2 Samuel 22:1-30

1 David said the words of this song to ADONAI on the day ADONAI delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from the power of Sha'ul.
2 He said: "ADONAI is my Rock, my fortress and deliverer,
3 the God who is my Rock, in whom I find shelter, my shield, the power that saves me, my stronghold and my refuge. My savior, you have saved me from violence.
4 I call on ADONAI, who is worthy of praise; and I am saved from my enemies.
5 "For death's breakers were closing over me, the floods of B'liya'al terrified me,
6 the ropes of Sh'ol were wrapped around me, the snares of death lay there before me.
7 In my distress I called to ADONAI; yes, I called to my God. Out of his temple he heard my voice, and my cry entered his ears.
8 "Then the earth quaked and shook, the foundations of heaven trembled. They were shaken because he was angry.
9 Smoke arose in his nostrils; and from his mouth, devouring fire, with coals blazing from it.
10 He lowered heaven and came down with thick darkness under his feet.
11 He rode on a keruv and flew, he was seen on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his canopy around him, thick clouds in the skies dense with water.
13 From the brightness before him, fiery coals flamed out.
14 "ADONAI thundered from heaven, Ha'Elyon sounded his voice.
15 He sent out arrows and scattered them; with lightning he routed them.
16 The channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were exposed at ADONAI's rebuke, at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
17 "He sent from on high, he took me and pulled me out of deep water;
18 he rescued me from my powerful enemy, from those who hated me, for they were stronger than I.
19 They came against me on my day of calamity, but ADONAI was my support.
20 "He brought me out to an open place; he rescued me, because he took pleasure in me.
21 ADONAI rewarded me for my uprightness, he repaid me because my hands were clean.
22 "For I have kept the ways of ADONAI, I have not done evil by leaving my God;
23 for all his rulings were before me, I did not depart from his regulations.
24 I was pure-hearted toward him and kept myself from my sin.
25 "Hence ADONAI repaid me for my uprightness, according to my purity in his view.
26 With the merciful, you are merciful; with the champion of purity, you are pure;
27 with the honest, you are honest; but with the crooked you are cunning.
28 People afflicted, you save; but when your eyes are on the haughty, you humble them.
29 "For you, ADONAI, are my lamp; ADONAI lights up my darkness.
30 With you I can run through a whole troop of men, with my God I can leap a wall.

Images for 2 Samuel 22:1-30

2 Samuel 22:1-30 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.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.