2 Samuel 22:31-51

31 "1As for God, His way is blameless; 2The word of the LORD is tested; 3He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
32 "4For who is God, besides the LORD? 5And who is a rock, besides our God?
33 "6God is my strong fortress; And He sets the blameless in His way.
34 "7He makes my feet like hinds' feet, 8And sets me on my high places.
35 "9He trains my hands for battle, 10So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 "You have also given me 11the shield of Your salvation, And Your help makes me great.
37 "12You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.
38 "I pursued my enemies and 13destroyed 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 14they fell under my feet.
40 "For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me 15those who rose up against me.
41 "You have also 16made my enemies turn their backs to me, And I destroyed those who hated me.
42 "17They looked, but there was none to save; 18Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
43 "19Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth; 20I crushed and stamped them as the mire of the streets.
44 "21You have also delivered me from the contentions of my people; 22You have kept me as head of the nations; 23A people whom I have not known serve me.
45 "24Foreigners * pretend obedience to me; As soon as they hear *, they obey me.
46 "Foreigners * lose heart, 25And come trembling out of their fortresses.
47 "The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be 26God, the rock of my salvation,
48 27The God who executes vengeance for me, 28And brings down peoples under me,
49 Who also brings me out from my enemies; You even lift me above 29those who rise up against me; 30You rescue me from the violent man.
50 "31Therefore * I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the nations, And I will sing praises to Your name.
51 "32He is a tower of deliverance to His king, And 33shows lovingkindness to His anointed, 34To 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 34

  • 1. Deuteronomy 32:4; Matthew 5:48
  • 2. Psalms 12:6; Psalms 119:140; Proverbs 30:5
  • 3. 2 Samuel 22:3; Psalms 84:9
  • 4. 1 Samuel 2:2
  • 5. 2 Samuel 22:2
  • 6. 2 Samuel 22:2; Psalms 31:3, 4
  • 7. 2 Samuel 2:18; Habakkuk 3:19
  • 8. Deuteronomy 32:13
  • 9. Psalms 144:1
  • 10. Job 20:24
  • 11. Ephesians 6:16, 17
  • 12. 2 Samuel 22:20; Proverbs 4:12
  • 13. Exodus 15:9
  • 14. Malachi 4:3
  • 15. Psalms 44:5
  • 16. Exodus 23:27; Joshua 10:24
  • 17. Isaiah 17:7, 8
  • 18. 1 Samuel 28:6; Isaiah 1:15
  • 19. 2 Kings 13:7
  • 20. Isaiah 10:6; Micah 7:10
  • 21. 2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 19:9, 14
  • 22. 2 Samuel 8:1-14
  • 23. Isaiah 55:5
  • 24. Psalms 66:3; Psalms 81:15
  • 25. 1 Samuel 14:11; Micah 7:17
  • 26. 2 Samuel 22:3; Psalms 89:26
  • 27. 1 Samuel 24:12; 1 Samuel 25:39; 2 Samuel 4:8; Psalms 94:1
  • 28. Psalms 144:2
  • 29. Psalms 44:5
  • 30. Ps 140:1, 4, 11
  • 31. Romans 15:9
  • 32. Psalms 144:10
  • 33. Psalms 89:24
  • 34. 2 Samuel 7:12-16

Footnotes 15

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