He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights 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.
- BSB He brought me out into the open; He rescued 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.
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 shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place.
- 2 Sam 15:26but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you;’ behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”
- Ps 118:5Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.
- Ps 149:4For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation.
- Ps 22:8“He trusts in Yahweh; let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
- Ps 147:11Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
- Acts 2:32–36This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
- 1 Chr 4:10Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” God granted him that which he requested.
- Hos 4:16For Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Then how will Yahweh feed them like a lamb in a meadow.
- Matt 3:17Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
- Gen 26:22He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said, “For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”
- Matt 17:5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “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“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights — I have put my Spirit on him. 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.