2 Samuel 22:1-10

1 David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.

2 He sang: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;

3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.

4 I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.

5 “The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me.

6 The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.

7 But in my distress I cried out to the LORD ; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.

8 “Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the heavens shook; they quaked because of his anger.

9 Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him.

10 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.

2 Samuel 22:1-10 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew Sheol.