2 Samuel 22:40-50

40 For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose against me.
41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
43 Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I trod them like dirt in the streets, And I spread them out.
44 "You have also delivered me from the strivings of my people; You have kept me as the head of the nations. A people I have not known shall serve me.
45 The foreigners submit to me; As soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 The foreigners fade away, And come frightened from their hideouts.
47 "The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!
48 It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me;
49 He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

2 Samuel 22:40-50 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 1

  • [a]. Following Septuagint, Targum, and Vulgate (compare Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text reads gird themselves.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.