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When the Lord saved David from Saul and his other enemies, David sang this song to the Lord:
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The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress.
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My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. He is my savior; he protects me and saves me from violence.
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I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord!
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The waves of death were all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over me.
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The danger of death was around me, and the grave set its trap for me.
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In my trouble I called to the Lord; I called to my God for help. In his temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help.
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Then the earth trembled and shook; the foundations of the sky rocked and quivered because God was angry!
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Smoke poured out of his nostrils, a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth.
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He tore the sky open and came down, with a dark cloud under his feet.
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He flew swiftly on his winged creature; he traveled on the wings of the wind.
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He covered himself with darkness; thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him;
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burning coals flamed up from the lightning before him.
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Then the Lord thundered from the sky, and the voice of Almighty God was heard.
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He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; with flashes of lightning he sent them running.
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The floor of the ocean was laid bare, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered when the Lord rebuked his enemies and roared at them in anger.
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The Lord reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me out of the deep waters.
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He rescued me from my powerful enemies and from all those who hate me - they were too strong for me.
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When I was in trouble, they attacked me, but the Lord protected me.
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He helped me out of danger; he saved me because he was pleased with me.
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The Lord rewards me because I do what is right; he blesses me because I am innocent.
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I have obeyed the law of the Lord; I have not turned away from my God.
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I have observed all his laws; I have not disobeyed his commands.
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He knows that I am faultless, that I have kept myself from doing wrong.
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And so he rewards me because I do what is right, because he knows that I am innocent.
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O Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you, and completely good to those who are perfect.
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You are pure to those who are pure, but hostile to those who are wicked.
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You save those who are humble, but you humble those who are proud.
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You, Lord, are my light; you dispel my darkness.
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You give me strength to attack my enemies and power to overcome their defenses.
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This God - how perfect are his deeds, how dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection.
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The Lord alone is God; God alone is our defense.
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This God is my strong refuge; he makes my pathway safe.
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He makes me sure-footed as a deer;
1 he keeps me safe on the mountains.
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He trains me for battle, so that I can use the strongest bow.
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O Lord, you protect me and save me; your help has made me great.
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You have kept me from being captured, and I have never fallen.
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I pursue my enemies and defeat them; I do not stop until I destroy them.
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I strike them down, and they cannot rise; they lie defeated before me.
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You give me strength for the battle and victory over my enemies.
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You make my enemies run from me; I destroy those who hate me.
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They look for help, but no one saves them; they call to the Lord, but he does not answer.
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I crush them, and they become like dust; I trample on them like mud in the streets.
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You saved me from my rebellious people and maintained my rule over the nations; people I did not know have now become my subjects.
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Foreigners bow before me; when they hear me, they obey.
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They lose their courage and come trembling from their fortresses.
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The Lord lives! Praise my defender! Proclaim the greatness of the strong God who saves me!
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He gives me victory over my enemies; he subdues the nations under me
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and saves me from my foes. O Lord, you give me victory over my enemies and protect me from violent men.
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And so I praise you among the nations;
2 I sing praises to you.
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God gives great victories to his king; he shows constant love to the one he has chosen, to David and his descendants forever.
