2 Samuel 22:28-38

28 And the afflicted people thou dost save; And thine eyes are upon the haughty, [whom] thou bringest down.

29 For thou art my lamp, Jehovah; And Jehovah enlighteneth my darkness.

30 For by thee I have run through a troop; By my God have I leaped over a wall.

31 As for God, his way is perfect; The word of Jehovah is tried: He is a shield to all that trust in him.

32 For who is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God?

33 God is my strong fortress, And he maketh my way perfectly smooth.

34 He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], And setteth me upon my high places.

35 He teacheth my hands to war, And mine arms bend a bow of brass.

36 And thou didst give me the shield of thy salvation, And thy condescending gentleness hath made me great.

37 Thou enlargedst my steps under me; And mine ankles did not slip.

38 I pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them, And I turned not again till they were consumed.

2 Samuel 22:28-38 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]. Or 'wilt.'
• [b]. Here imrah. as Deut. 33.9: see Note, Ps. 119.11.
• [c]. Some read, as in Ps. 18.32, 'maketh my way perfect.'