2 Samuel 22:36-46

36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation; And thy gentleness hath made me great.
37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; And my feet have not slipped.
38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
39 And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, so that they cannot arise: Yea, they are fallen under my feet.
40 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
41 Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, That I might cut off them that hate me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even unto Jehovah, but he answered them not.
43 Then did I beat them small as the dust of the earth, I did crush them as the mire of the streets, and did spread them abroad.
44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people; Thou hast kept me to be the head of the nations: A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
45 The foreigners shall submit themselves unto me: As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.
46 The foreigners shall fade away, And shall come trembling out of their close places.

2 Samuel 22:36-46 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 American Standard Version is in the public domain.