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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 Samuel 22:1 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB 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,
  • KJV 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:
  • NKJV Then David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.
  • NASB Now David spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day that the Lord had saved him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
  • NLT David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.

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

David sings this psalm of thanksgiving when the LORD delivered him from all his enemies and from Saul. It frames the whole song as praise for God's faithful rescue.

Overview

This song, nearly identical to Psalm 18, looks back over David's life and attributes every deliverance to Yahweh. The heading sets the tone of grateful worship rather than self-congratulation. As the anointed king's testimony, it ultimately points to the greater Son of David, who through suffering was delivered and exalted, and in whom God's people find their rescue.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 17

  • Exod 15:1Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted. The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.
  • Judg 5:1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
  • Isa 12:1–6In that day you will say: “O LORD, I will praise You. Although You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away, and You have comforted me.
  • Ps 116:1–19I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice—my appeal for mercy.
  • 2 Tim 4:18And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
  • Ps 103:1–6Of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.
  • Ps 34:19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
  • Rev 7:9–17After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
  • Ps 50:14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
  • 1 Sam 26:24As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”
  • 1 Sam 23:14And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.
  • 1 Sam 25:29And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.
  • 1 Sam 24:15May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
  • Ps 18:1–50For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who 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. He said: I love You, O LORD, my strength.
  • 1 Sam 27:1David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
  • 2 Sam 22:49who frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.
  • 2 Cor 1:10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Samuel 22:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 22:1 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.