Jehovah is my rock: a cry heard in his temple

2 Samuelchapter 22

51 verses · BSB547 cross-references outward · 172 inward2 Samuel book hub →

Speaks with:Psalms 18×13 Psalms 144×4 2 Samuel 22×4 Deuteronomy 32×4 Psalms 116×3 Psalms 97×3

Chapter summary

David's great song of deliverance, preserved again as Psalm 18.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

David's great song of deliverance, preserved again as Psalm 18. It opens by piling up titles — 'Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer,' my shield, the horn of my salvation, my high tower — then turns the answered prayer into a storm theophany: the earth shakes, 'he bowed the heavens also, and came down,' he rides upon a cherub and flies, and he reaches from on high and draws his servant out of many waters. The close is all gift: 'as for God, his way is perfect'; he maketh my feet like hinds' feet; 'thy gentleness hath made me great.' The last verses give thanks among the nations — Paul quotes them for the Gentile mission (Romans 15:9).

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Nathan, Gad — 2 Samuel overview

A. 1–7 Jehovah is my rock: a cry heard in his temple
B. 8–20 The earth shakes and God comes down to draw me out
C. 21–31 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful
D. 32–46 He teacheth my hands to war; my feet like hinds' feet
E. 47–51 Jehovah liveth — praise among the nations

1 And David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

2 He said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.

3 My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.

4 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

5 For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

6 The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

7 In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God. And from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.

8 Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.

9 Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals blazed forth.

10 He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.

11 He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.

13 From the brightness of His presence coals of fire blazed forth.

14 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

15 He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

16 The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

17 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.

18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.

19 They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.

20 He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.

21 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.

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

23 For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes.

24 And I have been blameless before Him and kept myself from iniquity.

25 So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His sight.

26 To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;

27 to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.

28 You save an afflicted people, but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

29 For You, O LORD, are my lamp; the LORD lights up my darkness.

30 For in You I can charge an army; with my God I can scale a wall.

31 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

32 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?

33 God is my strong fortress and He makes my way clear.

34 He makes my feet like those of a deer and stations me upon the heights.

35 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 You have given me Your shield of salvation, and Your gentleness exalts me.

37 You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not give way.

38 I pursued my enemies and destroyed them; I did not turn back until they were consumed.

39 I devoured and crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet.

40 You have armed me with strength for battle; You have subdued my foes beneath me.

41 You have made my enemies retreat before me; I put an end to those who hated me.

42 They looked, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but He did not answer.

43 I ground them as the dust of the earth; I crushed and trampled them like mud in the streets.

44 You have delivered me from the strife of my people; You have preserved me as the head of nations; a people I had not known shall serve me.

45 Foreigners cower before me; when they hear me, they obey me.

46 Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.

47 The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock! And may God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted—

48 the God who avenges me and brings down nations beneath me,

49 who frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.

50 Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

51 Great salvation He brings to His king. He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

Continue: 2 Samuel 23 →

Study this chapter

The five questions

Who

Joshua Deborah Samson Samuel Saul David

What

Israel crosses the Jordan and takes the land, stumbles through the judges, demands a king, and rises to a golden age under David and Solomon — then splits, slides into idolatry, and is carried into exile. 2 Samuel overview →

Where

Jericho Jerusalem Samaria Babylon Susa

Kingdom and exiles, mapped →

When

c. 1406–430 BC — conquest, kingdom, exile, and return.

Why

A thousand years of proof that God keeps covenant even when His people don't — and the stage on which the promise narrows to David's line, waiting for David's greater Son. More on History →

Featured studies1

Studies that draw on this chapter

Messianic Psalms

Top cross-references

Psalms 1813 verses
- Psalms 18:2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
- Psalms 18:3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.
- Psalms 18:6In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
- Psalms 18:10He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.
- Psalms 18:11He made darkness His hiding place, and storm clouds a canopy around Him.
- Psalms 18:15The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed, at Your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
- Read Psalms 18 — 7 more there →
Psalms 1444 verses
- Psalms 144:1Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.
- Psalms 144:2He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.
- Psalms 144:5Part Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
- Psalms 144:7Reach down from on high; set me free and rescue me from the deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners,
- Read Psalms 144 →
2 Samuel 224 verses
- 2 Samuel 22:3My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.
- 2 Samuel 22:9Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals blazed forth.
- 2 Samuel 22:10He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.
- 2 Samuel 22:21The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.
- Read 2 Samuel 22 →
Deuteronomy 324 verses
- Deuteronomy 32:4He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.
- Deuteronomy 32:13He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him the produce of the field. He nourished him with honey from the rock and oil from the flinty crag,
- Deuteronomy 32:23I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them.
- Deuteronomy 32:31For their rock is not like our Rock, even our enemies concede.
- Read Deuteronomy 32 →
Psalms 1163 verses
- Psalms 116:2Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.
- Psalms 116:3The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.
- Psalms 116:4Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, deliver my soul!”
- Read Psalms 116 →
Psalms 972 verses
- Psalms 97:2Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.
- Psalms 97:4His lightning illuminates the world; the earth sees and trembles.
- Read Psalms 97 →
1 Samuel 23 verses
- 1 Samuel 2:2There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God.
- 1 Samuel 2:8He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.
- 1 Samuel 2:10Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
- Read 1 Samuel 2 →
Psalms 893 verses
- Psalms 89:20I have found My servant David; with My sacred oil I have anointed him.
- Psalms 89:26He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock of my salvation.’
- Psalms 89:29I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.
- Read Psalms 89 →

547 outbound · 172 inbound

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.

The world behind this chapter

2 Samuel 22

When

Appendix — David's song of deliverance · Composed across the reign; placed after the wars, c. 975 BC

Where

Sung in Israel's worship; the same song stands in the Psalms as Psalm 18

Who first heard it

Israelites who sang this in worship long after the king who wrote it was dead

The history

This is a royal thanksgiving song, and it appears twice in the Bible — here and as Psalm 18, with small differences in wording. That is not a problem to solve; it is evidence of a living text that was copied for the national collection and sung for centuries, picking up the ordinary variations of a much-used hymn.

The images come from a soldier's world. God is a rock, a fortress, a shield, a horn — the horn being the raised horn of a bull, the picture of strength that cannot be pushed over. Feet like a deer's on high places describes a man moving surefooted on the steep limestone ridges where Israel fought. Even the line about a bronze bow being bent by his arms is concrete: composite bows took real strength to string.

The long central section is a storm. Smoke from the nostrils, darkness under his feet, hailstones, the sea floor laid bare, the earth's foundations exposed. Israel's neighbors used the same storm language for their weather gods; here it is borrowed and pointed at the God who came down on Sinai in fire and cloud, and it is answered by one small line — he drew me out of many waters.

The song closes on the promise of the covenant, naming the king and his offspring forever. That is the link that made it worth preserving; the song is not only about one man's escapes.

What it meant to them

A nation that sang this in its assemblies was rehearsing its own history in the first person. Every deliverance in the book gets compressed into a single testimony: he sent from on high, he took me, he drew me out.

And the ending pointed forward. Sung generations later by people whose king was weak or gone, the last line about steadfast love to David and his descendants forever kept a promise on their lips that circumstances did not support.

Sources cited

Keil & Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel
John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews & Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament

Every work MannaFest builds on →