David's Song of Praise
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David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him
from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
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He said: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
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my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior - from violent men you save me.
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I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
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"The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
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The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.
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In my distress I called the LORD; I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice; my cry camt to his ears.
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"The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
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Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
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He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
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He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
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He made darkness his canopy around him - the dark rain clouds of the sky.
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Out of the brightness his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth.
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The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
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He shot arrows and scattered the enemies, bolts of lightning and routed them.
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The Valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth
laid bare at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
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"He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
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He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
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They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.
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He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
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"The LORD has dealt with me accroding to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
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For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.
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All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
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I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
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The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleaness in his sight.
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"To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
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to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
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You save the humble,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
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You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light.
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With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
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"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
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For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
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It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
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He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.
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He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
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You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great.
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You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.
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"I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
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I crushed them completely, and they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.
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You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
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You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.
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They cried for help, but there was no one to save them - to the LORD,
but he did not answer.
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I beat them as fine as dust of the earth;
I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.
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"You have delivered me from the attacks of my people;
you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know are subject to me,
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and foreigners come cringing to me; as soon as they hear me, they obey me.
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They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.
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"The LORD lives! Prasise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
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He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me,
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who sets me free from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.
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Therfore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
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He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever."
