2 Samuel 22:13-23

13 Out of the brightness before him coals of fire flamed forth.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High uttered his voice.
15 He sent out arrows, and scattered them —lightning, and routed them.
16 Then the channels of the sea were seen, the foundations of the world were laid bare at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He reached from on high, he took me, he drew me out of mighty waters.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
19 They came upon me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay.
20 He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his ordinances were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside.

2 Samuel 22:13-23 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.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.