2 Samuel 22
22
Song of Thanksgiving.#This psalm of thanksgiving also appears in the Psalter, with a few small variants, as Ps 18. In both places it is attributed to David. Two main sections can be distinguished. In the first part, after an introductory stanza of praise to God (vv. 2–4), the writer describes the peril he was in (vv. 5–7), and then poetically depicts, under the form of a theophany, God’s intervention in his behalf (vv. 8–20), concluding with an acknowledgment of God’s justice (vv. 21–31). In the second part, God is praised for having prepared the psalmist for war (vv. 32–35), given him victory over his enemies (vv. 36–39), whom he put to flight (vv. 40–43), and bestowed on him dominion over many peoples (vv. 44–46). The entire song ends with an expression of grateful praise (vv. 47–51). 1David proclaimed the words of this song to the Lord when the Lord had rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the grasp of Saul.#Ps 18:1. 2He said:#Ps 18:3–51.
O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,
3my God, my rock of refuge!
My shield, my saving horn,#My saving horn: my strong savior. The horn, such as that of an enraged bull, was a symbol of strength; cf. Lk 1:69.
my stronghold, my refuge,
my savior, from violence you keep me safe.#1 Sm 2:1–2.
4Praised be the Lord, I exclaim!
I have been delivered from my enemies.
5The breakers of death surged round about me,
the menacing floods#Breakers…floods: traditional Old Testament imagery for lethal danger, from which the Lord is uniquely able to rescue; cf. Ps 69:2, 15–16; 89:10–11; Jon 2:3–6. terrified me;
6The cords of Sheol tightened;
the snares of death lay in wait for me.
7In my distress I called out: Lord!
I cried out to my God;
From his temple#His temple: his heavenly abode. he heard my voice,
my cry reached his ears.
8The earth rocked and shook;#The Lord’s coming is depicted by means of a storm theophany, including earthquake (vv. 8, 16) and thunderstorm (vv. 9–15); cf. Jgs 5:4–5; Ps 29; 97:2–6; Hb 3.
the foundations of the heavens trembled;
they shook as his wrath flared up.
9Smoke rose in his nostrils,
a devouring fire from his mouth;
it kindled coals into flame.
10He parted the heavens and came down,
a dark cloud under his feet.#Ps 144:5.
11Mounted on a cherub#Mounted on a cherub: in the traditional storm theophany, as here, the Lord appears with thunder, lightning, earthquake, rain, darkness, cloud, and wind. Sometimes these are represented as his retinue; sometimes he is said to ride upon the clouds or “the wings of the wind” (Ps 104:3). The parallelism in v. 11 suggests that the winged creatures called cherubim are imagined as bearing the Lord aloft. In the iconography of the ark of the covenant, the Lord was “enthroned upon the cherubim”; cf. Ex 37:7–9; 1 Sm 4:4; 2 Sm 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15; Ps 80:2; 99:1. he flew,
borne along on the wings of the wind.#Ex 25:18–22.
12He made darkness the cover about him,
a mass of water, heavy thunderheads.
13From the brightness of his presence
coals were kindled to flame.
14The Lord thundered from heaven;
the Most High made his voice resound.
15He let fly arrows and scattered them;
lightning, and dispersed them.#Ps 144:6.
16Then the bed of the sea appeared;
the world’s foundations lay bare,
At the roar of the Lord,
at the storming breath of his nostrils.#Ex 15:8.
17He reached down from on high and seized me,
drew me out of the deep waters.#Ps 144:7.
18He rescued me from my mighty enemy,
from foes too powerful for me.
19They attacked me on a day of distress,
but the Lord came to my support.
20He set me free in the open;
he rescued me because he loves me.
21The Lord acknowledged my righteousness;
rewarded my clean hands.
22For I kept the ways of the Lord;
I was not disloyal to my God.
23His laws were all before me,
his decrees I did not cast aside.
24I was honest toward him;
I was on guard against sin.
25So the Lord rewarded my righteousness,
the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
26#1 Sm 2:30. Toward the faithful you are faithful;#People are treated by God in the same way they treat him and other people.
to the honest you are honest;
27Toward the sincere you are sincere;
but to the perverse you are devious.
28Humble people you save,
though on the haughty your eyes look down.
29You are my lamp, O Lord!
My God brightens the darkness about me.
30With you I can rush an armed band,
with my God to help I can leap a wall.
31God’s way is unerring;
the Lord’s promise is tried and true;
he is a shield for all who trust in him.#Prv 30:5.
32Truly, who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is the rock?
33This God who girded me with might,
kept my way unerring,
34Who made my feet swift as a deer’s,
set me safe on the heights,#Ps 62:3; Hb 3:19.
35Who trained my hands for war,
my arms to bend even a bow of bronze.
36You have given me your protecting shield,
and your help has made me great.
37You gave me room to stride;
my feet never stumbled.
38I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till I destroyed them.
39I struck them down, and they did not rise;
they fell dead at my feet.
40You girded me with strength for war;
subdued adversaries at my feet.
41My foes you put to flight before me;
those who hated me I destroyed.
42They cried for help, but no one saved them,
cried to the Lord but got no answer.
43I ground them fine as the dust of the earth;
like mud in the streets I trod them down.
44You rescued me from the strife of my people;
you made me head over nations.
A people I had not known became my slaves;
45Foreigners cringed before me;
as soon as they heard of me they obeyed.
46Their courage failed;
they came trembling from their fortresses.
47The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock!
Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation.
48O God who granted me vindication,
subdued peoples under me,
49and helped me escape from my enemies,
Truly you have exalted me above my adversaries,
from the violent you have rescued me.
50Thus I will proclaim you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.#Ps 22:23; Rom 15:9.
51You have given great victories to your king,
and shown kindness to your anointed,
to David and his posterity forever.
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2 Samuel 22: NABRE
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
2 Samuel 22
22
David Sings to the Lord
(Psalm 18.1-50)
1David sang a song to the Lord after the Lord had rescued him from his enemies, especially Saul. These are the words to David's song:
2Our Lord and our God,
you are my mighty rock,#22.2 mighty rock: The Hebrew text has “rock,” which is sometimes used in poetry to compare the Lord to a mountain where his people can run for protection from their enemies.
my fortress, my protector.
3You are the rock
where I am safe.
You are my shield,
my powerful weapon,#22.3 powerful weapon: The Hebrew has “the horn,” which refers to the horn of a bull, one of the most powerful animals in ancient Palestine.
and my place of shelter.
You rescue me and keep me
safe from violence.
4I praise you, our Lord!
I prayed to you,
and you rescued me
from my enemies.
5Death, like ocean waves,
surrounded me,
and I was almost swallowed
by its flooding waters.
6Ropes from the world
of the dead
had coiled around me,
and death had set a trap
in my path.
7I was in terrible trouble
when I called out to you,
but from your temple
you heard me
and answered my prayer.
8Earth shook and shivered!
The columns supporting the sky#22.8 columns … sky: The sky was sometimes described as a dome that was held up by a foundation or pillars.
rocked back and forth.
You were angry
9and breathed out smoke.
Scorching heat and fiery flames
spewed from your mouth.
10You opened the heavens
like curtains,
and you came down
with storm clouds
under your feet.
11You rode on the backs
of flying creatures.#22.11 flying creatures: These were supernatural beings (see the note at 6.2).
You appeared#22.11 appeared: Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts “swooped down” (see Psalm 18.10).
with the wind as wings.
12Darkness was your tent!
Thunderclouds filled the sky,
hiding you from sight.
13Fiery coals lit up the sky
in front of you.
14 Lord Most High, your voice
thundered from the heavens.
15You scattered your enemies
with arrows of lightning.
16You roared at the sea,
and its deepest channels
could be seen.
You snorted,
and the earth shook
to its foundations.
17You reached down from heaven,
and you lifted me
from deep in the ocean.
18You rescued me from enemies
who were hateful
and too powerful for me.
19On the day disaster struck,
they came and attacked,
but you defended me.
20When I was fenced in,
you freed and rescued me
because you love me.
21You are good to me, Lord,
because I do right,
and you reward me
because I am innocent.
22I do what you want
and never turn to do evil.
23I keep your laws in mind
and never turn away
from your teachings.
24I obey you completely
and guard against sin.
25You have been good to me
because I do right;
you have rewarded me
for being innocent
by your standards.
26You are always loyal
to your loyal people,
and you are faithful
to the faithful.
27With all who are sincere
you are sincere,
but you treat the unfaithful
as their deeds deserve.
28You rescue the humble,
but you look for ways
to put down the proud.
29Our Lord and God,
you are my lamp.
You turn darkness to light.
30You help me defeat armies
and capture cities.
31Your way is perfect, Lord,
and your word is correct.
You are a shield for those
who run to you for help.
32You alone are God!
Only you are a mighty rock.#22.32 mighty rock: See the note at 22.2.
33You are my strong fortress,
and you set me free.
34 #
Hb 3.19. You make my feet run as fast
as those of a deer,
and you help me stand
on the mountains.
35You teach my hands to fight
and my arms to use
a bow of bronze.
36You alone are my shield,
and by coming to help me,
you have made me famous.
37You clear the way for me,
and now I won't stumble.
38I kept chasing my enemies
until I caught them
and destroyed them.
39I destroyed them!
I stuck my sword
through my enemies,
and they were crushed
under my feet.
40You helped me win victories
and forced my attackers
to fall victim to me.
41You made my enemies run,
and I killed them.
42They cried out for help,
but no one saved them;
they called out to you,
but there was no answer.
43I ground them to dust,
and I squashed them
like mud in the streets.
44You rescued me
from my stubborn people
and made me the leader
of foreign nations,
who are now my slaves.
45They obey and come crawling.
46They have lost all courage
and from their fortresses
they come trembling.
47You are the living Lord!
I will praise you!
You are a mighty rock.#22.47 mighty rock: See the note at 22.2.
I will honor you
for keeping me safe.
48You took revenge for me,
and you put nations
in my power.
49You protected me
from violent enemies,
and you made me much greater
than all of them.
50 #
Ro 15.9. I will praise you, Lord,
and I will honor you
among the nations.
51You give glorious victories
to your chosen king.
Your faithful love for David
and for his descendants
will never end.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.