He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
Parallel translations
- WEB He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
- BSB He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.
- NKJV He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me; For they were too strong for me.
- NASB “He rescued me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.
- NLT He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God delivers David from enemies too strong for him. When David's strength failed, the Lord's did not.
Overview
David confesses that his foes were mightier than he, so his rescue must be credited to God alone. This honest admission of weakness magnifies divine grace. It points believers to rely not on their own strength but on the Lord, who saves us from enemies we could never defeat ourselves, sin, death, and the devil.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Ps 3:7Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
- Ps 56:9When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
- 2 Cor 1:10Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
- 2 Tim 4:17Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
- 2 Sam 22:1And 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:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 22:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.