my blameless behavior. *You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent. *You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse. *For you deliver oppressed people, but you bring down those who have a proud look. *Indeed, you are my lamp, Lord. My God illuminates the darkness around me. *Indeed, with your help I can charge against an army; by my God’s power I can jump over a wall. *The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the Lord’s promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.*Indeed, who is God besides the Lord? Who is a protector besides our God? *The one true God gives me strength; he removes the obstacles in my way. *He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. *He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend even the strongest bow. *You give me your protective shield; your right hand supports me; your willingness to help enables me to prevail. *You widen my path; my feet do not slip.*I chase my enemies and catch them; I do not turn back until I wipe them out.*I beat them to death; they fall at my feet. *You give me strength for battle; you make my foes kneel before me. *You make my enemies retreat; I destroy those who hate me. *They cry out, but there is no one to help them; they cry out to the Lord, but he does not answer them.*I grind them as fine windblown dust; I beat them underfoot like clay in the streets.*You rescue me from a hostile army; you make me a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. *When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. Foreigners are powerless before me;*foreigners lose their courage; they shake with fear as they leave their strongholds. *The Lord is alive! My protector is praiseworthy! The God who delivers me is exalted as king! *The one true God completely vindicates me; he makes nations submit to me. *He delivers me from my enemies; you snatch me away from those who attack me; you rescue me from violent men.*So I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord! I will sing praises to you! *He gives his chosen king magnificent victories; he is faithful to his chosen ruler, to David and his descendants forever.”
