2 Samuel 22, Psalm 118

Zion Gate - exterior of the Old City. King David is buried on the exterior about 150 meters from here

2 Samuel 22, Psalm 118 - Written by David.

v1 I will love you, LORD. In you I am strong.
v2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress. He gives me help. God is my rock. I run and hide in his shadow. He is my shield. He is the one that saves me. He is my high tower.
v3 The LORD is someone that I must praise. He will save me from my enemies.
v4 Death was all round me. God's enemies were following me.
v5 Sheol was tying me down. Death was catching me.
v6 In my trouble I prayed to the LORD. I shouted to my God for help. He heard my voice from his temple. My words went into his ears.
v7 So, the earth moved and shook. The foundations of the mountains shook. They moved because God was angry.
v8 Smoke rose from his nose. Burning fire came from his mouth. Burning coals shot out from him.
v9 God opened the heavens and came down. Dark clouds were under his feet.
v10 He sat on a cherub and he flew. God flew in the arms of the wind.
v11 God covered himself with darkness. He was in the dark waters and clouds in the skies.
v12 It was very bright where God was. Out of the clouds came hail and lightning.
v13 The LORD sent thunder from the heavens. People heard the voice of the Most High. There was hail and there was lightning.
v14 (The LORD) shot his arrows (of lightning). He made his enemies very frightened. He sent a lot of lightning and he beat his enemies.
v15 People saw how deep the sea was. They saw the foundations of the earth. This was because God blew on them through his nose.
v16 (The LORD) came down to me. He held me. He took me out from deep waters.
v17 He saved me from my powerful enemy. He saved me from people that hated me. They were too strong for me.
v18 It was a bad day for me when I met them. But the LORD gave me help.
v19 He led me out to a wide place. He saved me because he found pleasure in me.
v20 - v21 The LORD did this because: · I am righteous · my hands are clean · I obeyed the rules of the LORD · I did no evil · I did not turn away from God
v22 Really, all his rules are in front of me. I did not turn away from them
v23 I did nothing wrong before him. I did no sin.
v24 (The LORD) made me righteous. My hands are clean when he looks at me.
v25 To people that are kind, you (God) are kind. To people that do nothing wrong, you do nothing wrong.
v26 To people that are clean, you are clean. To people that turn away from you, you turn away from them.
v27 You will save humble people. You will not save people unless they are humble.
v28 LORD, you make my light burn brightly. My God is my light in the dark.
v29 Really, in you I run up to a troop (of soldiers). In my God I can jump over a wall.
v30 The way of God is perfect. The word of the LORD is true. He is a shield for everyone that hides in him.
v31 Because who is God? Only the LORD! Who is a rock? Only our God!
v32 It is in God that I am strong. He makes my way perfect.
v33 He makes my feet like the feet of a goat. I do not fall on the hills.
v34 He teaches my hands to fight. My arms can bend a metal bow.
v35 (God) you made me into a winner. You bent down (to earth). You made me great.
v36 You made me take long steps. My ankles did not turn.
v37 I ran after my enemies. I caught them. I did not turn back until I had killed them.
v38 I knocked them down. They did not get up again. They fell beneath my feet.
v39 You made me strong for fighting. You made my enemies bend in front of me.
v40 You gave their necks to me. I destroyed my enemies.
v41 They cried for help but nobody saved them. They cried to the LORD but he did not answer.
v42 I cut them into small pieces in the wind. I put them on the streets as sand.
v43 You saved me from the people that attacked me. You made me the leader of the nations. I even rule people that I do not know.
v44 When they hear about me they obey me. Foreign people are afraid of me.
v45 They will not fight me. They do not hide in their fortresses.
v46 The LORD is alive. Praise my Rock. Lift high the God that saves me.
v47 He is the God that fights for me. He makes the nations obey me.
v48 He saves me from my enemies. You lifted me above those enemies. You saved me from angry men.
v49 LORD, I will praise you in all the nations. I will praise your name with songs.
v50 (The LORD) will give his king great power. He will always show kindness to his Messiah, to David. He will show kindness to his children.