« | 2 Samuel 22 | » |
1 And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, in the day in which the Lord rescued him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.
2 And the song was thus: O Lord, my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer,
3 my God; He shall be to me my guard, I will trust in Him: [He is] my protector, and the horn of my salvation, my helper, and my sure refuge; You shall save me from the unjust man.
4 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I shall be saved from my enemies.
5 For the troubles of death compassed me, the floods of iniquity amazed me;
6 the pangs of death surrounded me, the agonies of death prevented me.
7 When I am afflicted I will call upon the Lord, and will cry to my God, and He shall hear my voice out of His temple, and my cry shall come into His ears.
8 And the earth was troubled and quaked, and the foundations of heaven were confounded and torn asunder, because the Lord was angry with them.
9 There went up a smoke in His wrath, and fire out of His mouth devours; coals were kindled at it.
10 And He bowed the heavens, and came down, and [there was] darkness under His feet.
11 And He rode upon the cherubim and flew, and was seen upon the wings of the wind.
12 And He made darkness His hiding place; His tabernacle round about Him was the darkness of waters, He condensed it with the clouds of the air.
13 At the brightness before Him coals of fire were kindled.
14 The Lord thundered out of heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice.
15 And He sent forth arrows, and scattered them, and He flashed lightning, and dismayed them.
16 And the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of His anger.
17 He sent from above and took me; He drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemies, from them that hated me, for they were stronger than I.
19 The days of my affliction prevented me; but the Lord was my stay.
20 And He brought me into a wide place, and rescued me, because He delighted in me.
21 And the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness; even according to the purity of my hands did He recompense me.
22 Because, I kept the ways of the Lord, and did not wickedly depart from my God.
23 For all His judgments and His ordinances [were] before me: I departed not from them.
24 And I shall be blameless before Him, and will keep myself from my iniquity.
25 And the Lord will recompense me according to my righteousness, and according to the purity of my hands in His sight.
26 With the holy You will be holy, and with the blameless man You will be blameless,
27 and with the excellent You will be excellent, and with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
28 And You will save the poor people, and will bring down the eyes of the haughty.
29 For You, O Lord, [are] my lamp, and the Lord shall shine forth to me in my darkness.
30 For by You shall I run [as] a girded man, and by my God shall I leap over a wall.
31 As for the Mighty One, His way [is] blameless: the word of the Lord [is] strong [and] tried in the fire; He is a protector to all that put their trust in Him.
32 Who [is] strong, but the Lord? And who will be a Creator except our God?
33 [It is] the Mighty One who strengthens me with might, and has prepared my way without fault.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me upon the high places.
35 He teaches my hands to war, and has broken the bronze bow by my arm.
36 And You have given me the shield of my salvation, and Your propitious dealing has increased me,
37 so as to make room under me for my going, and my legs did not totter.
38 I will pursue my enemies, and will utterly destroy them; and I will not turn again till I have consumed them.
39 And I will crush them, and they shall not rise; and they shall fall under my feet.
40 And You shall strengthen me with power for the war; You shall cause them that rise up against me to bow down under me.
41 And You have caused my enemies to flee before me, even them that hated me, and You have slain them.
42 They shall cry, and there shall be no helper; [they shall cry] to the Lord, but He hearkens not to them.
43 And I ground them as the dust of the earth, I beat them small as the mire of the streets.
44 And You shall deliver me from the striving of the peoples, You shall keep me [to be] the head of the Gentiles:; a people which I knew not served me.
45 The strange children feigned [obedience] to me; they hearkened to me as soon as they heard.
46 The strange children shall be cast away, and shall be overthrown out of their hiding places.
47 The Lord lives, and blessed [be] my guardian, and my God, my strong keeper, [and He] shall be exalted.
48 The Lord who avenges me [is] strong, chastening the nations under me,
49 and bringing me out from my enemies; and You shall set me on high from among those that rise up against me; You shall deliver me from the violent man.
50 Therefore will I confess to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.
51 He magnifies the salvation of His king, and works mercy for His anointed, even for David and for his seed forever.
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC)
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC) is a modern translation of the Bible that strives to offer a clear and faithful rendering of the scriptures in contemporary language. This translation is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, providing an easy-to-read yet accurate version of the biblical text. The ABC translation aims to bridge the gap between the ancient languages in which the Bible was originally written and the modern vernacular, making it an ideal choice for both personal study and public reading.
One of the notable features of the Apostles’ Bible Complete is its dedication to maintaining the integrity of the original manuscripts. The translators of the ABC worked meticulously with the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts to ensure that their translation accurately reflects the original meaning and intent of the scriptures. By employing a balance of formal equivalence (word-for-word) and dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought) translation techniques, the ABC aims to preserve the nuances and richness of the original languages while ensuring readability and clarity for modern readers.
The ABC also incorporates extensive cross-references and study aids to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These tools include footnotes that provide historical and cultural context, as well as explanations of difficult or ambiguous passages. This approach helps readers to grasp the deeper meanings of the scriptures and to see how different parts of the Bible interconnect. The inclusion of these study aids makes the ABC particularly useful for those who are new to the Bible, as well as for more experienced readers who are looking to deepen their understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the Apostles’ Bible Complete has faced some criticisms. Some readers feel that the translation could benefit from further refinement in certain passages, as the balance between formal and dynamic equivalence can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in style and tone. Others have noted that while the study aids are helpful, they can occasionally overwhelm the main text, making it difficult to focus on the scripture itself. Nonetheless, the ABC remains a valuable and respected translation, appreciated for its commitment to accuracy, clarity, and accessibility, and for its ability to bring the ancient words of the Bible to life for contemporary readers.