2 Samuel 22:42-51

42 "1They looked, but there was none to save; 2Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
43 "3Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth; 4I crushed and stamped them as the mire of the streets.
44 "5You have also delivered me from the contentions of my people; 6You have kept me as head of the nations; 7A people whom I have not known serve me.
45 "8Foreigners * pretend obedience to me; As soon as they hear *, they obey me.
46 "Foreigners * lose heart, 9And come trembling out of their fortresses.
47 "The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be 10God, the rock of my salvation,
48 11The God who executes vengeance for me, 12And brings down peoples under me,
49 Who also brings me out from my enemies; You even lift me above 13those who rise up against me; 14You rescue me from the violent man.
50 "15Therefore * I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the nations, And I will sing praises to Your name.
51 "16He is a tower of deliverance to His king, And 17shows lovingkindness to His anointed, 18To David and his descendants forever *."

2 Samuel 22:42-51 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. Isaiah 17:7, 8
  • 2. 1 Samuel 28:6; Isaiah 1:15
  • 3. 2 Kings 13:7
  • 4. Isaiah 10:6; Micah 7:10
  • 5. 2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 19:9, 14
  • 6. 2 Samuel 8:1-14
  • 7. Isaiah 55:5
  • 8. Psalms 66:3; Psalms 81:15
  • 9. 1 Samuel 14:11; Micah 7:17
  • 10. 2 Samuel 22:3; Psalms 89:26
  • 11. 1 Samuel 24:12; 1 Samuel 25:39; 2 Samuel 4:8; Psalms 94:1
  • 12. Psalms 144:2
  • 13. Psalms 44:5
  • 14. Ps 140:1, 4, 11
  • 15. Romans 15:9
  • 16. Psalms 144:10
  • 17. Psalms 89:24
  • 18. 2 Samuel 7:12-16

Footnotes 6

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