God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
Parallel translations
- WEB God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.
- BSB God is my strong fortress and He makes my way clear.
- 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, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
- Ps 27:1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
- Isa 41:10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
- Ps 28:7–8The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
- Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
- Heb 13:21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
- 2 Cor 12:9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- Ps 31:3–4For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
- Ps 119:1Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
- Ps 46:1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
- Zech 10:12And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.
- Exod 15:2The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
- 2 Sam 22:2And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
- Ps 101:6Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
- Ps 18:32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
- Job 22:3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
- Ps 101:2I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
- Deut 18:13Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy 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.