2 Samuel 22 Footnotes

22:2-51 Why does the Bible include this psalm twice—here and, in virtually the same form, in the book of Psalms? This, the longest of David’s psalms, is used in two ways. The book of Psalms is Israel’s collection of hymns and lyrics for use in the service of worship. Here, near the end of the narrative of David’s career, the poem is used to bring out the spiritual center of Israel’s most beloved king. Several of the psalms are embedded in Israel’s historical records (e.g., 1Ch 16:8-36; 2Ch 6:40-42) and some psalms are repeated within the book of Psalms itself (e.g., Pss 14 and 53; Ps 15 and 24:3-6; Ps 135 is based entirely on material in other psalms).

22:9 The biblical writer refers to God’s “nostrils” and “mouth” to express, in a colorful and memorable way, God’s terrifying acts of judgment against his enemies. God is spirit (Jn 4:24), but Scripture often employs such anthropomorphisms (descriptions of God’s action using a human analogy) to convey some aspect of his involvement in the human scene (on anthropomorphism in the Bible, see note on Gn 3:8).