“God is my strong fortress; And He sets the blameless on His way.
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.
- 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.
- 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 the strength of his might.
- Ps 27:1By David. Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
- Isa 41:10Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
- Ps 28:7–8Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him.
- Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
- Heb 13:21make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
- 2 Cor 12:9He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
- Ps 31:3–4For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.
- Ps 119:1ALEPH Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh’s law.
- Ps 46:1For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
- Zech 10:12I will strengthen them in Yahweh; and they will walk up and down in his name,” says Yahweh.
- Exod 15:2Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
- 2 Sam 22:2and he said: “Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;
- Ps 101:6My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he will serve me.
- Ps 18:32the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
- Job 22:3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?
- Ps 101:2I will be careful to live a blameless life. When will you come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart.
- Deut 18:13You shall be perfect with Yahweh your God.
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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.