1aThis poem occurs again at 2 Sam. 22, with a number of variations, some of which are cited in the following notes. For the leader. Of David, the servant of GOD, who addressed the words of this song to GOD after GOD had saved him from the hands of all his enemies and from the clutches of Saul.
2He said:I adore you, O ETERNAL One, my strength,bI adore you, O ETERNAL ONE, my strength Not in 2 Sam. 22.2.
3O ETERNAL One, my crag, my fortress, my deliverer,my God, my rock in which I take shelter,my shield, my mighty champion,cmighty champion Lit. “horn of rescue.” my haven.
4All praise! I called on GODdAll praise! I called on GOD Construction of Heb. uncertain. and was delivered from my enemies.
5RopeseRopes Cf. 2 Sam. 22.5 “breakers.” of Death encompassed me;torrents of BelialfBelial I.e., the netherworld, like “Death” and “Sheol.” terrified me;
6ropes of Sheol encircled me;snares of Death confronted me.
7In my anguish I called on the ETERNAL,cried out to my God,who from a heavenly abodega heavenly abode Lit. “His temple”; cf. v. 10. heard my voice,whose ears received my cry.
8Then the earth rocked and quaked;the foundations of the mountains shook—rocked by divine indignation;
9smoke went up from God’s nostrils,devouring fire from God’s mouth—live coals blazing forth.
10[God] bent the sky and came down,thick cloud beneath divine feet.
11[God] mounted a cherub and flew,gliding on the wings of the wind.
12[God] made darkness a screen—pavilions of dark thunderheads,dense clouds of the sky all around.
13In the divine brilliance,hail and fiery coals pierced those clouds.hpierced those clouds Cf. 2 Sam. 22.13 “blazed.”
14Then GOD thundered from heaven,the Most High gave forth voice—hail and fiery coalsihail and fiery coals Not in 2 Sam. 22.14.—
15letting shafts fly, and scattering them;discharging lightning, and routing them.
16The ocean bed was exposed;the foundations of the world were laid bareby Your mighty roaring, O ETERNAL One,at the blast of Your breath.jYour breath Lit. “the breath of Your nostrils.”
17Reaching down from on high, [God] took me,drawing me out of the mighty waters—
18rescuing me from my fierce enemy,from foes too strong for me.
19They confronted me on the day of my calamity,but GOD was my support—
20bringing me out to freedom,pleased with me enough to rescue me.
21GOD rewarded me according to my merit—requiting the cleanness of my hands—
22for I have kept to the ways of GOD and have not been guilty before my God;
23for I am mindful of all God’s rulesand have not disregarded God’s laws.
24I have been blameless toward [God],and have guarded myself against sinning;
25and GOD has requited my merit,according to the evident cleanness of my hands.
26With the loyal, You deal loyally;with the blameless,kthe blameless Heb. “blameless man.” blamelessly.
27With the pure, You act purely,and with the perverse, You are wily.
28It is You who deliver lowly folk,but haughty eyes You humble.
29It is You who light my lamp;my ETERNAL God lights up my darkness.
30With You, I can rush a barrier;lbarrier Cf. note to 2 Sam. 22.30; or “troop.” with my God, I can scale a wall.
31The way of God is perfect;the word of the ETERNAL is pure.[God] shields all who seek refuge.
32Truly, who is a god except the ETERNAL,who is a rock but our God?—
33the God who girded me with might,who made my way secure;
34who made my legs like a deer’s,and set me firmly on themthe Taking bamothai as a poetic form of bamoth; cf. Hab. 3.19; in contrast to others “my.” heights;
35who trained my hands for battle—my arms can bend a bow of bronze!
36You have granted me the shield of Your protection;Your right hand has sustained me,Your carencare Meaning of Heb. uncertain; in contrast to others “condescension.” has made me great.
37You have let me stride on freely;my feet have not slipped.
38I pursued my enemies and overtook them;I did not turn back till I destroyed them.
39I struck them down,and they could rise no more;they lay at my feet.
40You have girded me with strength for battle,brought low my adversaries before me,
41made my enemies turn tail before me;I wiped out my foes.
42They cried out, but there was none to deliver;to GOD, who did not answer them.
43I ground them fine as windswept dust;I trod them flat like dirt of the streets.
44You have rescued me from the strife of people;You have set me at the head of nations;peoples I knew not must serve me.
45At the mere report of me they are submissive;foreign peoples cower before me.
46Foreign peoples lose courage,and come trembling out of their strongholds.oand come trembling out of their strongholds Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
47GOD lives! Blessed is my rock!Exalted be God, my deliverer,
48the God who has vindicated meand made peoples subject to me,
49who rescued me from my enemies,who raised me clear of my adversaries,saved me from the lawless opposition!
50For this I sing Your praise among the nations, ETERNAL One,and hymn Your name:
51According great victoriespAccording great victories Cf. 2 Sam. 22.51, “Tower of victory.” to YourqYour Heb. 3rd person. king,keeping faith with YourrYour See preceding note. anointed,with David and his offspring evermore.