2 Samuel 22:17-27

17 He extended his hand from above, he took me; he drew me out of the impetuous waters;
18 he delivered me from strong enemies, from those that hated me, who were stronger than I.
19 They came upon me unawares in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my stay.
20 He brought me forth into a large place; he delivered me, because he had put his will in me.
21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For I have all his ordinances before me and am attentive to his statutes; I will not depart from them.
24 And I was perfect before him and have kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore, the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness before his eyes.
26 With the merciful thou art good, and with the perfect thou art upright.
27 With the pure thou art pure, and with the perverse thou art an adversary.

2 Samuel 22:17-27 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.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010