The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
Parallel translations
- WEB God is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence.
- BSB My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.
- NKJV The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.
- NASB My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.
- NLT my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.
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
David multiplies titles for God as his rock, shield, horn of salvation, and high tower who saves him from violence. Every defense and rescue he knows is found in the LORD.
Overview
The rich cluster of metaphors portrays God as both shelter and saving power, the "horn of salvation" picturing strong, victorious deliverance. David takes refuge in God alone against all threats. The very phrase "horn of salvation" is later applied to Christ (Luke 1:69), in whom this saving strength is fully revealed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 40
- Ps 9:9The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
- Isa 12:2Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
- Prov 18:10The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
- Ps 18:2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
- Prov 30:5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
- Deut 33:29Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
- Ps 46:11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
- Ps 115:9–11O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
- 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.
- Ps 144:2My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
- Ps 14:6Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
- Heb 2:13And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
- Luke 1:69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
- Ps 59:16But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
- Ps 46:7The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
- Ps 55:9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
- Isa 32:2And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
- Ps 140:4Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
- Jer 16:19O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
- Ps 86:14O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
- Deut 32:37And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
- Ps 28:7The 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.
- Ps 84:9Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
- Ps 72:14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
- Ps 61:3For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
- 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.
- 2 Sam 22:49And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
- Ps 27:5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
- Ps 140:1Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
- Ps 46:1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
- 2 Sam 22:51He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
- Ps 3:3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
- Ps 71:7I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
- Ps 5:12For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
- Luke 1:71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
- Ps 140:11Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
- 1 Sam 2:1And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
- Ps 32:7Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
- Luke 1:47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
- Titus 3:6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
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 22:3 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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