Reflections on 2 Samuel 22

2 Samuel 22 (Contemporary English Version)

1. David 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:
   
2. Our LORD and our God, you are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector.
   
3. You are the rock where I am safe. You are my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter. You rescue me and keep me from being hurt.
   
4. I praise you, our LORD! I prayed to you, and you rescued me from my enemies.
   
5. Death, like ocean waves, surrounded me, and I was almost swallowed by its flooding waters.
   
6. Ropes from the world of the dead had coiled around me, and death had set a trap in my path.
   
7. I was in terrible trouble when I called out to you, but from your temple you heard me and answered my prayer.
   
8. Earth shook and shivered! The columns supporting the sky rocked back and forth. You were angry
   
9. and breathed out smoke. Scorching heat and fiery flames spewed from your mouth.
   
10. You opened the heavens like curtains, and you came down with storm clouds under your feet.
    
11. You rode on the backs of flying creatures. You appeared with the wind as wings.
    
12. Darkness was your tent! Thunderclouds filled the sky, hiding you from sight.
    
13. Fiery coals lit up the sky in front of you.
    
14. LORD Most High, your voice thundered from the heavens.
    
15. You scattered your enemies with arrows of lightning.
    
16. You roared at the sea, and its deepest channels could be seen. You snorted, and the earth shook to its foundations.
    
17. You reached down from heaven, and you lifted me from deep in the ocean.
    
18. You rescued me from enemies who were hateful and too powerful for me.
    
19. On the day disaster struck, they came and attacked, but you defended me.
    
20. When I was fenced in, you freed and rescued me because you love me.
    
21. You are good to me, LORD, because I do right, and you reward me because I am innocent.
    
22. I do what you want and never turn to do evil.
    
23. I keep your laws in mind and never turn away from your teachings.
    
24. I obey you completely and guard against sin.
    
25. You have been good to me because I do right; you have rewarded me for being innocent by your standards.
    
26. You are always loyal to your loyal people, and you are faithful to the faithful.
    
27. With all who are sincere you are sincere, but you treat the unfaithful as their deeds deserve.
    
28. You rescue the humble, but you look for ways to put down the proud.
    
29. Our LORD and God, you are my lamp. You turn darkness to light.
    
30. You help me defeat armies and capture cities.
    
31. Your way is perfect, LORD, and your word is correct. You are a shield for those who run to you for help.
    
32. You alone are God! Only you are a mighty rock.
    
33. You are my strong fortress, and you set me free.
    
34. You make my feet run as fast as those of a deer, and you help me stand on the mountains.
    
35. You teach my hands to fight and my arms to use a bow of bronze.
    
36. You alone are my shield, and by coming to help me, you have made me famous.
    
37. You clear the way for me, and now I won't stumble.
    
38. I kept chasing my enemies until I caught them and destroyed them.
    
39. I destroyed them! I stuck my sword through my enemies, and they were crushed under my feet.
    
40. You helped me win victories and forced my attackers to fall victim to me.
    
41. You made my enemies run, and I killed them.
    
42. They cried out for help, but no one saved them; they called out to you, but there was no answer.
    
43. I ground them to dust, and I squashed them like mud in the streets.
    
44. You rescued me from my stubborn people and made me the leader of foreign nations, who are now my slaves.
    
45. They obey and come crawling.
    
46. They have lost all courage and from their fortresses they come trembling.
    
47. You are the living LORD! I will praise you! You are a mighty rock. I will honor you for keeping me safe.
    
48. You took revenge for me, and you put nations in my power.
    
49. You protected me from violent enemies, and you made me much greater than all of them.
    
50. I will praise you, LORD, and I will honor you among the nations.
    
51. You give glorious victories to your chosen king. Your faithful love for David and for his descendants will never end.
    

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    Included in this appendix to 2 Samuel, which begins in chapter 21, is a song from David praising God for delivering him from his enemies. It was written after David was established on the throne in Israel and the nation became united under his leadership. David was overwhelmed at what God had done for him in delivering him from Saul through all the years Saul tried to kill him, then delivering him from national enemies and solidly establishing him as king over a united Israel. He seemed amazed that people he didn't even know served him and foreigners submitted to him and that at his name they lost heart and came to him trembling.
    
    David saw only one reason for his salvation from enemies and his position as head of nations - the Lord had done it. Through all those years he had feared for his life at the hands of Saul the Lord had been "my God, my mountain where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior." (22:3) David could call "to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies." (22:4) And when David called to the Lord for help, the Lord brought into play all His powers that had created the universe: "Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled." (22:8) In dealing with David's enemies the Lord, "shot arrows and scattered them; He hurled lightning bolts and routed them." (22:15)
    
    The Lord's actions on David's behalf were not simply arbitrary, though. He acted because David had proven himself righteous. He "kept the ways of the LORD and have not turned from my God to wickedness." (22:22) Therefore, "the LORD repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His sight." (22:25) But David is not the only one on whose behalf the Lord will act. "With the faithful You prove Yourself faithful; with the blameless man You prove Yourself blameless; with the pure You prove Yourself pure, but with the crooked You prove Yourself shrewd." (22:26-27)
    
    In conclusion David stated, "Therefore I will praise You, LORD, among the nations; I will sing about Your name." (22:50) This, of course, was the purpose of this song.