(For the music leader. A psalm by David, the Lord's servant. David sang this to the Lord after the Lord had rescued him from his enemies, but especially from Saul.)

David's Song of Thanks

1I love you, Lord God,

and you make me strong.

2You are my mighty rock,+

my fortress, my protector,

the rock where I am safe,

my shield, my powerful weapon,+

and my place of shelter.

3I praise you, Lord!

I prayed, and you rescued me

from my enemies.

4Death had wrapped

its ropes around me,

and I was almost swallowed

by its flooding waters.

5Ropes from the world

of the dead

had coiled around me,

and death had set a trap

in my path.

6I was in terrible trouble

when I called out to you,

but from your temple

you heard me

and answered my prayer.

7The earth shook and shivered,

and the mountains trembled

down to their roots.

You were angry

8and breathed out smoke.

Scorching heat and fiery flames

spewed from your mouth.

9You opened the heavens

like curtains,

and you came down

with storm clouds

under your feet.

10You rode on the backs

of flying creatures

and swooped down

with the wind as wings.

11Darkness was your robe;

thunderclouds filled the sky,

hiding you from sight.

12Hailstones and fiery coals

lit up the sky

in front of you.

13Lord Most High, your voice

thundered from the heavens,

as hailstones and fiery coals

poured down like rain.

14You scattered your enemies

with arrows of lightning.

15You roared at the sea,

and its deepest channels

could be seen.

You snorted,

and the earth shook

to its foundations.

16You reached down from heaven,

and you lifted me

from deep in the ocean.

17You rescued me from enemies,

who were hateful

and too powerful for me.

18On the day disaster struck,

they came and attacked,

but you defended me.

19When I was fenced in,

you freed and rescued me

because you love me.

20You are good to me, Lord,

because I do right,

and you reward me

because I am innocent.

21I do what you want

and never turn to do evil.

22I keep your laws in mind

and never look away

from your teachings.

23I obey you completely

and guard against sin.

24You have been good to me

because I do right;

you have rewarded me

for being innocent

by your standards.

25You are always loyal

to your loyal people,

and you are faithful

to the faithful.

26With all who are sincere,

you are sincere,

but you treat the unfaithful

as their deeds deserve.

27You rescue the humble,

but you put down all

who are proud.

28You, the Lord God,

keep my lamp burning

and turn darkness to light.

29You help me defeat armies

and capture cities.

30Your way is perfect, Lord,

and your word is correct.

You are a shield for those

who run to you for help.

31You alone are God!

Only you are a mighty rock.+

32You give me strength

and guide me right.

33- You make my feet run as fast

as those of a deer,

and you help me stand

on the mountains.

34You teach my hands to fight

and my arms to use

a bow of bronze.

35You alone are my shield.

Your right hand supports me,

and by coming to help me,

you have made me famous.

36You clear the way for me,

and now I won't stumble.

37I kept chasing my enemies,

until I caught them

and destroyed them.

38I stuck my sword

through my enemies,

and they were crushed

under my feet.

39You helped me win victories,

and you forced my attackers

to fall victim to me.

40You made my enemies run,

and I killed them.

41They cried out for help,

but no one saved them;

they called out to you,

but there was no answer.

42I ground them to dust

blown by the wind,

and I poured them out

like mud in the streets.

43You rescued me

from stubborn people,

and you made me the leader

of foreign nations,

who are now my slaves.

44They obey and come crawling.

45They have lost all courage,

and from their fortresses,

they come trembling.

46You are the living Lord!

I will praise you.

You are a mighty rock.+

I will honor you

for keeping me safe.

47You took revenge for me,

and you put nations

in my power.

48You protected me

from violent enemies

and made me much greater

than all of them.

49- I will praise you, Lord,

and I will honor you

among the nations.

50You give glorious victories

to your chosen king.

Your faithful love for David

and for his descendants

will never end.