1 David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
2 and he said, Yahweh is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;
3 God, my rock, in him will I take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge; My savior, you save me from violence.
4 I will call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from my enemies.
5 For the waves of death compassed me; The floods of ungodliness made me afraid:
6 The cords of Sheol were round about me; The snares of death came on me.
7 In my distress I called on Yahweh; Yes, I called to my God: He heard my voice out of his temple, My cry [came] into his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled, The foundations of heaven quaked Were shaken, because he was angry.
9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, Fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; Thick darkness was under his feet.
11 He rode on a cherub, and did fly; Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness pavilions round about him, Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
13 At the brightness before him Coals of fire were kindled.
14 Yahweh thundered from heaven, The Most High uttered his voice.
15 He sent out arrows, and scattered them; Lightning, and confused them.
16 Then the channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare, By the rebuke of Yahweh, At the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters;
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
19 They came on me in the day of my calamity; But Yahweh was my stay.
20 He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21 Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, And have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his ordinances were before me; As for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also perfect toward him; I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore has Yahweh recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.
26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect;
27 With the pure you will show yourself pure; With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
28 The afflicted people you will save; But your eyes are on the haughty, that you may bring them down.
29 For you are my lamp, Yahweh; Yahweh will lighten my darkness.
30 For by you I run on a troop; By my God do I leap over a wall.
31 As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Yahweh is tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God, save Yahweh? Who is a rock, save our God?
33 God is my strong fortress; He guides the perfect in his way.
34 He makes his feet like hinds' [feet], Sets me on my high places.
35 He teaches my hands to war, So that my arms do bend a bow of brass.
36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great.
37 You have enlarged my steps under me; My feet have not slipped.
38 I have pursued my enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn again until they were consumed.
39 I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can't arise: Yes, they are fallen under my feet.
40 For you have girded me with strength to the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
41 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, That I might cut off those who hate me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even to Yahweh, but he didn't answer them.
43 Then did I beat them small as the dust of the earth, I did crush them as the mire of the streets, and did spread them abroad.
44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people; You have kept me to be the head of the nations: A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
45 The foreigners shall submit themselves to me: As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.
46 The foreigners shall fade away, Shall come trembling out of their close places.
47 Yahweh lives; Blessed be my rock; Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,
48 Even the God who executes vengeance for me, Who brings down peoples under me,
49 Who brings me forth from my enemies: Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me; You deliver me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, Will sing praises to your name.
51 Great deliverance gives he to his king, Shows loving kindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, forevermore.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 22
Commentary on 2 Samuel 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
2Sa 22:1-51. David's Psalm of Thanksgiving for God's Powerful Deliverance and Manifold Blessings.
The song contained in this chapter is the same as the eighteenth Psalm, where the full commentary will be given [see on Ps 18:1, &c.]. It may be sufficient simply to remark that Jewish writers have noticed a great number of very minute variations in the language of the song as recorded here, from that embodied in the Book of Psalms—which may be accounted for by the fact that this, the first copy of the poem, was carefully revised and altered by David afterwards, when it was set to the music of the tabernacle. This inspired ode was manifestly the effusion of a mind glowing with the highest fervor of piety and gratitude, and it is full of the noblest imagery that is to be found within the range even of sacred poetry. It is David's grand tribute of thanksgiving for deliverance from his numerous and powerful enemies, and establishing him in the power and glory of the kingdom.