2 Samuel 22:40-50

40 Thou hast girded me with strength to battle; thou hast bowed under me them that stood against me. (Thou hast girded me with strength for the battle; thou hast put those who stood against me under me.)

41 Thou hast given mine enemies? aback to me, men hating me; and I shall destroy them. (Thou hast given me the backs of my enemies; and I destroy those who hate me.)

42 They shall cry, that is, to idols either to men's help, and none shall be that shall save them; they shall cry to the Lord, and he shall not hear them. (They cry to their idols, or to men, for help, but no one can save them; they cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them.)

43 I shall do away them as the dust of [the] earth; I shall pound them, and I shall do [them] away as the clay, or the fen, of streets. (I shall do them away like the dust of the earth; I shall pound them, and I shall do them away like the fen, or the clay, of the streets.)

44 Thou shalt save me from [the] against-sayings of my people; thou shalt keep me into the head of folks (thou shalt make me the head of the nations/thou shalt keep me the head of the nations); the people, whom I know not, shall serve me.

45 Alien sons shall (not) against-stand me; by hearing of [the] ear, they shall obey to me. (The sons of foreigners shall bow low to me; and after hearing me, they shall obey me.)

46 Alien sons floated away; and they shall be drawn together in their enclosings. (The courage of the sons of foreigners shall fade away; and they shall slink out of their strongholds together.)

47 The Lord liveth, and my God is blessed; and the strong God of mine health shall be enhanced. (The Lord liveth, and blessed is my God; yea, the strong God of my salvation shall be exalted.)

48 God, that givest vengeances to me, and hast cast down peoples under me. (The God, who grantest me vengeance, and hast thrown down peoples, or nations, under me.)

49 Which leadest me out from mine enemies, and raisest me from men against-standing me; thou shalt deliver me from the wicked man. (Who leadest me out from my enemies, and raisest me up from those who stand against me; yea, thou shalt deliver me from violent people.)

50 Therefore, Lord, I shall acknowledge to thee in heathen men; and I shall sing to thy name. (And so, Lord, I shall praise thee before the heathen; and I shall sing praises to thy 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.