2 Samuel 22:1-8

David’s Song of Praise

1 David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

2 He said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield^[a] and the horn^[b] of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me.

4 “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies.

5 The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

6 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.

7 “In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.

8 The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens^[c] shook; they trembled because he was angry.

2 Samuel 22:1-8 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

• 1. S Exodus 15:1; Judges 5:1; Psalms 18:2-50
• 2. S 1 Samuel 2:2; Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 71:3
• 3. Psalms 31:3; Psalms 91:2
• 4. Psalms 144:2
• 5. S Deuteronomy 23:15; S Deuteronomy 32:37; Psalms 14:6; Psalms 31:2; Psalms 59:16; Psalms 71:7; Psalms 91:2; Psalms 94:22; Proverbs 10:29; Isaiah 25:4; Jeremiah 16:19; Joel 3:16
• 6. S Genesis 15:1
• 7. S Deuteronomy 33:17; S Luke 1:69
• 8. Psalms 9:9; Psalms 52:7
• 9. Psalms 48:1; Psalms 96:4; Psalms 145:3
• 10. Psalms 69:14-15; Psalms 93:4; John 2:3
• 11. Psalms 116:3; Acts 2:24
• 12. Genesis 35:3; S Judges 2:15; 2 Chronicles 15:4; Psalms 4:1; Psalms 77:2; Psalms 120:1; Isaiah 26:16
• 13. Psalms 34:6,15; Psalms 116:4
• 14. Judges 5:4; Psalms 97:4
• 15. S Exodus 19:18; S Judges 5:4; Psalms 68:8; Psalms 77:18; Jeremiah 10:10
• 16. Job 9:6; Job 26:11; Psalms 75:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "sovereign"
• [b]. "Horn" here symbolizes strength.
• [c]. Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) "mountains"