2Samuel 21:1 ¶ Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
I am assuming that this famine that lasted three years happened after events recorded in the previous chapters. Maybe not—We know, however, that it was after he had taken steps to take care of Jonathan’s son in light of the following verses.
In the third year David finally decided that the famine must be a judgment from the LORD and proceeded to find out the reason for it. When he enquired of the LORD (how? Through one of the seers?), he was told that it was in judgment against Saul and his bloody house for killing the Gibeonites. (There is no specific record in the scripture of when this happened as far as I could find.)
Reminder: Joshua had made a treaty with the Gibeonites (though it had been made due to the deceit of the men of Gibeon) that provided them sanctuary in Israel.
Joshua 9:3–15 “And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us….And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.”
Because the men of Gibeon had tricked the Israelites, they were made to serve in menial tasks at the “house of God.”
Joshua 9:22–23 “And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us? Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.”
Because of this, some commentators posit that this massacre happened in conjunction with the massacre of the priests at Nob.
1 Samuel 22:18–19 “And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.”
Maybe it is just me, but its always hard to process that the LORD sometimes waits for years before exacting judgment for sin—especially regarding nations it seems as I read through scripture. I remind myself that His view of time does not match our perspective nor does He necessarily act in accordance with our sense of fairness. I do understand that dealing with nations is not the same as dealing with individuals. If David were aware of this massacre, it would make sense that the LORD would allow him time to do something to try to atone for the sin of the nation himself. Just some of my thoughts…
Again, despite my questions, I confidently rely on scripture.
Deuteronomy 32:3–4 “Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
2Samuel 21:2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)
2Samuel 21:3 Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
2Samuel 21:4 And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
2Samuel 21:5 And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,
2Samuel 21:6 Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
Now aware of the reason for the famine, David called for a meeting with the Gibeonite leaders. It is noted that the Gibeonites were descendants of the Amorites that had a covenant (see above) with Israel. Saul had disregarded the covenant in his zeal to increase the size of the nation and get rid of the Canaanites.
David asked the Gibeonites what he could do to make things right between them. The Gibeonites declared that they did not want silver or gold or any other of Saul’s possessions. Neither did they want any of the men in Israel killed. So David asked again what he could do to make things right. They told him that the man that had killed their people—Saul—had tried to eliminate their people from out of Israel. They wanted seven of his sons to be handed over to them for hanging before the LORD in Gibeah, Saul’s hometown. David agreed to do as they asked.
Logically, their request made sense. Saul had effectively decreased the numbers of their people, so they wanted the numbers of his progeny reduced as well.
The fact that they mentioned hanging the men “unto the LORD” indicates to me that David must have explained that the LORD had revealed to him the reason for the famine.
2Samuel 21:7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’S oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
2Samuel 21:8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
2Samuel 21:9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
2Samuel 21:10 ¶ And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
The king spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, because of the oath he had taken with Jonathan. Instead, he took the two sons of Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal, Saul’s daughter, whom she had brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. These men were given to the Gibeonites and hanged before the LORD on a hill in Gibeah. They were put to death at the beginning of the barley harvest (April) and allowed to hang there until the LORD once again sent rain—a sign that He was satisfied with the atonement that had been made.
JFB offers this note: “Merab, Michal’s sister, was the wife of Adriel; but Michal adopted and brought up the boys under her care.”
1 Samuel 18:19 “But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.”
Guzik offers this insight: “The method of death was also important because it fulfilled the promise of Deuteronomy 21:23: he who is hanged is accursed of God. These descendants of Saul bore the curse Saul deserved and so delivered Israel from the guilt of their sin against the Gibeonites.” This promise from Deuteronomy 21:23 explains why Jesus died the way He did. Galatians 3:13 explains: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree").
Rizpah, the mother of Armoni and Mephibosheth, took sackcloth and spread on a rock to maintain a vigil over the bodies of her sons (and the others I assume) for the duration of the harvest season. She kept away the birds and animals from eating the flesh off their bodies throughout the day and night. Oh, the strength of a mother’s love…
2Samuel 21:11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
2Samuel 21:12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
2Samuel 21:13 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.
2Samuel 21:14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.
David was told what Rizpah had done. Her actions prompted him to go and get the bones of Saul and Jonathan from the men of Jabeshgilead who had taken them down after the Philistines had hung them up in shame after their deaths. They also gathered the bones of the seven men that were hung by the Gibeonites. He then had the bones of Saul and Jonathan given a proper burial in the land of Benjamin in Zelah in the family tomb with Saul’s father Kish. I would assume that they buried the seven men in the family tomb as well.
It is assumed that God’s justice was satisfied since he was “intreated” for the land—a reference to bringing the famine to an end by sending the rain.
2Samuel 21:15 ¶ Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
2Samuel 21:16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
2Samuel 21:17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
The Philistines once again came against Israel in war, and David led his men in battle against them. This time, however, David became tired; he no longer had the strength and physical endurance he once had.
Ishbibenob, one of the sons of the giant, was intent upon killing David. He carried a spear of brass that weighed 300 shekels (about 7.5 lbs. according to the IVP Commentary) and also carried a new sword. Abishai, David’s nephew, rescued him and killed the Philistine.
In comparison, Goliath’s spear was made of iron and weight 600 shekels.
1 Samuel 17:4–7 “And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron….”
Realizing that David had almost died, his men came to him and told him that he should no longer go out with them to battle and risk losing his life. He was important to Israel.
I can’t help but think that the reference to the sons of “the giant” is a reference to Goliath and seems to be implied in the following verses.
2Samuel 21:18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.
2Samuel 21:19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
2Samuel 21:20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
2Samuel 21:21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.
2Samuel 21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
After this, there was yet another battle with the Philistines at Gob. In this battle Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, another one of the giant’s sons.
In yet another battle against the Philistines in Gob, Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a man of Bethlehem, killed the brother of Goliath—identified as the one who had a spear like a weaver’s beam. (See 1Samuel 17:4-7 above)
In yet another battle in Gath there was a man that was very tall that had six fingers on both hands and six toes on both feet that was also identified as a son of the giant. Jonathan, the son of Shimea the brother of David, killed this giant.
It is emphasized that all four men identified as having been killed by David’s men were sons of “the giant in Gath.” One of the men had been identified as Goliath’s brother, but those words have been added as shown by the italics.
Courson: “Make no mistake, dear brother and sister—the Christian walk does not necessarily get easier. There are giants all the way to the end.”
2Samuel 22:1 ¶ 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:
At this point the human author records a song that David wrote in praise of the LORD when He had delivered him from all of his enemies, including Saul. The words of this song are also recorded in Psalm 18 with minor variations.
As we go through this psalm, we will find that David sometimes restates the same truths, a signifying feature of Hebrew poetry.
2Samuel 22:2 ¶ And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
2Samuel 22:3 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.
David first identifies the LORD as his rock and fortress, the faithful, unmovable source of his strength, his stronghold or safe place. He declares the LORD to be his deliverer, recognizing that it is only through the LORD’s enablement that he has been able to escape the harm of his enemies.
As David’s rock, his strength and safeplace, he has learned to trust in the LORD and flee to Him as his refuge. By calling the LORD his shield, he is acknowledging Him as his protector. “The horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge,” all again emphasize the truth that it is in the LORD that David finds refuge and safety. “My savior” references the truth that David’s safety has been totally dependent upon the LORD’s intervention on his behalf.
2Samuel 22:4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
In light of all the many ways the LORD has provided for him, David declares His worthiness to be praised. He recognized that all his victories and deliverance from his enemies were accomplished in the strength and provision of the LORD.
As we continue to read this song, it stands out to me that David’s faith in the LORD has grown in light of his experience. That should be true of every believer today as well. First, we must learn to recognize, as did David, the many ways that the LORD provides and intercedes for us, especially in answer to our prayers. I think sometimes we take such provision for granted—much as do most children regarding the care and provision provided by their parents.
I loved Spurgeon’s comment on prayer and praise: “…if you have prayer in one hand, have praise in the other. The mixture of these two perfumes will make an exceedingly sweet incense to present unto the Lord. To praise and pray, to pray and praise, is an admirable way of living. Have I not often told you that it resembles our breathing? By prayer we breathe in, and by praise we breathe out.”
2Samuel 22:5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
2Samuel 22:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
2Samuel 22:7 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.
In this section of verses, David acknowledges that there had been times when he felt death closing in and was afraid. In those times he called upon the LORD and knew that God had heard him. I think “from his temple” is a reference to God’s throne in heaven.
We can have the same confidence that God hears our prayers. Scripture declares in many places that the LORD hears the cries of men and women who have placed their faith in Him.
Psalms 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”
Proverbs 15:29 “The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.”
John 9:31 “…if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”
1 John 5:14–15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
2Samuel 22:8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.
2Samuel 22:9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
2Samuel 22:10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.
2Samuel 22:11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
2Samuel 22:12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
2Samuel 22:13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
2Samuel 22:14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
2Samuel 22:15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
2Samuel 22:16 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.
I think David is saying that in answer to his cries, the LORD responded to his enemies in anger. I think he is expressing the thought that he recognized that God had supernaturally intervened on his behalf and was painting a word picture of an angry, all powerful God who has the forces of nature under His control and will readily use them to fight His enemies—and the enemies of His faithful servants.
Clarke made an interesting observation on the first part of verse 9: “The ancients placed the seat of anger in the nose, or nostrils; because when the passions are warm and violent, it discovers itself by the heated vehement breath which proceeds from them.”
And again on the first part of verse 12: “…as thick heavy clouds deeply charged, and with lowering aspects, are always the forerunners and attendants of a tempest, and greatly heighten the horrors of the appearance: and the representation of them, spread about the Almighty as a tent, is truly grand and poetic.”
There are several places where the LORD’s voice is connected to thunder.
Exodus 19:16–17 “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God….”
Job 40:9 “Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?”
Psalms 29:3–4 “The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.”
Psalms 104:1–7 “Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty….Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.”
Revelation 14:1–2 “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder….”
2Samuel 22:17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
2Samuel 22:18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
2Samuel 22:19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
David is praising the LORD for personally delivering him from his enemies, enemies that were much stronger than David, especially when they chose to attack when David was most vulnerable.
2Samuel 22:20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
“A large place” is a reference to a place of safety, a place not hemmed in by danger. David knew that the LORD delivered him because “He delighted in me,” was pleased with him.
What a beautiful truth that we can share with David! We can know that He delights in us as well because He sees us as His sons and daughters clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name….”
Isaiah 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
2Samuel 22:21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
2Samuel 22:22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
2Samuel 22:23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
2Samuel 22:24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
2Samuel 22:25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
David recognizes that the LORD has dealt with him in accordance with his actions, his determination to do the things that honored the LORD. For the most part he had chosen to do right before the LORD. Yes, David was a sinner, a truth very evident in the record of scripture. However, David’s sins were an aberration. David was quick to repent and beg God’s forgiveness when confronted with his sin. His life in general was characterized by his love for and obedience to the LORD.
I liked Guzik’s observation: “We might say that David simply believed what the Prophet Nathan told him in 2 Samuel 12:13: The Lord also has put away your sin. David knew he was a forgiven man, and that the cleanness of his hands was because God cleansed them, not because they had never been dirtied.”
I think this is a valid observation based on another one of his psalms.
Psalms 103:8–12 “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
2Samuel 22:26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
2Samuel 22:27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
2Samuel 22:28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
This section actually builds on the truth from the previous section. David declares that man should not expect God to treat him any differently than he is willing to treat others. Those whose lives show them to be merciful and morally blameless, sincere and truthful (from the Hebrew for upright) can expect the LORD to treat him accordingly. Those who prove themselves to be clean and pure can expect a good response from the LORD accordingly. Those, however, who show themselves to be false and wicked can expect to continually wrestle and struggle (from the Hebrew for unsavoury) with the LORD. Those who recognize they are needy can look to the LORD for salvation; while those that are haughty and prideful can expect that the LORD will bring them down.
I couldn’t help but be reminded of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:3–8 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven….Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth….Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
And this verse in Proverbs: Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
And from Peter: 1 Peter 5:5 “…for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
I liked this quote from Spurgeon: “Note that even the merciful need mercy; no amount of generosity to the poor, or forgiveness to enemies, can set us beyond the need of mercy."
2Samuel 22:29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
David declares that the LORD is his lamp, his source of direction. It was through the light of God’s word that he was able to find his way and make good choices in this dark world of wickedness. Again, other verses come to mind.
Psalms 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2Samuel 22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
David is basically saying that with the LORD on his side, there is nothing he cannot do. It reminds me of yet more scripture.
John 15:5 “…for without me ye can do nothing.”
Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Romans 8:31 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
2Samuel 22:31 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.
2Samuel 22:32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
What wonderful words of truth and praise about our God. His way is perfect—entirely righteous, sincere and full of truth. God’s word is tried—purged, refined, proven true. All David had to do was remember how his and Israel’s history testified to that truth. God is a shield and protector of all those that place their trust in Him.
The two questions in verse 23 are rhetorical. David knows that the LORD is the one true God, the one rock or true refuge for all men and women who place their faith in Him.
We don’t have to take just David’s word for this. Again, scripture repeats these truths throughout.
Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:”
Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”
Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”
Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”
2Samuel 22:33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
2Samuel 22:34 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places.
2Samuel 22:35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
2Samuel 22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
2Samuel 22:37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
David continues to praise the LORD God for being his strength and power and for continuing to guide him on a path of moral integrity. He compares himself to a surefooted deer when he is following God’s will in obedience and faith. When he trusts in the LORD as he faces the enemy, he experiences supernatural strength. It is in God that he has found the protection afforded by the salvation He provides. It is through the LORD’s chastening (from the Hebrew for gentleness) that he has become a force to reckon with. Again, David acknowledges that it is the LORD that has made his path safe.
2Samuel 22:38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
2Samuel 22:39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.
2Samuel 22:40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.
2Samuel 22:41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
David recalls how the LORD had empowered him to pursue and destroy his enemies. He emphasizes that it is the LORD that had given him the strength to fight his enemies; it is the LORD that subdued them through David.
2Samuel 22:42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
2Samuel 22:43 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.
David notes that his enemies could find no one to save them or protect them from David’s sword. Even those that looked to the LORD found no provision because they refused to surrender to His will that David be the king of Israel (e.g., Saul and Absalom).
2Samuel 22:44 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.
2Samuel 22:45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.
2Samuel 22:46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.
David acknowledges that it was the LORD that had delivered him from those of his people who tried to promote controversy and rebellion against him. It was God that had allowed him to subdue heathen nations and put them to tribute. Many of these nations submitted to his authority without a fight because they feared him.
I liked this statement from the NIV Commentary: “Since the enemies of God can be expected to “cringe” before him, there is no reason why foreigners under David’s control should not “come cringing” to the Lord’s anointed.”
This is actually a truth that every true believer in Jesus can claim as his/her own. We have nothing to fear from man or Satan if we but look to God in faith for His provision and direction.
Hebrews 13:5–6 “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
1 John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Romans 8:38–39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
2Samuel 22:47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
2Samuel 22:48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me,
2Samuel 22:49 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.
David knew that he served a living God, in contrast to the impotent idols of the heathen nations. He was an enduring source of strength and salvation to David. It was God that avenged David of his enemies and subdued them to serve David. It was the LORD that gave him the victory over his enemies and put him in his position as king.
2Samuel 22:50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
2Samuel 22:51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
David ends his song by once again declaring his intention to testify of his thanks to the LORD among the heathen for all He had done for David. A song of praise to the LORD will ever be on his lips. Those songs will declare the LORD as the tower of David’s salvation and the source in whom David and his descendants will forever find mercy.