2 Samuel 22:6-16

6 1The cords of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.
7 "2In my distress I called upon the LORD, Yes, I cried to my God; And from His temple He heard my voice, And my cry for help came into His ears.
8 "Then 3the earth shook and quaked, 4The foundations of heaven were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry.
9 "Smoke went up out of His nostrils, 5Fire from His mouth devoured; 6Coals were kindled by it.
10 "He bowed the heavens also, and came down With 7thick darkness under His feet.
11 "8And He rode on a cherub and flew; And He appeared on 9the wings of the wind.
12 "10And He made darkness canopies around Him, A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky.
13 "From the brightness before Him 11Coals of fire were kindled.
14 "12The LORD thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice.
15 "13And He sent out arrows, and scattered them, Lightning, and routed them.
16 "Then the channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare By the rebuke of the LORD, 14At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

2 Samuel 22:6-16 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 14

  • 1. Psalms 116:3
  • 2. Psalms 116:4; Psalms 120:1
  • 3. Judges 5:4; Psalms 97:4
  • 4. Job 26:11
  • 5. Psalms 97:3; Hebrews 12:29
  • 6. 2 Samuel 22:13
  • 7. Exodus 19:16; 1 Kings 8:12; Psalms 97:2; Nahum 1:3
  • 8. 2 Samuel 6:2
  • 9. Psalms 104:3
  • 10. Job 36:29
  • 11. 2 Samuel 22:9
  • 12. Job 37:2-5; Psalms 29:3
  • 13. Deuteronomy 32:23; Joshua 10:10; 1 Samuel 7:10
  • 14. Exodus 15:8; Nahum 1:4

Footnotes 7

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