God is my strong fortress and He makes my way clear.
Parallel translations
- WEB God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.
- KJV God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
- NKJV God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect.
- NASB “God is my strong fortress; And He sets the blameless on His way.
- NLT God is my strong fortress, and he makes my way perfect.
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 is David's strong fortress who makes his way perfect. The Lord both protects him and guides his path rightly.
Overview
David testifies that God is both his secure stronghold and the one who orders his way blamelessly. Security and right living alike flow from God's enabling grace. This assures believers that the God who keeps us also conforms our path to his good purposes, completing the work he begins in us.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Eph 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Ps 27:1Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?
- Isa 41:10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.
- Ps 28:7–8The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
- Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Heb 13:21equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
- 2 Cor 12:9But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
- Ps 31:3–4For You are my rock and my fortress; lead me and guide me for the sake of Your name.
- Ps 119:1Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.
- Ps 46:1For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
- Zech 10:12I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD.
- Exod 15:2The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
- 2 Sam 22:2He said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.
- Ps 101:6My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way of integrity shall minister to me.
- Ps 18:32It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way clear.
- Job 22:3Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
- Ps 101:2I will ponder the way that is blameless—when will You come to me? I will walk in my house with integrity of heart.
- Deut 18:13You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
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 22:33 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.