2 Samuel 22:31-37

31 This God— ¹his way is perfect; the ²word of the Lord proves true; he is ³a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

32 “For who is God, but the Lord? ⁴And who is a rock, except our God?

33 This God is my ⁵strong refuge and has made my^[a] way blameless. ^[b]

34 ⁶He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure ⁷on the heights.

35 ⁸He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great.

37 ⁹You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet^[c] did not slip;

2 Samuel 22:31-37 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

• 1. 22:31 Deut. 32:4; Matt. 5:48
• 2. 22:31 Prov. 30:5
• 3. 22:31 ver. 3; Ps. 5:12; 33:20; 59:11; 84:9
• 4. 22:32 See ver. 2
• 5. 22:33 ver. 2; Ps. 28:8; 31:3, 4
• 6. 22:34 See ch. 2:18
• 7. 22:34 Deut. 32:13; 33:29; Isa. 58:14
• 8. 22:35 Ps. 144:1
• 9. 22:37 Prov. 4:12

Footnotes

• [a] 22:33 Or 'his'; also verse 34
• [b] 22:33 Compare Psalm 18:32; Hebrew 'he has blamelessly set my way free', or 'he has made my way spring up blamelessly'
• [c] 22:37 Hebrew 'ankles'