Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel 22

Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 22

This chapter contains a song or psalm, the same with the eighteenth psalm, and which, according to Jarchi, was composed by David in his old age, and, as Kimchi says, at the end or close of his days; but Abarbinel is of opinion that it was written in his youthful time, in the midst of his troubles, and was sung by him as often as he had a deliverance from any; and which may account for the several variations in it from the eighteenth psalm, which, the same writer observes, are seventy four; and are not to be ascribed to the difference of copies, or neglect of copiers: and very probably, towards the close of his days, he revised it, and made it fit for general use, and sent it with the rest of his psalms to the chief musician; but the particular consideration of it, and of the differences in it from Psalms 18:1 are referred to the exposition of that book in its course.

Verse 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. :-.

Verse 2

And he said, The Lord [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. :-.

Verse 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. :-.

Verse 4

I will call on the Lord, [who is] worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. :-.

Verse 5

When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. :-.

Verse 6

The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me. :-.

Verse 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. :-.

Verse 8

Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. :-.

Verse 9

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. :-.

Verse 10

He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness [was] under his feet. :-.

Verse 11

And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. :-.

Verse 12

And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters,

[and] thick clouds of the skies. :-.

Verse 13

Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. :-.

Verse 14

The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. :-.

Verse 15

And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. :-.

Verse 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. :-.

Verse 17

He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. :-.

Verse 18

He delivered me from my strong enemy, [and] from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. :-.

Verse 19

They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay. :-.

Verse 20

He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me,

because he delighted in me. :-.

Verse 21

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

:-.

Verse 22

For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. :-.

Verse 23

For all his judgments [were] before me: and [as for] his statutes, I did not depart from them. :-.

Verse 24

I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. :-.

Verse 25

Therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.

:-.

Verse 26

With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, [and] with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright.

:-.

Verse 27

With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavoury. :-.

Verse 28

And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes [are] upon the haughty, [that] thou mayest bring [them] down.

:-.

Verse 29

For thou [art] my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness. :-.

Verse 30

For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. :-.

Verse 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.

:-.

Verse 32

For who [is] God, save the Lord? and who [is] a rock, save our God?] :-.

Verse 33

God [is] my strength [and] power: and he maketh my way perfect. :-.

Verse 34

He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet]: and setteth me upon my high places. :-.

Verse 35

He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. :-.

Verse 36

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great. :-.

Verse 37

Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. :-.

Verse 38

I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them. :-.

Verse 39

And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.

:-.

Verse 40

For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.

:-.

Verse 41

Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. :-.

Verse 42

They looked, but [there was] none to save; [even] unto the Lord, but he answered them not. :-.

Verse 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.

:-.

Verse 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. :-.

Verse 45

Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. :-.

Verse 46

Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places. :-.

Verse 47

The Lord liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. :-.

Verse 48

It [is] God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me. :-.

Verse 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. :-.

Verse 50

Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.

:-.

Verse 51

[He is] the tower of salvation for his king: and showeth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

:-.