He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
Parallel translations
- WEB He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
- KJV He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
- NKJV He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.
- NASB “He also brought me out into an open place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me.
- NLT He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in 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 brings David into a spacious place and delivers him because he delighted in him. Salvation flows from God's gracious love.
Overview
From the narrow straits of danger, God leads David into freedom and security. Crucially, the reason given is God's delight in him, his gracious favor, not merely David's merit. This anticipates the gospel truth that God saves his people because he sets his love upon them, supremely in his beloved Son.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 31:8You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.
- 2 Sam 15:26But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”
- Ps 118:5In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered and set me free.
- Ps 149:4For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the afflicted with salvation.
- Ps 22:8“He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”
- Ps 147:11The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.
- Acts 2:32–36God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
- 1 Chr 4:10And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez.
- Hos 4:16For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?
- Matt 3:17And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”
- Gen 26:22He moved on from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. He named it Rehoboth and said, “At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”
- Matt 17:5While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”
- Matt 27:43He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
- Isa 42:1“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 22:20 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.