2 Samuel 22

Easy-to-Read Version

² The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my place of safety.
³     He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection.
He is my shield; by his power I am saved.^[b]
    He is my hiding place, my place of safety, high in the hills.
He is my savior, the one
    who rescues me from the cruel enemy.
⁴ I called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved me from my enemies.
    He is worthy of my praise!

⁵ Waves of death were crashing around me.
    A deadly flood was carrying me away.
⁶ The ropes of the grave wrapped around me.
    Death set its trap right there in front of me.
⁷ In my trouble I called to the Lord.
    Yes, I cried out to my God for help.
There in his temple he heard my voice.
    He heard my cry for help.
⁸ The earth shook and shivered.
    The foundations of heaven trembled.
    They shook because he was angry!
⁹ Smoke came from his nose.
    Burning flames came from his mouth.
    Red-hot coals fell from him.
¹⁰ He tore open the sky and came down.
    He stood on a thick, dark cloud.
¹¹ He flew across the sky, riding on a Cherub angel,
    gliding on the wings of the wind.
¹² He wrapped himself in darkness that covered him like a tent.
    He was hidden by dark clouds filled with water.
¹³ Out of the brightness before him,
    flashes of lightning came down.
¹⁴ The Lord thundered from the sky.
    God Most High let his voice be heard.
¹⁵ He scattered the enemy with his arrows—
    the lightning bolts that threw them into confusion.

¹⁶ The Lord shouted his command,
    and a powerful wind began to blow.^[c]
Then the bottom of the sea could be seen,
    and the earth’s foundations were uncovered.

¹⁷ The Lord reached down from above and grabbed me.
    He pulled me from the deep water.
¹⁸ He saved me from my powerful enemies, who hated me.
    They were too strong for me, so he saved me.
¹⁹ They attacked me in my time of trouble,
    but the Lord was there to support me.
²⁰ He was pleased with me, so he rescued me.
    He took me to a safe place.
²¹ The Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
    He was good to me because I am innocent.
²² The Lord did this because I have obeyed him.
    I have not turned against my God.
²³ I always remembered his laws.
    I never stopped following his rules.
²⁴ He knows I did nothing that was wrong.
    I have kept myself from sinning.
²⁵ So the Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
    He could see that I am innocent.

²⁶ Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful.
    You are good to those who are good.
²⁷ You never do wrong to those who have done no wrong.
    But you outsmart the wicked, no matter how clever they are.
²⁸ You help those who are humble,
    but as soon as you see the proud, you humiliate them.
²⁹ Lord, you are my lamp.
    You, Lord, turn the darkness around me into light.
³⁰ With your help I can defeat an army.
    If my God is with me, I can climb over enemy walls.

³¹ God’s way is perfect.
    The Lord’s promise always proves to be true.
    He protects those who trust in him.
³² There is no God except the Lord.
    There is no Rock except our God.
³³ God is my strong fortress.
    He clears the path I need to take.
³⁴ He makes my feet as steady as those of a deer.
    Even on steep mountains he keeps me from falling.
³⁵ He trains me for war
    so that my arms can bend the most powerful bow.

³⁶ Lord, you have given me your shield to protect me.
    It is your help that has made me great.
³⁷ You cleared a path for my feet
    so that I could walk without stumbling.
³⁸ I chased my enemies and defeated them.
    I did not stop until they were destroyed.
³⁹ I destroyed my enemies.
    I struck them down.
They did not get up again.
    They fell under my feet.

⁴⁰ Lord, you made me strong in battle.
    You made my enemies fall before me.
⁴¹ You made my enemies turn and run away.
    I destroyed those who hated me.
⁴² They looked for help,
    but there was no one to save them.
They cried out to the Lord,
    but he did not answer them.
⁴³ I beat my enemies to pieces
    like dust on the ground.
I smashed them and walked on them
    like mud in the streets.

⁴⁴ You saved me from those who fought against me.
    You made me the ruler over nations.
    People I never knew now serve me.
⁴⁵ Foreigners fall helpless before me!
    As soon as they heard about me, they were ready to obey.
⁴⁶ They lose all their courage
    and come out of their hiding places shaking with fear.

⁴⁷ The Lord lives!
    I praise my Rock!
    How great is my God, the Rock who saves me!
⁴⁸ He is the God who punishes my enemies for me,
    the one who puts people under my rule.
⁴⁹ He saves me from my enemies!

You help me defeat those who attack me.
    You save me from cruel people.
⁵⁰ Lord, that is why I praise you among the nations.
    That is why I sing songs of praise to your name.

⁵¹ You help your king win battle after battle.
    You show your faithful love to your chosen one,^[d]
    to David and his descendants forever!