2 Samuel 22:44-51

44 “You have delivered me from the attacks of the peoples; you have preserved me as the head of nations. People I did not know now serve me,
45 foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
46 They all lose heart; they come trembling[a] from their strongholds.
47 “The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!
48 He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me,
49 who sets me free from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name.
51 “He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

2 Samuel 22:44-51 Meaning and Commentary

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 Ps 18:1-50 are referred to the exposition of that book in its course.

Cross References 18

  • 1. S Exodus 11:3; S 2 Samuel 3:1
  • 2. Deuteronomy 28:13
  • 3. S 2 Samuel 8:1-14; Isaiah 55:3-5
  • 4. Psalms 66:3; Psalms 81:15
  • 5. S Deuteronomy 33:29
  • 6. Micah 7:17
  • 7. S Exodus 15:2
  • 8. Deuteronomy 32:15; Psalms 18:31; Psalms 89:26; Psalms 95:1
  • 9. S Numbers 31:3
  • 10. Psalms 94:1; Psalms 144:2; 1 Samuel 25:39
  • 11. Psalms 140:1,4
  • 12. Psalms 27:6
  • 13. Psalms 9:11; Psalms 47:6; Psalms 68:4
  • 14. Romans 15:9*
  • 15. Psalms 21:1; Psalms 144:9-10
  • 16. 1 Samuel 16:13; Psalms 89:20; Acts 13:23
  • 17. S 2 Samuel 7:13
  • 18. Psalms 89:24,29

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text "they arm themselves"
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