2 Samuel 22:3-13

3 God is my Strong One; in him will I trust: he is my shield and the horn of my saving health; my defence and my refuge; my saviour, who shall save me from violence.

4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of Belial made me afraid;

6 when the cords of Sheol compassed me about; the snares of death came before me;

7 in my distress I called upon the LORD and cried to my God, who heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry entered into his ears.

8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the heavens were moved and shook because he was wroth.

9 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and fire devoured out of his mouth; coals were kindled by it.

10 And he lowered the heavens and came down, and darkness was under his feet.

11 And he rode upon a cherub and flew; and he appeared upon the wings of the wind.

12 He placed darkness like tabernacles round about him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

13 From the brightness of his presence, coals of fire were kindled.

2 Samuel 22:3-13 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.