2 Samuel 22:31-51

31 This God - how perfect are his deeds, how dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection.
32 The Lord alone is God; God alone is our defense.
33 This God is my strong refuge; he makes my pathway safe.
34 He makes me sure-footed as a deer; 1 he keeps me safe on the mountains.
35 He trains me for battle, so that I can use the strongest bow.
36 O Lord, you protect me and save me; your help has made me great.
37 You have kept me from being captured, and I have never fallen.
38 I pursue my enemies and defeat them; I do not stop until I destroy them.
39 I strike them down, and they cannot rise; they lie defeated before me.
40 You give me strength for the battle and victory over my enemies.
41 You make my enemies run from me; I destroy those who hate me.
42 They look for help, but no one saves them; they call to the Lord, but he does not answer.
43 I crush them, and they become like dust; I trample on them like mud in the streets.
44 You saved me from my rebellious people and maintained my rule over the nations; people I did not know have now become my subjects.
45 Foreigners bow before me; when they hear me, they obey.
46 They lose their courage and come trembling from their fortresses.
47 The Lord lives! Praise my defender! Proclaim the greatness of the strong God who saves me!
48 He gives me victory over my enemies; he subdues the nations under me
49 and saves me from my foes. O Lord, you give me victory over my enemies and protect me from violent men.
50 And so I praise you among the nations; 2 I sing praises to you.
51 God gives great victories to his king; he shows constant love to the one he has chosen, to David and his descendants forever.

2 Samuel 22:31-51 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 2

  • 1. 22.34Hebrews 3.19.
  • 2. 22.50Romans 15.9.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. [Probable text (see Ps 18.32)] he makes; [Hebrew unclear.]
  • [b]. [Probable text (see Ps 18.45)] come trembling; [Hebrew] come ready to fight.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.