2 Samuel 22:31-51

31 This God, his way [is] blameless; the promise of Yahweh [is] flawless. He [is] a shield to all who take refuge in him.
32 For who [is] God apart from Yahweh? And who [is] a rock apart from our God?
33 God [is] my strong refuge, he has fully opened my way.
34 He makes my feet like a doe deer, and on my high places he has set me.
35 He trains my hands for the war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 You have given me the shield of your salvation; your willingness to help has made me great.
37 You have broadened my steps beneath me; my ankles have not wobbled.
38 I pursued those who hate me, and I destroyed them. I did not turn back until finishing them.
39 I wiped them out and I smashed them; they did not get up; they fell under my feet.
40 You have girded me with physical strength for the battle; you caused those who rose up against me to kneel under me.
41 {My enemies you cause to retreat from me}; I destroy those who hate me.
42 They looked out, but there was no deliverer, [even] to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.
43 I beat them fine, like the dust of the earth; like the mire of the streets, I crushed them, I stamped them down.
44 You delivered me from the strife of my people; you preserved me as the head of the nations. A people I had not known served me.
45 Children of a foreign land came cringing to me; {when they heard of me}, they became obedient to me.
46 Children of a foreign land lost heart and came trembling from their strongholds.
47 Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock! May God, the rock of my salvation, be exalted!
48 God does vengeance for me, bringing down peoples under me.
49 He brings me out from my enemies, and from those who rose up against me you lift me up, and from men of violence you rescue me.
50 Therefore I will extol you, Yahweh, among the nations! I will sing praises to your name!
51 He makes great salvation [for] his king and shows loyal love to his anointed one, David and to 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.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Thus Qere; Kethib has "his way"
  • [b]. Thus Qere; Kethib has "his feet"
  • [c]. Literally "Those who hate me you give to me back"
  • [d]. Literally "at the hearing of an ear"
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