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David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

2 Samuelchapter 22

51 verses · Samuel, Nathan and Gad, by tradition · 10th century BC · History

David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

The line breaks below follow the poem's own punctuation. The section titles are this site's own.

A.Jehovah is my rock: a cry heard in his templevv. 1-7

And David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

He said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.

My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation.My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the LORD;I cried out to my God.And from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.

B.The earth shakes and God comes down to draw me outvv. 8-20

Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.

Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals blazed forth.

He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.

He mounted a cherub and flew;He soared on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.

From the brightness of His presence coals of fire blazed forth.

The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

He shot His arrows and scattered the foes;He hurled lightning and routed them.

The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;He drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.

They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.

He brought me out into the open;He rescued me because He delighted in me.

C.With the merciful thou wilt show thyself mercifulvv. 21-31

The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.

For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all His ordinances are before me;I have not disregarded His statutes.

And I have been blameless before Him and kept myself from iniquity.

So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His sight.

To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;

to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.

You save an afflicted people, but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

For You, O LORD, are my lamp; the LORD lights up my darkness.

For in You I can charge an army; with my God I can scale a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

D.He teacheth my hands to war; my feet like hinds' feetvv. 32-46

For who is God besides the LORD?And who is the Rock except our God?

God is my strong fortress and He makes my way clear.

He makes my feet like those of a deer and stations me upon the heights.

He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have given me Your shield of salvation, and Your gentleness exalts me.

You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not give way.

I pursued my enemies and destroyed them;I did not turn back until they were consumed.

I devoured and crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet.

You have armed me with strength for battle;You have subdued my foes beneath me.

You have made my enemies retreat before me;I put an end to those who hated me.

They looked, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but He did not answer.

I ground them as the dust of the earth;I crushed and trampled them like mud in the streets.

You have delivered me from the strife of my people;You have preserved me as the head of nations; a people I had not known shall serve me.

Foreigners cower before me; when they hear me, they obey me.

Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.

E.Jehovah liveth: praise among the nationsvv. 47-51

The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock!And may God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted—

the God who avenges me and brings down nations beneath me,

who frees me from my enemies.You exalt me above my foes;You rescue me from violent men.

Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations;I will sing praises to Your name.

Great salvation He brings to His king.He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

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