2 Samuel 22:17-27

17 He sent from heaven, and took (hold of) me; and drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my mightiest enemy, and from them that hated me; for they were stronger than I.
19 They came before me in the day of my tormenting; and the Lord was made my steadfastness.
20 And he led me out into largeness, and he delivered me; for I pleased him. (And he led me out into a large place, and he saved me; because he delighted in me.)
21 The Lord shall yield to me after my rightwiseness; and he shall yield to me after the cleanness of mine hands.
22 For I [have] kept the ways of the Lord; and I did not (turn) wickedly from my God. (For I have followed the Lord's ways; and I have not wickedly turned from my God.)
23 For all his dooms were in my sight; and I did not away from me his behests. (For all his laws were before me; and I did not turn away from his commands.)
24 And I shall be perfect with him (And I shall be upright before him); and I shall keep me from my wickedness.
25 And the Lord shall restore to me after my rightwiseness; and after the cleanness of mine hands in the sight of his eyes.
26 With the holy thou shalt be holy, and with the strong, that is, to suffer adversities patiently, thou shalt be perfect; (With the holy thou shalt be holy, and with the upright, thou shalt be upright;)
27 and with a chosen man thou shalt be chosen, and with a wayward man thou shalt be made wayward . (and with the pure, thou shalt be pure, but to the wicked, thou shalt be hostile to them.)

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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.