2 Samuel 22:34-44

34 coaequans pedes meos cervis et super excelsa mea statuens me

35 docens manus meas ad proelium et conponens quasi arcum aereum brachia mea

36 dedisti mihi clypeum salutis tuae et mansuetudo mea multiplicavit me

37 dilatabis gressus meos subtus me et non deficient tali mei

38 persequar inimicos meos et conteram et non revertar donec consumam eos

39 consumam eos et confringam ut non consurgant cadent sub pedibus meis

40 accinxisti me fortitudine ad proelium incurvabis resistentes mihi sub me

41 inimicos meos dedisti mihi dorsum odientes me et disperdam eos

42 clamabunt et non erit qui salvet ad Dominum et non exaudiet eos

43 delebo eos ut pulverem terrae quasi lutum platearum comminuam eos atque conpingam

44 salvabis me a contradictionibus populi mei custodies in caput gentium populus quem ignoro serviet mihi

2 Samuel 22:34-44 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.