2 Samuel 22.

Matthew Henry

This chapter is a psalm, a psalm of praise; we find it afterwards inserted among David's psalms (Ps. 18) with some little variation. We have it here as it was first composed for his own closed and his own harp; but there we have it as it was afterwards delivered to the chief musician for the service of the church, a second edition with some amendments; for, though it was calculated primarily for David's case, yet it might indifferently serve the devotion of others, in giving thanks for their deliverances; or it was intended that his people should thus join with him in his thanksgivings, because, being a public person, his deliverances were to be accounted public blessings and called for public acknowledgments. The inspired historian, having largely related David's deliverances in this and the foregoing book, and one particularly in the close of the foregoing chapter, thought fit to record this sacred poem as a memorial of all that had been before related. Some think that David penned this psalm when he was old, upon a general review of the mercies of his life and the many wonderful preservations God had blessed him with, from first to last. We should in our praises, look as far back as we can, and not suffer time to wear out the sense of God's favours. Others think that he penned it when he was young, upon occasion of some of his first deliverances, and kept it by him for his use afterwards, and that, upon every new deliverance, his practice was to sing this song. But the book of Psalms shows that he varied as there was occasion, and confined not himself to one form. Here is, I. The title of the psalm (Sa2 22:1). II. The psalm itself, in which, with a very warm devotion and very great fluency and copiousness of expression, 1. He gives glory to God. 2. He takes comfort in him; and he finds matter for both, (1.) In the experiences he had of God's former favours. (2.) In the expectations he had of his further favours. These are intermixed throughout the whole psalm.

1. Observe here, I. That it has often been the lot of God's people to have many enemies, and to be in imminent danger of falling into their hands. David was a man after God's heart, but not after men's heart: many were those that hated him, and sought his ruin; Saul is particularly named, either, 1. As distinguished from his enemies of the heathen nations. Saul hated David, but David did not hate Saul, and therefore would not reckon him among his enemies; or, rather, 2. As the chief of his enemies, who was more malicious and powerful than any of them. Let not those whom God loves marvel if the world hate them.
II. Those that trust God in the way of duty shall find him a present help to them in their greatest dangers. David did so. God delivered him out of the hand of Saul. He takes special notice of this. Remarkable preservations should be mentioned in our praises with a particular emphasis. He delivered him also out of the hand of all his enemies, one after another, sometimes in one way, sometimes in another; and David, from his own experience, has assured us that, though many are the troubles of the righteous, yet the Lord delivers them out of them all, Psa 34:19. We shall never be delivered from all our enemies till we get to heaven; and to that heavenly kingdom God will preserve all that are his, Ti2 4:18.
III. Those that have received many signal mercies from God ought to give him the glory of them. Every new mercy in our hand should put a new song into our mouth, even praises to our God. Where there is a grateful heart, out of the abundance of that the mouth will speak. David spoke, not only to himself, for his own pleasure, not merely to those about him, for their instruction, but to the Lord, for his honour, the words of this song. Then we sing with grace when we sing to the Lord. In distress he cried with his voice (Psa 142:1), therefore with his voice he gave thanks. Thanksgiving to God is the sweetest vocal music.
IV. We ought to be speedy in our thankful returns to God: In the day that God delivered him he sang this song. While the mercy is fresh, and our devout affections are most excited by it, let the thank-offering be brought, that it may be kindled with the fire of those affections.

2. Let us observe, in this song of praise,
I. How David adores God, and gives him the glory of his infinite perfections. There is none like him, nor any to be compared with him (Sa2 22:32): Who is God, save the Lord? All others that are adored as deities are counterfeits and pretenders. None is to be relied on but he. Who is a rock, save our God? They are dead, but the Lord liveth, Sa2 22:47. They disappoint their worshippers when they most need them. But as for God his way is perfect, Sa2 22:31. Men begin in kindness, but end not - promise, but perform not; but God will finish his work, and his word is tried, and what we may trust.
II. How he triumphs in the interest he has in this God, and his relation to him, which he lays down as the foundation of all the benefits he has received from him: He is my God; as such he cries to him (Sa2 22:7), and cleaves to him (Sa2 22:22); "and, if my God, then my rock" (Sa2 22:2), that is, "my strength and my power (Sa2 22:33), the rock under which I take shelter (he who is to me as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land), the rock on which I build my hope," Sa2 22:3. Whatever is my strength and support, it is the God of my rock that makes it so; nay, he is the God of the rock of my salvation (Sa2 22:47): my saving strength is in him and from him. David often hid himself in a rock (Sa1 24:2), but God was his chief hiding-place. "He is my fortress, in which I am safe and think myself so - my high tower, or stronghold, in which I am out of the reach of real evils - the tower of salvation (Sa2 22:51), which can never be sealed nor battered, nor undermined. Salvation itself saves me. Am I in distress? he is my deliverer - struck at, shot at? he is my shield - pursued? he is my refuge - oppressed? he is my saviour, that rescues me out of the hand of those that seek my ruin. Nay, he is the horn of my salvation, by which I am strongly protected, and my enemies are strongly pushed." Christ is spoken of as the horn of salvation in the house of David, Luk 1:69. "Am I burdened, and ready to sink? The Lord is my stay (Sa2 22:19), by whom I am supported. Am I in the dark, benighted, at a loss? Thou art my lamp, O Lord! to show me my way, and thou wilt dispel my darkness," Sa2 22:29. If we sincerely take the Lord for our God, all this, and much more, he will be to us, all we need and can desire.
III. What improvement he makes of his interest in God. If he be mine, 1. In him will I trust (Sa2 22:3), that is, "I will resign myself to his direction, and then depend upon his power, and wisdom, and goodness, to conduct me well." 2. On him I will call (Sa2 22:4), for he is worthy to be praised. What we have found in God that is worthy to be praised should engage us to pray to him and give glory to him. 3. To him will I give thanks (Sa2 22:50), and that publicly. When he was among the heathen he would neither be afraid nor ashamed to own his obligations to the God of Israel.
IV. The full and large account he keeps for himself, and gives to others, of the great and kind things God had done for him. This takes up most of the song. He gives God the glory both of his deliverances and of his successes, showing both the perils he was delivered from and the power he was advanced to.
1. He magnifies the great salvations God had wrought for him. God sometimes brings his people into very great difficulties and dangers, that he may have the honour of saving them and they the comfort of being saved by him. He owns, Thou hast saved me from violence (Sa2 22:3), from my enemies (Sa2 22:4), from my strong enemy, meaning Saul, who, if God had not succoured him, would have been too hard for him, Sa2 22:18. Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation, Sa2 22:36. To magnify the salvation, he observes,
(1.) That the danger was very great and threatening out of which he was delivered. Men rose up against him (Sa2 22:40, Sa2 22:49) that hated him (Sa2 22:41), a violent man (Sa2 22:49) namely, Saul, who was malicious in his designs against him and vigorous in his pursuit. This is expressed figuratively, Sa2 22:5, Sa2 22:6. He was surrounded with death on every side, threatened to be overwhelmed, and saw no way of escape. So violently did the waves of death beat upon him, so strongly did the cords and snares of death hold him, that he could not help himself, any more than a man in the grave can. The floods of Belial, the wicked one, and his wicked instruments, made him afraid; he trembled to see not only earth, but death and hell, in arms against him.
(2.) That his deliverance was an answer to prayer, Sa2 22:7. He has here left us a good example, when we are in distress, to cry unto God with importunity, as children in a fright cry to their parents; and great encouragement to do so, in that he found God ready to answer prayer out of his temple in heaven, where he is continually served and adored.
(3.) That God appeared in a singular and extraordinary manner for him and against his enemies. The expressions are borrowed from the descent of the divine Majesty upon Mount Sinai, Sa2 22:8, Sa2 22:9, etc. We do not find that in any of David's battles God fought for him with thunder (as in Samuel's time), or with hail (as in Joshua's time), or with the stars in their courses (as in Deborah's time); but these lofty metaphors are used, [1.] To set forth the glory of God, which was manifested in his deliverance. God's wisdom and power, his goodness and faithfulness, his justice and holiness, and his sovereign dominion over all the creatures and all the counsels of men, which appeared in favour of David, were as clear and bright a discovery of God's glory to an eye of faith as such miraculous interpositions would have been to an eye of sense. [2.] To set forth God's displeasure against his enemies, God so espoused his cause that he showed himself an enemy to all his enemies; his anger is set forth by a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth (Sa2 22:9), coals kindled (Sa2 22:13), arrows, Sa2 22:15. Who knows the power and terror of his wrath? [3.] To set forth the extraordinary confusion which his enemies were put into, and the consternation that seized them; as if the earth had trembled and the foundations of the world had been discovered, Sa2 22:8, Sa2 22:16. Who can stand before God when he is angry? [4.] To show how ready God was to help him: He rode upon a cherub and did fly, Sa2 22:11. God hastened to his succour, and came to him with seasonable relief, though he had seemed at a distance; yet he was a God hiding himself (Isa 14:15), for he made darkness his pavilion (Sa2 22:12), for the amazement of his enemies and the protection of his own people.
(4.) That God manifested his particular favour and kindness to him in these deliverances (Sa2 22:20): He delivered me, because he delighted in me. The deliverance came not from common providence, but covenant-love; he was herein treated as a favourite: so he perceived by the communications of divine grace and comfort to his soul with these deliverances, and the communion he had with God in them. Herein he was a type of Christ, whom God upheld because he delighted in him, Isa 42:1, Isa 42:2.
2. He magnifies the great successes God had crowned him with. He had not only preserved but prospered him. He was blessed, (1.) With liberty and enlargement. He was brought into a large place (Sa2 22:20), where he had room to thrive, and his steps were enlarged under him, so that he had room to stir (Sa2 22:37), being no longer straitened and confined. (2.) With military skill, and strength, and swiftness. Though he was bred up to the crook, he was well instructed in the arts of war and qualified for the toils and perils of it. God, having called him to fight his battles, qualified him for the service. He made him very ingenious (He teacheth my hands to war, Sa2 22:35. And this ingenuity was as good as strength, for it follows, "so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms," not so much by main force as by dexterity), and very vigorous and valiant. (Thou hast girded me with strength to battle, Sa2 22:40. He gives God the glory of all his courage and ability for service), and very expeditious: He maketh my feet swift like hinds feet (Sa2 22:34), which is of great advantage both in charging and retreating. (3.) With victory over his enemies, not only Saul and Absalom, but the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Syrians, and other neighbouring nations, whom he subdued and made tributaries to Israel. His wonderful victories are here described, Sa2 22:38-43. They were speedy victories (I turned not again till I had consumed them, Sa2 22:38) and complete victories. The enemies of Israel were wounded, destroyed, consumed, fell under his feet, trampled upon, and disabled to rise, and their necks lay at his mercy. They cried both to earth and heaven for help, but in vain. There was none to save, none that durst appear for them. God answered them, not for they were not on his side, nor did they cry unto him till they were brought to the last extremity. Being thus abandoned, they became an easy prey to David's righteous and victorious sword, so that he beat them as small as the dust of the earth, which is scattered by the wind and trodden on by every foot. (4.) With advancement to honour and power. To this he was anointed before his troubles began, and at length, post tot discrimina rerum - after all his dangers and disasters, he gained his point. God made his way perfect (Sa2 22:33), gave him success in all his undertakings, set him upon his high places (Sa2 22:34), denoting both safety and dignity. God's gentleness, his grace and tender mercy, made him great (Sa2 22:36), gave him great wealth, and great authority, and a name like that of the great men of the earth. He was kept to be the head of the heathen (Sa2 22:44); his signal preservations evinced that he was designed and reserved for something great - to rule over all Israel, notwithstanding the strivings of the people, and so that those whom he had not known should serve him, many of the nations that lay remote. Thus he was lifted up on high, as high as the throne, above those that rose up against him, Sa2 22:49.
V. The comfortable reflections he makes upon his own integrity, which God, by those wonderful deliverances, had graciously owned and witnessed to, Sa2 22:21-25. He means especially his integrity with reference to Saul and Ishbosheth, Absalom and Sheba, and those who either opposed his coming to the crown or endeavoured to dethrone him. They falsely accused him and misrepresented him, but he had the testimony of this conscience for him that he was not an ambitious aspiring man, a false and bloody man, as they called him, - that he had never taken any indirect unlawful courses to secure or raise himself, but in his whole conduct had kept in the way of his duty, - and that in the whole course of his conversation he had, for the main, made religion his business, so that he could take God's favours to him as the rewards of his righteousness, not of debt, but of grace. God had recompensed him, though not for his righteousness, as if that had merited any thing at the hand of God, yet according to his righteousness, which he was well pleased with, and had an eye to. His conscience witnessed for him, 1. That he had made the word of God his rule, and had kept to it, Sa2 22:23. Wherever he was, God's judgments were before him as his guide; whithersoever he went, he took his religion along with him, and though he was forced to depart from his country, and sent, as it were, to serve other gods, yet as for God's statutes, he did not depart from them, but kept the way of the Lord and walked in it. 2. That he had carefully avoided the bye-paths of sin. He had not wickedly departed from his God. He could not say but that he had taken some false steps, but he had not deserted God, nor forsaken his way. Sins of infirmity he could not acquit himself from, but the grace of God had kept him from presumptuous sins. Though he had sometimes weakly departed from his God. By this it appeared that he was upright before God, or to God (in his sight, and with an eye to him), that he kept himself from his own iniquity, not only from that particular sin of killing Saul when it was in the power of his hand to do it, but, in general, he was afraid of sin and watchful against it, and made conscience of what he said and did. The matter of Uriah is an exception (Kg1 15:5), like that in Hezekiah's character, Ch2 32:31. Note, A careful abstaining from our own iniquity is one of the best evidences of our own integrity; and the testimony of our conscience for us that we have done so will be such a rejoicing as will not only lessen the griefs of an afflicted state, but increase the comforts of a prosperous state. David reflected with more comfort upon his victories over his own iniquity than upon his conquest of Goliath and all the hosts of the uncircumcised Philistines; and the witness of his own heart to his uprightness was sweeter though more silent music than theirs that sang, David has slain his ten thousands. If a great man be a good man, his goodness will be much more his satisfaction than his greatness. Let favour be shown to the upright and his uprightness will sweeten it, will double it.
VI. The comfortable prospects he has of God's further favour. As he looks back, so he looks forward, with pleasure, and assures himself of the kindness God has in store for all the saints, for himself, and also for his seed.
1. For all good people, Sa2 22:26-28. As God had dealt with him according to his uprightness, so he will with all others. He takes occasion here to lay down the established rules of God's procedure with the children of men: -
(1.) That he will do good to those that are upright in their hearts. As we are found towards God, he will be found towards us. [1.] God's mercy and grace will be the joy of those that are merciful and gracious. Even the merciful need mercy; and they shall obtain it. [2.] God's uprightness, his justice and faithfulness, will be the joy of those that are upright, just, and faithful, both towards God and man. [3.] God's purity and holiness will be the joy of those that are pure and holy, who therefore give thanks at the remembrance thereof. And, if any of these good people be afflicted people, he will save them, either out of their afflictions or by and after them. On the other hand,
(2.) That those who turn aside to crooked ways he will lead forth with the workers of iniquity, as he says in another psalm. With the froward he will wrestle; and those with whom God wrestles are sure to be foiled. Woe unto him that strives with his Maker! God will walk contrary to those that walk contrary to him and be displeased with those that are displeased with him. As for the haughty, his eyes are upon them, marking them out, as it were, to be brought down; for he resists the proud.
2. For himself. He foresaw that his conquests and kingdom would be yet further enlarged, Sa2 22:45, Sa2 22:46. Even the sons of the stranger, that would hear the report of his victories and the tokens of God's presence with him, would be possessed with a fear of him, would be forced to submit to him, though feignedly, and would be obedient to him. The successes which he had had he looked upon as earnests of more and means of more. Who durst oppose him by whom so many had been overcome? Thus the Son of David goes on conquering and to conquer, Rev 6:2. His gospel, which has been victorious, shall be so more and more.
3. For his seed: He showeth mercy to his Messiah (Sa2 22:51), not only to David himself, but to that seed of his for evermore. David was himself anointed of God, not a usurper, but duly called to the government and qualified for it; therefore he doubted not but God would show mercy to him, that mercy which he had promised not to take from him nor from his posterity (Sa2 7:15, Sa2 7:16); on that promise he depends, with an eye to Christ, who alone is his seed for evermore, whose throne and kingdom still continue, and will to the end, whereas the seed and lineage of David are long since extinct. See Psa 89:28, Psa 89:29. Thus all his joys and all his hopes terminate, as ours should, in the great Redeemer.

Adam Clarke

David's psalm of thanksgiving for God's powerful deliverance and manifold blessings, including prophetic declarations relative to the humiliation and exaltation of the Messiah, vv. 1-51.

1–4. David spake unto the Lord the words of this song - This is the same in substance, and almost in words, with Psalm 18:1-50, and therefore the exposition of it must be reserved till it occurs in its course in that book, with the exception of a very few observations, and Dr. Kennicott's general view of the subject.

5–10. When the waves of death compassed me - Though in a primary sense many of these things belong to David, yet generally and fully they belong to the Messiah alone.

11. He rode upon a cherub, and did fly - he was seen upon the things of the wind - In the original of this sublime passage, sense and sound are astonishingly well connected. I shall insert the Hebrew, represent it in English letters for the sake of the unlearned reader, and have only to observe, he must read from the right to the left.

רוח כנפי על וירא ויעף כרוב על וירכב ruach canphey al vaiyera vaiyaoph kerub al vayirkab wind the of wings the upon seen was he and; fly did and cherub upon rode he
The clap of the wing, the agitation and rush through the air are expressed here in a very extraordinary manner.
Other beauties of this kind will be noted in the exposition of the Psalm alluded to above.

I now subjoin Dr. Kennicott's remarks on this chapter: -
"The very sublime poetry contained in this chapter is universally admired, and yet it cannot be perfectly understood, till it is known Who is the speaker, who the person thus triumphant over mighty enemies, whose Sufferings occasioned such a dreadful convulsion of nature, and, who, upon his deliverance, inflicted such vengeance on his own people, and also became thus a king over the heathen. Should we be told that this person was David, it will be very difficult to show how this description can possibly agree with that character: but if it did in fact agree, yet would it contradict St. Paul, who quotes part of it as predicting the conversion of the Gentiles under Christ the Messiah. Rom 15:9; Heb 2:13; and see Peirce's Commentary, p. 50. Now if the person represented as speaking through this Divine ode be David only, the Messiah is excluded. In consequence of the difficulties resulting from each of these suppositions, the general idea has been that it relates both to David and to the Messiah as a prophecy of a double sense; first, as spoken by David of himself, and yet to be understood in a secondary sense, of the Messiah. But it must be remarked here, that if spoken only of David, it is not a prediction of any thing future, but a thanksgiving for favors past, and therefore is no prophecy at all. And farther, it could not be a prophecy descriptive of David unless the particulars agreed to David, which they evidently do not. If then David be here necessarily excluded from the single sense, he must be excluded also from the double sense, because nothing can be intended by any sacred writer, to relate to two persons, unless it be True of both; but it not being the case here as to David, we must conclude that this song relates only to the Messiah; and on this subject an excellent Dissertation, by the late Mr. Peirce, is subjoined to his comment on the Epistle to the Hebrews. It may be necessary to add here two remarks: the twenty-fourth verse now ends with, I have kept myself from mine iniquity, which words, it is objected, are not proper, if applied to the Messiah. But this difficulty is removed, in part, by the context, which represents the speaker as perfectly innocent and righteous; and this exactly agrees with the proof arising from the Syriac and Arabic versions, and also the Chaldee paraphrase, that this word was anciently מעונים ab iniquitatibus; consequently, this is one of the many instances where the ם final mem is improperly omitted by the Jewish transcribers. See my General Dissertation. Lastly, the difficulty arising from the title, which ascribes the Psalm to David, and which seems to make him the speaker in it, may be removed, either by supposing that the title here, like those now prefixed to several Psalms, is of no sufficient authority; or rather, by considering this title as only meant to describe the time when David composed this prophetic hymn, that when delivered from all his other enemies as well as from the hand of Saul, he then consecrated his leisure by composing this sublime prophecy concerning Messiah, his son, whom he represents here as speaking, (just as in Psalm 22, 40, and other places), and as describing,
1. His triumph over death and hell;
2. The manifestations of Omnipotence in his favor, earth and heaven, trembling at God's awful presence;
3. The speaker's innocence thus divinely attested;
4. The vengeance he was to take on his own people the Jews, in the destruction of Jerusalem; and,
5. The adoption of the heathen, over whom he was to be the head and ruler.
"Another instance of a title denoting only the time of a prophecy, occurs in the very next chapter; where a prophecy concerning the Messiah is entitled, The Last words of David; i.e., a hymn which he composed a little before his death, after all his other prophecies. And perhaps this ode in2 Samuel 22, which immediately precedes that in2 Samuel 23, was composed but a little while before; namely, when all his wars were over. Let it be added, that Josephus, immediately before he speaks of David's mighty men, which follow in this same chapter of Samuel, considers the two hymns in2 Samuel 22 and 23, as both written after his wars were over - Jam Davides, bellis et periculis perfunctus, pacemque deinceps profundam agitans, odas in Deum hymnosque composuit. Tom. i., page 401."

John Gill

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 Psa 18:1 are referred to the exposition of that book in its course.

1. And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul. See Gill on Psa 18:1.
.
2 Samuel 22:2

sa2 22:2
sa2 22:2
sa2 22:2And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. See Gill on Psa 18:2.

2. The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield,

and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour;

thou savest me from violence. See Gill on Psa 18:2.

3. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. See Gill on Psa 18:3.
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2 Samuel 22:5

sa2 22:5
sa2 22:5
sa2 22:5When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. See Gill on Psa 18:4.

4. The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me. See Gill on Psa 18:5.
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2 Samuel 22:7

sa2 22:7
sa2 22:7
sa2 22:7In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God:

and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. See Gill on Psa 18:6.

5. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. See Gill on Psa 18:7.
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2 Samuel 22:9

sa2 22:9
sa2 22:9
sa2 22:9There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. See Gill on Psa 18:8.

6. He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. See Gill on Psa 18:9.
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2 Samuel 22:11

sa2 22:11
sa2 22:11
sa2 22:11And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. See Gill on Psa 18:10.

7. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters,

and thick clouds of the skies. See Gill on Psa 18:11.

8. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. See Gill on Psa 18:12.
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2 Samuel 22:14

sa2 22:14
sa2 22:14
sa2 22:14The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. See Gill on Psa 18:13.

9. And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. See Gill on Psa 18:14.
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2 Samuel 22:16

sa2 22:16
sa2 22:16
sa2 22:16And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. See Gill on Psa 18:15.

10. He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. See Gill on Psa 18:16.
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2 Samuel 22:18

sa2 22:18
sa2 22:18
sa2 22:18He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. See Gill on Psa 18:17.

11. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay. See Gill on Psa 18:18.
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2 Samuel 22:20

sa2 22:20
sa2 22:20
sa2 22:20He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me,

because he delighted in me. See Gill on Psa 18:19.

12. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. See Gill on Psa 18:20.
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2 Samuel 22:22

sa2 22:22
sa2 22:22
sa2 22:22For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. See Gill on Psa 18:21.

13. For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. See Gill on Psa 18:22.
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2 Samuel 22:24

sa2 22:24
sa2 22:24
sa2 22:24I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. See Gill on Psa 18:23.

14. Therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight. See Gill on Psa 18:24.
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2 Samuel 22:26

sa2 22:26
sa2 22:26
sa2 22:26With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright. See Gill on Psa 18:25.

15. With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavoury. See Gill on Psa 18:26.
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2 Samuel 22:28

sa2 22:28
sa2 22:28
sa2 22:28And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. See Gill on Psa 18:27.

16. For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness. See Gill on Psa 18:28.
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2 Samuel 22:30

sa2 22:30
sa2 22:30
sa2 22:30For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. See Gill on Psa 18:29.

17. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. See Gill on Psa 18:30.
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2 Samuel 22:32

sa2 22:32
sa2 22:32
sa2 22:32For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God? See Gill on Psa 18:31.

18. God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. See Gill on Psa 18:32.
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2 Samuel 22:34

sa2 22:34
sa2 22:34
sa2 22:34He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places. See Gill on Psa 18:33.

19. He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. See Gill on Psa 18:34.
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2 Samuel 22:36

sa2 22:36
sa2 22:36
sa2 22:36Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great. See Gill on Psa 18:35.

20. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. See Gill on Psa 18:36.
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2 Samuel 22:38

sa2 22:38
sa2 22:38
sa2 22:38I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them. See Gill on Psa 18:37.

21. And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet. See Gill on Psa 18:38.
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2 Samuel 22:40

sa2 22:40
sa2 22:40
sa2 22:40For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me. See Gill on Psa 18:39.

22. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. See Gill on Psa 18:40.
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2 Samuel 22:42

sa2 22:42
sa2 22:42
sa2 22:42They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the Lord, but he answered them not. See Gill on Psa 18:41.

23. Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad. See Gill on Psa 18:42.
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2 Samuel 22:44

sa2 22:44
sa2 22:44
sa2 22:44Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people,

thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me. See Gill on Psa 18:43.

24. Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. See Gill on Psa 18:44.
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2 Samuel 22:46

sa2 22:46
sa2 22:46
sa2 22:46Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places. See Gill on Psa 18:45.

25. The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. See Gill on Psa 18:46.
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2 Samuel 22:48

sa2 22:48
sa2 22:48
sa2 22:48It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me. See Gill on Psa 18:47.

26. And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. See Gill on Psa 18:48.
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2 Samuel 22:50

sa2 22:50
sa2 22:50
sa2 22:50Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. See Gill on Psa 18:49.

27. He is the tower of salvation for his king: and showeth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore. See Gill on Psa 18:50.

Next: 2 Samuel Chapter 23

JFB

DAVID PROFESSES HIS FAITH IN GOD'S PROMISES. (Sa2 23:1-7)

Now these be the last words of David--Various opinions are entertained as to the precise meaning of this statement, which, it is obvious, proceeded from the compiler or collector of the sacred canon. Some think that, as there is no division of chapters in the Hebrew Scriptures, this introduction was intended to show that what follows is no part of the preceding song. Others regard this as the last of the king's poetical compositions; while still others consider it the last of his utterances as an inspired writer.

raised up on high--from an obscure family and condition to a throne.

the anointed of the God of Jacob--chosen to be king by the special appointment of that God, to whom, by virtue of an ancient covenant, the people of Israel owed all their peculiar destiny and distinguished privileges.

the sweet psalmist of Israel--that is, delightful, highly esteemed.