2 Samuel 22:35-43

35 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield; your help has made[a] me great.
37 You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.
38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed them completely, and they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.
41 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but he did not answer.
43 I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.

2 Samuel 22:35-43 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.

Cross References 13

  • 1. Psalms 144:1
  • 2. Psalms 7:12; Psalms 11:2; Zechariah 9:13
  • 3. Ephesians 6:16
  • 4. Proverbs 4:11
  • 5. Psalms 44:5; Psalms 110:6; Malachi 4:3
  • 6. S Joshua 10:24; S 1 Kings 5:3; Psalms 44:5
  • 7. S Exodus 23:27
  • 8. Isaiah 1:15
  • 9. Psalms 50:22
  • 10. S 1 Samuel 14:37
  • 11. 1 Kings 20:10; 2 Kings 13:7; Isaiah 41:2; Amos 1:3
  • 12. Psalms 7:5; Isaiah 41:25; Micah 7:10; Zechariah 10:5
  • 13. Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 10:6; Isaiah 22:5; Micah 7:10

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text "shield;" / "you stoop down to make"
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