2 Samuel 22:1-7

1 And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.

2 And he said, Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

3 God is my rock, in him will I trust -- My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower, and my refuge, My saviour: thou wilt save me from violence.

4 I will call upon Jehovah, who is to be praised; So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

5 For the waves of death encompassed me, Torrents of Belial made me afraid.

6 The bands of Sheol surrounded me; The cords of death encountered me;

7 In my distress I called upon Jehovah, And I cried to my God; And he heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry [came] into his ears.

2 Samuel 22:1-7 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. High rock.
• [b]. Lit. 'God of my rock (or strength).'
• [c]. 'Trust,' as fleeing for refuge: so ver. 31.
• [d]. See Note, Gen. 37.35.