2 Samuel 22:4-14

4 I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised: and I shall be saved from my enemies.

5 For the pangs of death have surrounded me: the floods of Belial have made me afraid.

6 The cords of hell compassed me: the snares of death prevented me.

7 In my distress I will call upon the Lord, and I will cry to my God: and he will hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry shall come to his ears.

8 The earth shook and trembled, the foundations of the mountains were moved, and shaken, because he was angry with them.

9 A smoke went up from his nostrils, and a devouring fire out of his mouth: coals were kindled by it.

10 He bowed the heavens, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

11 And he rode upon the cherubims, and flew: and slid upon the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness a covering round about him: dropping waters out of the clouds of the heavens.

13 By the brightness before him, the coals of fire were kindled.

14 The Lord shall thunder from heaven: and the most high shall give forth his voice.

2 Samuel 22:4-14 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.