Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Parallel translations
- WEB You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.
- BSB You have given me Your shield of salvation, and Your gentleness exalts me.
- NKJV “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great.
- NASB “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your help makes me great.
- NLT You have given me your shield of victory; your help has made me great.
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 gives David the shield of his salvation, and his gentleness makes David great. Divine protection and condescending kindness lift David up.
Overview
David acknowledges that his protection and his very greatness are gifts of God's saving care and gracious humility toward him. Remarkably, it is God's gentleness, his stooping condescension, that exalts the king. This anticipates the gospel paradox that God's gracious humility, supremely in Christ, is what truly lifts us up.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Eph 6:16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
- Ps 84:11For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
- Ps 115:14The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
- Ps 18:35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
- Gen 22:17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
- Gen 15:1After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
- Gen 12:2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 22:36 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
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