2 Samuel 22:1-9

1 David sang this song to the Lord when the Lord saved him from Saul and all his other enemies.

2 He said: "The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior.

3 My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender and my place of safety. The Lord saves me from those who want to harm me.

4 I will call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I will be saved from my enemies.

5 "The waves of death came around me; the deadly rivers overwhelmed me.

6 The ropes of death wrapped around me. The traps of death were before me.

7 In my trouble I called to the Lord; I cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my call for help reached his ears.

8 "The earth trembled and shook. The foundations of heaven began to shake. They trembled because the Lord was angry.

9 Smoke came out of his nose, and burning fire came out of his mouth. Burning coals went before him.

2 Samuel 22:1-9 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.