2 Samuel 22:21-31

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.

24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt.

25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

26 "With the loyal thou dost show thyself loyal; with the blameless man thou dost show thyself blameless;

27 with the pure thou dost show thyself pure, and with the crooked thou dost show thyself perverse.

28 Thou dost deliver a humble people, but thy eyes are upon the haughty to bring them down.

29 Yea, thou art my lamp, O LORD, and my God lightens my darkness.

30 Yea, by thee I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.

31 This God--his way is perfect; the promise of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

2 Samuel 22:21-31 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.