1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. 4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; 6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; 7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. 8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. 9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. 11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. 12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. 13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. 14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. 15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. 16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; 18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. 19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. 25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight. 26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright. 27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury. 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. 29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. 30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. 31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. 32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? 33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. 34 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places. 35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great. 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. 38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them. 39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet. 40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me. 41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad. 44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me. 45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. 46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places. 47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. 48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, 49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. 51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

1 David kvad denne sang for Herren den dag da Herren hadde utfridd ham av alle hans fienders hånd og av Sauls hånd.

2 Og han sa: Herren er min klippe og min festning og min redder,

3 min klippefaste Gud, som jeg setter min lit til, mitt skjold og min frelses horn, min borg og min tilflukt, min frelser; fra vold frelser du mig.

4 Jeg påkaller den Høilovede, Herren, og blir frelst fra mine fiender.

5 Dødens bølger omspente mig, fordervelsens strømmer forferdet mig.

6 Dødsrikets rep omgav mig, dødens snarer overfalt mig.

7 I min trengsel påkalte jeg Herren, og jeg ropte til min Gud; han hørte fra sitt tempel min røst, og mitt skrik kom for hans ører.

8 Da rystet og bevet jorden, himmelens grunnvoller skalv, og de rystet; for hans vrede var optendt.

9 Det steg røk op av hans nese, og fortærende ild fra hans munn; glør brente ut av ham.

10 Og han bøide himmelen og steg ned, og det var mørke under hans føtter.

11 Og han fór på kjeruber og fløi, og han lot sig se på vindens vinger.

12 Og han gjorde mørke til skjul rundt omkring sig, vannmasser, tykke skyer.

13 Frem av glansen foran ham brente gloende kull.

14 Herren tordnet fra himmelen, den Høieste lot sin røst høre.

15 Og han utsendte piler og spredte dem* omkring - lyn og forvirret dem. / {* fiendene.}

16 Da kom havets strømmer til syne; jordens grunnvoller blev avdekket ved Herrens trusel, for hans neses åndepust.

17 Han rakte sin hånd ut fra det høie, han grep mig; han drog mig op av store vann.

18 Han fridde mig ut fra min sterke fiende, fra mine avindsmenn; for de var mig for mektige.

19 De overfalt mig på min motgangs dag; men Herren blev min støtte.

20 Og han førte mig ut i fritt rum; han frelste mig, for han hadde behag i mig.

21 Herren gjengjeldte mig efter min rettferdighet, han betalte mig efter mine henders renhet.

22 For jeg tok vare på Herrens veier og vek ikke i ondskap fra min Gud;

23 for alle hans lover hadde jeg for øie, og fra hans bud vek jeg ikke,

24 og jeg var ulastelig for ham og voktet mig vel for min synd.

25 Og Herren gjengjeldte mig efter min rettferdighet, efter min renhet for hans øine.

26 Mot den fromme viser du dig from, mot den rettvise stridsmann viser du dig rettvis,

27 mot den rene viser du dig ren, mot den forvendte viser du dig vrang*. / {* d.e. gjør du tvert imot hans ønske og forventning.}

28 Elendige folk frelser du, men dine øine er mot de overmodige; dem fornedrer du.

29 For du er mitt lys, Herre, og Herren opklarer mitt mørke.

30 For ved dig stormer jeg løs på fiendeskarer, ved min Gud springer jeg over murer.

31 Gud, hans vei er fullkommen; Herrens ord er rent, han er et skjold for alle dem som setter sin lit til ham.

32 For hvem er Gud foruten Herren, og hvem er en klippe foruten vår Gud?

33 Gud, han er mitt sterke vern og leder den ulastelige på hans vei.

34 Han gir ham føtter likesom hindene og stiller mig på mine høider.

35 Han oplærer mine hender til krig, så mine armer spenner kobberbuen.

36 Og du gir mig din frelse til skjold, og din mildhet gjør mig stor.

37 Du gjør rummet vidt for mine skritt under mig, og mine ankler vakler ikke.

38 Jeg vil forfølge mine fiender og ødelegge dem, og jeg vender ikke tilbake før jeg har gjort ende på dem.

39 Jeg gjør ende på dem og knuser dem, så de ikke kan reise sig; de faller under mine føtter.

40 Og du omgjorder mig med kraft til krig, du bøier mine motstandere under mig.

41 Og mine fiender lar du vende mig ryggen, mine avindsmenn utrydder jeg.

42 De ser sig om, men der er ingen frelser - efter Herren, men han svarer dem ikke.

43 Og jeg knuser dem som jordens støv; jeg sønderknuser dem, tramper dem ned som søle på gatene.

44 Og du redder mig fra mitt folks kamper, du bevarer mig til å være hode for hedninger; folkeferd som jeg ikke kjenner, tjener mig.

45 Fremmede kryper for mig; bare de hører om mig, blir de mig lydige.

46 Fremmede visner bort og går bevende ut av sine borger.

47 Herren lever, og priset er min klippe, og ophøiet er min frelses klippefaste Gud,

48 den Gud som gir mig hevn og legger folkeferd under mig,

49 og som fører mig ut fra mine fiender; over mine motstandere ophøier du mig, fra voldsmannen redder du mig.

50 Derfor vil jeg prise dig, Herre, blandt hedningene og lovsynge ditt navn.

51 Han gjør frelsen stor for sin konge, og han gjør miskunnhet mot sin salvede, mot David og mot hans ætt til evig tid.