2 Samuel 22:1-10

1 When the Lord saved David from Saul and his other enemies, David sang this song to the Lord:

2 The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress.

3 My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. He is my savior; he protects me and saves me from violence.

4 I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord!

5 The waves of death were all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over me.

6 The danger of death was around me, and the grave set its trap for me.

7 In my trouble I called to the Lord; I called to my God for help. In his temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help.

8 Then the earth trembled and shook; the foundations of the sky rocked and quivered because God was angry!

9 Smoke poured out of his nostrils, a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth.

10 He tore the sky open and came down, with a dark cloud under his feet.

2 Samuel 22:1-10 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.