Worthy.Bible » Parallel » 2 Samuel » Chapter 22 » Verse 1-51

2 Samuel 22:1-51 King James Version (KJV)

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:

2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

3 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.

4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;

6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;

7 In 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.

8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.

9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.

11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.

14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.

15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.

16 And 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.

17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.

19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.

25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.

26 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright.

27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavory.

28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.

30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.

31 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.

32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?

33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

34 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.

35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.

37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.

38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.

39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.

40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.

41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.

42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.

43 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.

44 Thou 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.

45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.

46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.

47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me.

49 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.

50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.

51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.


2 Samuel 22:1-51 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And David H1732 spake H1696 unto the LORD H3068 the words H1697 of this song H7892 in the day H3117 that the LORD H3068 had delivered H5337 him out of the hand H3709 of all his enemies, H341 and out of the hand H3709 of Saul: H7586

2 And he said, H559 The LORD H3068 is my rock, H5553 and my fortress, H4686 and my deliverer; H6403

3 The God H430 of my rock; H6697 in him will I trust: H2620 he is my shield, H4043 and the horn H7161 of my salvation, H3468 my high tower, H4869 and my refuge, H4498 my saviour; H3467 thou savest H3467 me from violence. H2555

4 I will call H7121 on the LORD, H3068 who is worthy to be praised: H1984 so shall I be saved H3467 from mine enemies. H341

5 When the waves H4867 of death H4194 compassed H661 me, the floods H5158 of ungodly men H1100 made me afraid; H1204

6 The sorrows H2256 of hell H7585 compassed me about; H5437 the snares H4170 of death H4194 prevented H6923 me;

7 In my distress H6862 I called H7121 upon the LORD, H3068 and cried H7121 to my God: H430 and he did hear H8085 my voice H6963 out of his temple, H1964 and my cry H7775 did enter into his ears. H241

8 Then the earth H776 shook H1607 H1607 and trembled; H7493 the foundations H4146 of heaven H8064 moved H7264 and shook, H1607 because he was wroth. H2734

9 There went up H5927 a smoke H6227 out of his nostrils, H639 and fire H784 out of his mouth H6310 devoured: H398 coals H1513 were kindled H1197 by it.

10 He bowed H5186 the heavens H8064 also, and came down; H3381 and darkness H6205 was under his feet. H7272

11 And he rode H7392 upon a cherub, H3742 and did fly: H5774 and he was seen H7200 upon the wings H3671 of the wind. H7307

12 And he made H7896 darkness H2822 pavilions H5521 round about H5439 him, dark H2841 waters, H4325 and thick clouds H5645 of the skies. H7834

13 Through the brightness H5051 before him were coals H1513 of fire H784 kindled. H1197

14 The LORD H3068 thundered H7481 from heaven, H8064 and the most High H5945 uttered H5414 his voice. H6963

15 And he sent out H7971 arrows, H2671 and scattered H6327 them; lightning, H1300 and discomfited H2000 them.

16 And the channels H650 of the sea H3220 appeared, H7200 the foundations H4146 of the world H8398 were discovered, H1540 at the rebuking H1606 of the LORD, H3068 at the blast H5397 of the breath H7307 of his nostrils. H639

17 He sent H7971 from above, H4791 he took H3947 me; he drew H4871 me out of many H7227 waters; H4325

18 He delivered H5337 me from my strong H5794 enemy, H341 and from them that hated H8130 me: for they were too strong H553 for me.

19 They prevented H6923 me in the day H3117 of my calamity: H343 but the LORD H3068 was my stay. H4937

20 He brought me forth H3318 also into a large place: H4800 he delivered H2502 me, because he delighted H2654 in me.

21 The LORD H3068 rewarded H1580 me according to my righteousness: H6666 according to the cleanness H1252 of my hands H3027 hath he recompensed H7725 me.

22 For I have kept H8104 the ways H1870 of the LORD, H3068 and have not wickedly departed H7561 from my God. H430

23 For all his judgments H4941 were before me: and as for his statutes, H2708 I did not depart H5493 from them.

24 I was also upright H8549 before him, and have kept H8104 myself from mine iniquity. H5771

25 Therefore the LORD H3068 hath recompensed H7725 me according to my righteousness; H6666 according to my cleanness H1252 in his eye sight. H5048 H5869

26 With the merciful H2623 thou wilt shew thyself merciful, H2616 and with the upright H8549 man H1368 thou wilt shew thyself upright. H8552

27 With the pure H1305 thou wilt shew thyself pure; H1305 and with the froward H6141 thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury. H6617

28 And the afflicted H6041 people H5971 thou wilt save: H3467 but thine eyes H5869 are upon the haughty, H7311 that thou mayest bring them down. H8213

29 For thou art my lamp, H5216 O LORD: H3068 and the LORD H3068 will lighten H5050 my darkness. H2822

30 For by thee I have run H7323 through a troop: H1416 by my God H430 have I leaped over H1801 a wall. H7791

31 As for God, H410 his way H1870 is perfect; H8549 the word H565 of the LORD H3068 is tried: H6884 he is a buckler H4043 to all them that trust H2620 in him.

32 For who is God, H410 save H1107 the LORD? H3068 and who is a rock, H6697 save H1107 our God? H430

33 God H410 is my strength H4581 and power: H2428 and he maketh H5425 my way H1870 perfect. H8549

34 He maketh H7737 my feet H7272 like H7737 hinds' H355 feet: and setteth H5975 me upon my high places. H1116

35 He teacheth H3925 my hands H3027 to war; H4421 so that a bow H7198 of steel H5154 is broken H5181 by mine arms. H2220

36 Thou hast also given H5414 me the shield H4043 of thy salvation: H3468 and thy gentleness H6031 H6038 hath made me great. H7235

37 Thou hast enlarged H7337 my steps H6806 under me; so that my feet H7166 did not slip. H4571

38 I have pursued H7291 mine enemies, H341 and destroyed H8045 them; and turned not again H7725 until I had consumed H3615 them.

39 And I have consumed H3615 them, and wounded H4272 them, that they could not arise: H6965 yea, they are fallen H5307 under my feet. H7272

40 For thou hast girded H247 me with strength H2428 to battle: H4421 them that rose up H6965 against me hast thou subdued H3766 under me.

41 Thou hast also given H5414 me the necks H6203 of mine enemies, H341 that I might destroy H6789 them that hate H8130 me.

42 They looked, H8159 but there was none to save; H3467 even unto the LORD, H3068 but he answered H6030 them not.

43 Then did I beat H7833 them as small as the dust H6083 of the earth, H776 I did stamp H1854 them as the mire H2916 of the street, H2351 and did spread them abroad. H7554

44 Thou also hast delivered H6403 me from the strivings H7379 of my people, H5971 thou hast kept H8104 me to be head H7218 of the heathen: H1471 a people H5971 which I knew H3045 not shall serve H5647 me.

45 Strangers H1121 H5236 shall submit H3584 themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, H8085 H241 they shall be obedient H8085 unto me.

46 Strangers H1121 H5236 shall fade away, H5034 and they shall be afraid H2296 out of their close places. H4526

47 The LORD H3068 liveth; H2416 and blessed H1288 be my rock; H6697 and exalted H7311 be the God H430 of the rock H6697 of my salvation. H3468

48 It is God H410 that avengeth H5414 H5360 me, and that bringeth down H3381 the people H5971 under me,

49 And that bringeth me forth H3318 from mine enemies: H341 thou also hast lifted me up on high H7311 above them that rose up H6965 against me: thou hast delivered H5337 me from the violent H2555 man. H376

50 Therefore I will give thanks H3034 unto thee, O LORD, H3068 among the heathen, H1471 and I will sing praises H2167 unto thy name. H8034

51 He is the tower H4024 H1431 of salvation H3444 for his king: H4428 and sheweth H6213 mercy H2617 to his anointed, H4899 unto David, H1732 and to his seed H2233 for H5704 evermore. H5769


2 Samuel 22:1-51 American Standard (ASV)

1 And David spake unto Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

2 and he said, Jehovah 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 saviour, thou savest me from violence.

4 I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine 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 upon me.

7 In my distress I called upon Jehovah; Yea, I called unto my God: And he heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry `came' into his ears.

8 Then the earth shook and trembled, The foundations of heaven quaked And were shaken, because he was wroth.

9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it.

10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And thick darkness was under his feet.

11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12 And 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 Jehovah thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered his voice.

15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; Lightning, and discomfited them.

16 Then the channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare, By the rebuke of Jehovah, 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 them that hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

19 They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.

20 He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

21 Jehovah rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

22 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all his ordinances were before me; And as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also perfect toward him; And I kept myself from mine iniquity.

25 Therefore hath Jehovah recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.

26 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; With the perfect man thou wilt show thyself perfect;

27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.

28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save; But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

29 For thou art my lamp, O Jehovah; And Jehovah will lighten my darkness.

30 For by thee I run upon a troop; By my God do I leap over a wall.

31 As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Jehovah is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him.

32 For who is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God?

33 God is my strong fortress; And he guideth the perfect in his way.

34 He maketh his feet like hinds' `feet', And setteth me upon my high places.

35 He teacheth my hands to war, So that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.

36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation; And thy gentleness hath made me great.

37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; And my feet have not slipped.

38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

39 And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, so that they cannot arise: Yea, they are fallen under my feet.

40 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

41 Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, That I might cut off them that hate me.

42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even unto Jehovah, but he answered them not.

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 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people; Thou hast 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 unto me: As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.

46 The foreigners shall fade away, And shall come trembling out of their close places.

47 Jehovah liveth; And blessed be my rock; And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

48 Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, And that bringeth down peoples under me,

49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.

50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the nations, And will sing praises unto thy name.

51 Great deliverance giveth he to his king, And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.


2 Samuel 22:1-51 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And David speaketh to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,

2 and he saith: `Jehovah `is' my rock, And my bulwark, and a deliverer to me,

3 My God `is' my rock -- I take refuge in Him; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower, and my refuge! My Saviour, from violence Thou savest me!

4 The Praised One, I call Jehovah: And from mine enemies I am saved.

5 When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me,

6 The cords of Sheol have surrounded me, Before me have been the snares of death.

7 In mine adversity I call Jehovah, And unto my God I call, And He heareth from His temple my voice, And my cry `is' in His ears,

8 And shake and tremble doth the earth, Foundations of the heavens are troubled, And are shaken, for He hath wrath!

9 Gone up hath smoke by His nostrils. And fire from His mouth devoureth, Brands have been kindled by it.

10 And He inclineth heaven, and cometh down, And thick darkness `is' under His feet.

11 And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And is seen on the wings of the wind.

12 And He setteth darkness Round about Him -- tabernacles, Darkness of waters -- thick clouds of the skies.

13 From the brightness before Him Were brands of fire kindled!

14 Thunder from the heavens doth Jehovah, And the Most High giveth forth His voice.

15 And He sendeth forth arrows, And scattereth them; Lightning, and troubleth them;

16 And seen are the streams of the sea, Revealed are foundations of the world, By the rebuke of Jehovah, From the breath of the spirit of His anger.

17 He sendeth from above -- He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters.

18 He delivereth me from my strong enemy, From those hating me, For they were stronger than I.

19 They are before me in a day of my calamity, And Jehovah is my support,

20 And He bringeth me out to a large place, He draweth me out for He delighted in me.

21 Jehovah recompenseth me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me.

22 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God.

23 For all His judgments `are' before me, As to His statutes, I turn not from them.

24 And I am perfect before Him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity.

25 And Jehovah returneth to me, According to my righteousness, According to my cleanness before His eyes.

26 With the kind Thou shewest Thyself kind, With the perfect man Thou shewest Thyself perfect,

27 With the pure Thou shewest Thyself pure, And with the perverse Thou shewest Thyself a wrestler.

28 And the poor people Thou dost save, And Thine eyes on the high causest to fall.

29 For Thou `art' my lamp, O Jehovah, And Jehovah doth lighten my darkness.

30 For by Thee I run -- a troop, By my God I leap a wall.

31 God! Perfect `is' His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield He `is' to all those trusting in Him.

32 For who is God save Jehovah? And who a Rock save our God?

33 God -- my bulwark, `my' strength, And He maketh perfect my way;

34 Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand,

35 Teaching my hands for battle, And brought down was a bow of brass by mine arms,

36 And Thou givest to me the shield of Thy salvation, And Thy lowliness maketh me great.

37 Thou enlargest my step under me, And mine ankles have not slidden.

38 I pursue mine enemies and destroy them, And I turn not till they are consumed.

39 And I consume them, and smite them, And they rise not, and fall under my feet.

40 And Thou girdest me `with' strength for battle, Thou causest my withstanders to bow under me.

41 And mine enemies -- Thou givest to me the neck, Those hating me -- and I cut them off.

42 They look, and there is no saviour; Unto Jehovah, and He hath not answered them.

43 And I beat them as dust of the earth, As mire of the streets I beat them small -- I spread them out!

44 And -- Thou dost deliver me From the strivings of my people, Thou placest me for a head of nations; A people I have not known do serve me.

45 Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me, At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me.

46 Sons of a stranger fade away, And gird themselves by their close places.

47 Jehovah liveth, and blessed `is' my Rock, And exalted is my God -- The Rock of my salvation.

48 God -- who is giving vengeance to me, And bringing down peoples under me,

49 And bringing me forth from mine enemies, Yea, above my withstanders Thou raisest me up. From a man of violence Thou deliverest me.

50 Therefore I confess Thee, O Jehovah, among nations. And to Thy name I sing praise.

51 Magnifying the salvations of His king, And doing loving-kindness to His anointed, To David, and to his seed -- unto the age!'


2 Samuel 22:1-51 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.

2 And he said, Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

3 God is my rock, in him will I trust -- My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower, and my refuge, My saviour: thou wilt save me from violence.

4 I will call upon Jehovah, who is to be praised; So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

5 For the waves of death encompassed me, Torrents of Belial made me afraid.

6 The bands of Sheol surrounded me; The cords of death encountered me;

7 In my distress I called upon Jehovah, And I cried to my God; And he heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry [came] into his ears.

8 Then the earth shook, and quaked; The foundations of the heavens trembled And shook because he was wroth.

9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals burned forth from it.

10 And he bowed the heavens, and came down; And darkness was under his feet.

11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; And he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12 And he made darkness round about him a tent, Gatherings of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

13 From the brightness before him Burned forth coals of fire.

14 Jehovah thundered from the heavens, And the Most High uttered his voice.

15 And he sent arrows, and scattered [mine enemies]; Lightning, and discomfited them.

16 And the beds of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At the rebuke of Jehovah, At the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

17 He reached forth from above, he took me, He drew me out of great waters;

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From them that hated me; For they were mightier than I.

19 They encountered me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.

20 And he brought me forth into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

21 Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

22 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all his ordinances were before me, And his statutes, I did not depart from them,

24 And I was upright before him, And kept myself from mine iniquity.

25 And Jehovah hath recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his sight.

26 With the gracious thou dost shew thyself gracious; With the upright man thou dost shew thyself upright;

27 With the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; And with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary.

28 And the afflicted people thou dost save; And thine eyes are upon the haughty, [whom] thou bringest down.

29 For thou art my lamp, Jehovah; And Jehovah enlighteneth my darkness.

30 For by thee I have run through a troop; By my God have I leaped over a wall.

31 As for ùGod, his way is perfect; The word of Jehovah is tried: He is a shield to all that trust in him.

32 For who is ùGod, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God?

33 ùGod is my strong fortress, And he maketh my way perfectly smooth.

34 He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], And setteth me upon my high places.

35 He teacheth my hands to war, And mine arms bend a bow of brass.

36 And thou didst give me the shield of thy salvation, And thy condescending gentleness hath made me great.

37 Thou enlargedst my steps under me; And mine ankles did not slip.

38 I pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them, And I turned not again till they were consumed.

39 And I have consumed them and have crushed them, and they rose not again; Yea, they fell under my feet.

40 And thou girdedst me with strength to battle: Thou didst subdue under me those that rose up against me.

41 And mine enemies didst thou make to turn their backs unto me, And those that hated me I destroyed.

42 They looked, and there was none to save -- Unto Jehovah, and he answered them not.

43 And I did beat them small as the dust of the earth, I trod them as the mire of the streets; I stamped upon them.

44 And thou hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, Thou hast kept me to be head of the nations: A people I knew not doth serve me:

45 Strangers come cringing unto me: At the hearing of the ear, they obey me.

46 Strangers have faded away, And they come trembling forth from their close places.

47 Jehovah liveth; and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God, the rock of my salvation,

48 The ùGod who hath avenged me, And hath brought the peoples under me.

49 He brought me forth from mine enemies: Yea, thou hast lifted me up above them that rose up against me; From the man of violence hast thou delivered me.

50 Therefore will I give thanks to thee, Jehovah, among the nations, And will sing psalms to thy name.

51 [It is he] who giveth great deliverances to his king, And sheweth loving-kindness to his anointed, To David, and to his seed for evermore.


2 Samuel 22:1-51 World English Bible (WEB)

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.


2 Samuel 22:1-51 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 And David made a song to the Lord in these words, on the day when the Lord made him free from the hands of all his haters, and from the hand of Saul:

2 And he said, The Lord is my Rock, my walled town, and my saviour, even mine;

3 My God, my Rock, in him will I put my faith; my breastplate, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my safe place; my saviour, who keeps me safe from the violent man.

4 I will send up my cry to the Lord, who is to be praised; so will I be made safe from those who are against me.

5 For the waves of death came round me, and the seas of evil put me in fear;

6 The cords of hell were round me: the nets of death came on me.

7 In my trouble my voice went up to the Lord, and my cry to my God: my voice came to his hearing in his holy Temple, and my prayer came to his ears.

8 Then the earth was moved with a violent shock; the bases of heaven were moved and shaking, because he was angry.

9 There went up a smoke from his nose, and a fire of destruction from his mouth: coals were lighted by it.

10 The heavens were bent, so that he might come down; and it was dark under his feet.

11 And he went through the air, seated on a storm-cloud: going quickly on the wings of the wind.

12 And he made the dark his tent round him, a mass of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

13 Before his shining light his dark clouds went past, raining ice and coals of fire.

14 The Lord made thunder in the heavens, and the voice of the Highest was sounding out.

15 And he sent out his arrows, driving them in all directions; by his flames of fire they were troubled.

16 Then the deep beds of the sea were seen, and the bases of the world were uncovered, because of the Lord's wrath, because of the breath of his mouth.

17 He sent from on high, he took me, pulling me out of great waters.

18 He made me free from my strong hater, from those who were against me, because they were stronger than I.

19 They came on me in the day of my trouble: but the Lord was my support.

20 He took me out into a wide place; he was my saviour because he had delight in me.

21 The Lord gives me the reward of my righteousness, because my hands are clean before him.

22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not been turned away in sin from my God.

23 For all his decisions were before me, and I did not put away his laws from me.

24 And I was upright before him, and I kept myself from sin.

25 Because of this the Lord has given me the reward of my righteousness, because my hands are clean in his eyes.

26 On him who has mercy you will have mercy; to the upright you will be upright;

27 He who is holy will see that you are holy; but to the man whose way is not straight you will be a hard judge.

28 For you are the saviour of those who are in trouble; but your eyes are on men of pride, to make them low.

29 For you are my light, O Lord; and the Lord will make the dark bright for me.

30 By your help I have made a way through the wall which was shutting me in: by the help of my God I have gone over a wall.

31 As for God, his way is all good: the word of the Lord is tested; he is a safe cover for all those who put their faith in him.

32 For who is God but the Lord? and who is a Rock but our God?

33 God puts a strong band about me, guiding me in a straight way.

34 He makes my feet like roes' feet, and puts me on high places.

35 He makes my hands expert in war, so that a bow of brass is bent by my arms.

36 You have given me the breastplate of your salvation, and your mercy has made me great.

37 You have made my steps wide under me, so that my feet make no slip.

38 I go after my haters and overtake them; not turning back till they are all overcome.

39 I have sent destruction on them and given them wounds, so that they are not able to get up: they are stretched under my feet.

40 For I have been armed by you with strength for the fight: you have made low under me those who came out against me.

41 By you their backs are turned in flight, so that my haters are cut off.

42 They were crying out, but there was no one to come to their help: even to the Lord, but he gave them no answer.

43 Then they were crushed as small as the dust of the earth, stamped down under my feet like the waste of the streets.

44 You have made me free from the fightings of my people; you have made me the head of the nations: a people of whom I had no knowledge will be my servants.

45 Men of other countries will, with false hearts, put themselves under my authority: from the time when my name comes to their ears, they will be ruled by me.

46 They will be wasted away, they will come out of their secret places shaking with fear.

47 The Lord is living; praise be to my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be honoured:

48 It is God who sends punishment on my haters, and puts peoples under my rule.

49 He makes me free from my haters: I am lifted up over those who come up against me: you have made me free from the violent man.

50 Because of this I will give you praise, O Lord, among the nations, and will make a song of praise to your name.

51 Great salvation does he give to his king; he has mercy on the king of his selection, David, and on his seed for ever.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 22

Commentary on 2 Samuel 22 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 22

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 closet 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 (v. 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.

2Sa 22:1

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, Ps. 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, 2 Tim. 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 (Ps. 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.

2Sa 22:2-51

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 (v. 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, v. 47. They disappoint their worshippers when they most need them. But as for God his way is perfect, v. 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 (v. 7), and cleaves to him (v. 22); "and, if my God, then my rock' (v. 2), that is, "my strength and my power (v. 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,' v. 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 (v. 47): my saving strength is in him and from him. David often hid himself in a rock (1 Sa. 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 (v. 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, Lu. 1:69. "Am I burdened, and ready to sink? The Lord is my stay (v. 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,' v. 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 (v. 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 (v. 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 (v. 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 (v. 3), from my enemies (v. 4), from my strong enemy, meaning Saul, who, if God had not succoured him, would have been too hard for him, v. 18. Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation, v. 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 (v. 40, 49) that hated him (v. 41), a violent man (v. 49) namely, Saul, who was malicious in his designs against him and vigorous in his pursuit. This is expressed figuratively, v. 5, 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, v. 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, v. 8, 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 (v. 9), coals kindled (v. 13), arrows, v. 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, v. 8, 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, v. 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 (v. 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 (v. 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, 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 (v. 20), where he had room to thrive, and his steps were enlarged under him, so that he had room to stir (v. 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, v. 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, v. 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 (v. 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, v. 38-43. They were speedy victories (I turned not again till I had consumed them, v. 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 (v. 33), gave him success in all his undertakings, set him upon his high places (v. 34), denoting both safety and dignity. God's gentleness, his grace and tender mercy, made him great (v. 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 (v. 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, v. 49.
  • V. The comfortable reflections he makes upon his own integrity, which God, by those wonderful deliverances, had graciously owned and witnessed to, v. 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, v. 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 (1 Ki. 15:5), like that in Hezekiah's character, 2 Chr. 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, v. 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, v. 45, 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 (v. 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 (ch. 7:15, 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 Ps. 89:28, 29. Thus all his joys and all his hopes terminate, as ours should, in the great Redeemer.