2 Samuel 22:17-27

17 "He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me; for they were too strong for me.

19 They came before me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my stay.

20 He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.

21 "The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me.

22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all His judgments were before me; and as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also upright before Him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.

25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His eyesight.

26 "With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful, and with the upright man Thou wilt show Thyself upright.

27 With the pure Thou wilt show thyself pure, and with the froward Thou wilt show thyself unsavory.

2 Samuel 22:17-27 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.