2 Samuel 23:2

2 The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word by my tongue.

2 Samuel 23:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 23:2

The Spirit of the Lord spake by me
The psalms and songs he composed were not the fruits of his own genius, but were written by him under the inspiration of the Spirit of God; by whom holy men of God, the penmen of the Scriptures, spoke, even as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, of whom David was one, being a prophet; see ( Acts 1:16 ) ( Acts 2:30 ) ; so the Targum here,

``David spoke by the spirit of prophecy of the Lord:''

or spake "in me" ^F8; what he spoke was first internally impressed upon his mind by the Spirit of God, and then he expressed it with his tongue, as follows:

and his word [was] in my tongue;
not only the matter of his psalms was indited by the Spirit of God, and suggested to his mind; but the very words in which they are delivered were given to him, and he was directed to make use of them, and did.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (yb) "in me", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius.

2 Samuel 23:2 In-Context

1 Forsooth these be the last words, which David, the son of Jesse, said. (The words that) The man said, to whom it is ordained of Christ, of the God of Jacob, the noble psalm-maker of Israel; (These be the last words which David, the son of Jesse, said. The words that the man to whom it was ordained to be the anointed of the God of Jacob, the noble psalm-maker of Israel, yea, the last words that he said;)

2 The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word by my tongue.

3 David said, God of Israel spake to me, the strong help of Israel, the just Lord of men, is Lord in the dread of God. (The God of Israel spoke, the Strong One of Israel said to me, The lord, or the leader, of men should be just, ruling in the fear of God.)

4 As the light of the morrowtide, when the sun riseth early, (and) is bright without clouds; and as an herb cometh forth of the earth by rains. (He is like the morning light, when the sun riseth early, and it is bright without clouds; and like a herb that cometh forth out of the ground after the rain.

5 And mine house is not so great with God, that he should make with me everlasting covenant, steadfast and made strong in all things; for all mine health is of him, and all my will, that is, all my desire, goeth into him, and nothing is thereof, that maketh not fruit . (And though my house is not so great before God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, steadfast and strong in all things; for all my salvation is from him, and all my desire is for him, and there is nothing of it, that maketh not fruit.)