2 Samuel 22:35-45

35 "1He trains my hands for battle, 2So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 "You have also given me 3the shield of Your salvation, And Your help makes me great.
37 "4You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.
38 "I pursued my enemies and 5destroyed them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed.
39 "And I have devoured them and shattered them, so that they did not rise; And 6they fell under my feet.
40 "For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me 7those who rose up against me.
41 "You have also 8made my enemies turn their backs to me, And I destroyed those who hated me.
42 "9They looked, but there was none to save; 10Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
43 "11Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth; 12I crushed and stamped them as the mire of the streets.
44 "13You have also delivered me from the contentions of my people; 14You have kept me as head of the nations; 15A people whom I have not known serve me.
45 "16Foreigners * pretend obedience to me; As soon as they hear *, they obey me.

2 Samuel 22:35-45 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 16

  • 1. Psalms 144:1
  • 2. Job 20:24
  • 3. Ephesians 6:16, 17
  • 4. 2 Samuel 22:20; Proverbs 4:12
  • 5. Exodus 15:9
  • 6. Malachi 4:3
  • 7. Psalms 44:5
  • 8. Exodus 23:27; Joshua 10:24
  • 9. Isaiah 17:7, 8
  • 10. 1 Samuel 28:6; Isaiah 1:15
  • 11. 2 Kings 13:7
  • 12. Isaiah 10:6; Micah 7:10
  • 13. 2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 19:9, 14
  • 14. 2 Samuel 8:1-14
  • 15. Isaiah 55:5
  • 16. Psalms 66:3; Psalms 81:15

Footnotes 4

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