SARAH
— 2 Samuel, Chapter 22
——《撒母耳记下》第22章
By this time, David had been through more than anyone could imagine.
这时候的大卫，经历了太多的事儿。
Saul had hunted him down, he had hidden in caves, and he had nearly lost his life. Later, Absalom rebelled against him, and his own son led an army to hunt him down.
被扫罗追杀过，躲过山洞，差点命就没了；后来又遭到押沙龙造反，自己的亲儿子带人追杀自己。
David had been through just about every storm life could throw at him.
这一辈子，啥风浪都经历过。
But when David looked back on his life, he realized something:
但是大卫回头一琢磨：
“The reason I’m still alive today isn’t because I’m so tough or capable. It’s because the Lord—yes, the Lord God—has been protecting me all along!”
“我能活到今天，真不是我自己多能耐，是老天爷……不，是耶和华神一直护着我啊！”
So one day, deeply moved by everything he had experienced, David poured out his heart to God in a long song of praise.
所以有一天，大卫有感而发，直接给神唱了一首特别长的赞美诗。
David said:
大卫说：
“O Lord, You are my rock!
“耶和华啊，你就是我的岩石！
When I have nowhere to hide, I run to You.
我没地方躲的时候，我就往你这儿跑。
You are my fortress, the One who saves my life.
你就是我的山寨，我的救命恩人。
You are my rock; whenever I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
你就是我的磐石，我啥时候害怕了，就依靠你。
You are my shield, my strong salvation, my high tower, and my place of refuge.
你是我的盾牌，是我的救命角，是我的高台，是我的避难所。
To put it simply:
说白了：
“The only reason I’m still alive is because of You!”
“我这条命，能保住，全靠你！”
When I call out to You, You hear me.
所以我一喊你，你就听见。
When I cry out to You, You help me.
我一求你，你就帮助。
When death surrounded me before, it was terrifying beyond words.
以前我被死亡围着的时候，那是多么的惊心动魄。
It felt like a flood rushing toward me.
就跟洪水冲过来似的。
Danger was in front of me, enemies were behind me, and it felt like there was nowhere left to run.
前有危险，后有追兵，感觉自己都快没地方跑了。
It felt as if the ropes of death were around my neck and the trap of death was closing in on me.
阴间的绳子都好像套我脖子上了，死亡的网都快撒到我身上了。
What could I do at a time like that?
那时候我咋整？
I cried out:
我就喊：
“O Lord! Save me!”
“耶和华啊！救我！”
When I cried out, You heard me from Your heavenly temple.
我这么一喊，你从天上的圣殿听见了。
You really heard my voice!
我的声音，你听着呢！
You didn’t brush me off—you truly heard me.
你没说“拉倒吧”，你是真听见了。
At that moment, the earth shook and the mountains trembled.
那时候，地都震了，山都晃了。
When God rose in anger, the whole creation shook with His power.
因为神一发怒，那动静可老大了。
The heavens seemed to bend down, and thick clouds hung low.
天都像要塌下来似的，乌云压得老低。
The Lord is mighty in power.
耶和华大有能力。
Thunder roared, and lightning flashed across the sky.
雷声轰隆隆的，闪电咔嚓咔嚓的。
When the enemies saw it, they were terrified:
仇敌一看，惊慌失措：
“This is not someone we can afford to mess with!”
“这可不是咱能惹得起的！”
And suddenly, everything fell apart for them.
一下子全乱套了。
God reached down from heaven and pulled me out of the deep waters.
神从高天伸手，一把就把我从大水里拽出来。
I was nearly drowning,
我本来都快淹死了，
but God said:
但神说：
“Come on up! I’m pulling you out!”
“你给我上来！”
And He reached down and rescued me.
然后一把把我捞了出来。
My enemies were stronger than me, more numerous than me, and more powerful than me.
我的敌人比我强，比我人多，比我厉害。
But no matter how powerful they were, they were never more powerful than God.
但他们再厉害，也没有神厉害。
When I was at my weakest, they came against me.
我最困难的时候，他们来欺负我。
But—
但是，
the Lord is my refuge.
耶和华是我的依靠。
He brought me out of a narrow place into a wide and open place.
他把我从狭窄的地方，领到宽阔之处。
Because He delighted in me, He rescued me.
因为他喜悦我，所以把我救出来。
When I look back, I know I’m not a perfect man.
我回头一看，也知道自己不是啥完美的人。
But I have always known the way God wanted me to walk.
但是我一直知道神的道咋走。
I did not push God aside, nor did I deliberately turn away from His ways.
我没有把神扔到一边，也没有故意离开他的道路。
I have kept God’s word in my heart.
神的话，我一直放在心上。
And God has continued to watch over me.
所以神也一直保守我。
You see, God knows what is truly inside a person’s heart.
你看，一个人内心，神都知道。
When you show mercy and love to others, God shows His mercy and love to you.
你心里对别人有慈爱，神也向你显出慈爱。
When you walk with integrity, God deals with you faithfully.
你心里正直，神也以正直待你。
But if you fight against God and think you know better,
但你要是跟神斗，觉得自己聪明，
in the end, you are the one who gets hurt.
那最后吃亏的就是自己。
God saves the humble and the suffering,
神能救谦卑、困苦的人，
but those who are proud and think they can handle everything themselves,
但是那些心里爱骄傲、觉得自己啥都行的人，
God knows exactly how to humble them.
神能把他整得明明白白的。
So let me tell you this:
所以我跟你说：
The Lord is my light!
耶和华就是我的灯！
He lights my way.
他给我照亮。
When I face my enemies,
我碰见敌人了，
with God beside me, I dare to charge forward!
靠着神，我敢往前冲！
When I come to a high wall,
我遇见高墙了，
with my God, I can still get over it!
靠着我的神，我照样能过去！
Don’t look at me and think David has always been somebody important.
你别看我大卫以前啥也不是，
When God gave me strength,
神给我力量以后，
I became willing to face whatever difficulties came my way.
我啥难处都敢面对。
God’s way is perfect,
神的道路是完全的，
and God’s word is pure and tested.
神的话也是经过炼净的。
Whoever truly takes refuge in Him,
谁真心投靠他，
He becomes their shield.
他就是谁的盾牌。
You ask me:
你问我：
“Who is God besides the Lord?”
“除了耶和华，还有谁是神？”
I’ll tell you:
我告诉你：
No one!
没有！
“Who is the Rock besides our God?”
“除了我们的神，还有谁是磐石？”
No one!
也没有！
It is God who gives me strength,
是神给我力量，
God who gives me direction,
是神给我方向，
and God who makes my feet stand firm.
也是神让我脚下站得稳。
He makes my feet as swift as the feet of a deer,
神让我跑得像山上的鹿一样快，
and He helps me stand securely on the heights.
还让我站在高处，不至于摔下来。
He trains my hands for battle,
他教我的手怎么打仗，
and gives me strength to face my enemies.
让我有力量面对敌人。
It’s not because I’m so powerful,
不是我自己有多牛，
it is because God gives me strength.
是神给我的力量。
God’s salvation protects me like a shield.
神给我的救恩，就像盾牌一样护着我。
Although He is mighty in power,
他虽然有大能力，
He is also gentle.
但他也有温柔。
Sometimes,
有时候，
when you think about the way God leads people, it really is amazing.
你想想神带领人的方式，真是挺奇妙。
He doesn’t simply frighten you with a big stick; He leads and protects you so that you will not be harmed.
他不是光只是用大棒子吓你，是为了让你不受伤。
Many times, He simply walks with you, helping you one step at a time.
很多时候，他是一步一步扶着你走。
He makes my feet stand firm,
他让我的脚站得稳，
so that I will not fall.
让我不至于跌倒。
That is why I could keep pursuing my enemies,
所以我才能一直追赶仇敌，
and overcome those who wanted to destroy me.
一直打败那些要害我的人。
They wanted to destroy me,
他们想灭了我，
but in the end, they themselves fell.
最后却自己倒下了。
It wasn’t because I, David, was unbeatable,
不是因为我大卫天下无敌，
but because:
而是因为：
God was with me.
神与我同在。
God also rescued me from the conflicts among my own people,
神还救我脱离百姓之间的争斗，
and made me a leader among the nations.
让我成为列国的元首。
Even people I had never known before,
甚至那些我以前根本不认识的人，
when they heard of my name,
后来一听见我的名声，
they knew:
都知道：
“There is a God behind this David!”
“这个大卫背后有神！”
Even foreign nations submitted.
外邦人也都服下来。
Not because David was so powerful,
不是因为大卫有多大能耐，
but because God Himself lifted me up.
而是因为神亲自把我举起来。
So now I have only one thing to say:
所以我现在就一句话：
The Lord is the God of all nations!
耶和华是万国之神！
My Rock, be praised!
我的磐石，当受称颂！
The God who saves me, be exalted!
拯救我的神，当受尊崇！
It is He who vindicates me,
是他替我伸冤，
He who rescues me from my enemies,
是他救我脱离仇敌，
He who pulls me out of danger,
是他把我从危险里拽出来，
and He who lifts me up from the lowest places.
也是他把我从低谷里举起来。
Those who were stronger than me once tried to crush me,
以前那些比我强的人想把我踩下去，
but God lifted me up instead.
结果神反倒把我举起来。
So, O Lord,
所以，耶和华啊，
I will give thanks to You among the nations!
我要在外邦人中感谢你！
I will sing praises to Your name everywhere!
我要到处唱你的名！
I want everyone to know:
我要让所有人都知道：
“The reason I, David, can still stand here today is not because I was lucky, nor because I was strong enough on my own.”
“我大卫今天还能站在这儿，不是因为我命好，也不是因为我自己有多能耐。”
“It is because the Lord saved me.”
“是因为耶和华救了我。”
The Lord gives great salvation to His anointed king,
耶和华把极大的救恩赐给他所立的王，
and shows steadfast love to His anointed,
向他的受膏者施慈爱，
to David,
就是向大卫，
and to his descendants,
也向大卫的后裔，
forever.
直到永远。”