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:
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,
- BSB 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.
- 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 sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
- Judg 5:1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
- Isa 12:1–6And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
- Ps 116:1–19I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
- 2 Tim 4:18And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
- Ps 103:1–6Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
- Ps 34:19Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
- Rev 7:9–17After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
- Ps 50:14Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
- 1 Sam 26:24And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.
- 1 Sam 23:14And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
- 1 Sam 25:29Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.
- 1 Sam 24:15The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
- Ps 18:1–50I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
- 1 Sam 27:1And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
- 2 Sam 22:49And 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.
- 2 Cor 1:10Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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.