1. The title<\/p>\n
1<\/strong>. Compare the inscriptions which introduce Moses’ songs in the historical narrative (Exo 15:1<\/span>; Deu 31:30<\/span>). This inscription seems to have been taken by the compiler of Samuel and the compiler of the Psalter from a common source probably one of the prophetic histories of David’s reign in which this Psalm was incorporated.<\/p>\n in the day<\/em> that] i.e. at the time when<\/em>.<\/p>\n out of the hand of Saul<\/em> ] Specially mentioned because Saul was the bitterest and most implacable of his enemies, and because the deliverance from his power raised David to the throne of Israel.<\/p>\n This song, which is found with scarcely any material variation as Ps. 18<\/span>, and with the words of this first verse for its title, belongs to the early part of Davids reign when he was recently established upon the throne of all Israel, and when his final triumph over the house of Saul, and over the pagan nations 2Sa 22:44-46<\/span>, Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Ammonites, and Edomites, was still fresh 2 Sam. 21<\/span>. For a commentary on the separate verses the reader is referred to the commentary on Ps. 18<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n 2Sa 22:1-51<\/span><\/p>\n David spake unto the Lord the word of this song.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The song of thanksgiving<\/strong><\/p>\n Some of Davids actions are very characteristic of himself; there <\/strong>are other actions quite out of harmony with his character. This psalm of thanksgiving belongs to the former order. It is quite like David, at the conclusion of his military enterprises, to cast his eye gratefully over the whole, and acknowledge the goodness and mercy that had followed him all along. The date of this song is not to be determined by the place which it occupies in the history. It is likely that this psalm was written considerably before the end of Davids reign. Two <\/em>considerations make it all but certain that its date is earlier than Absaloms rebellion. In the first place, the mention of the name of Saul in the first verse would seem to imply that the deliverance from Saul was somewhat recent, certainly not so remote as it would have been at the end of Davids reign. And secondly, while the affirmation of Davids sincerity and honesty in serving God might doubtless have been made at any period of his life, yet some of his expressions would not have been likely to be used after his deplorable fall.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The feeling that recognised God as the Author of all his deliverances was intensely strong, for every expression that can denote it is heaped together: My rock, my portion, my deliverer; the God of my rock, my shield; the horn of my salvation, my high tower, my refuge, my Saviour. He takes no credit to himself; he gives no glory to his captains; the glory is all the Lords. He sees God so supremely the Author of his deliverance that the human instruments that helped him are for the moment quite out of view. He who, in the depths of his penitence, sees but one supremely injured Being,. and says, Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, at the height of his prosperity sees but one gracious Being, and adores Him, who only is his rock and his salvation. In an ago when all the stress is apt to be laid on the human instruments, and God left out of view, this habit of mind is instructive and refreshing. It was a touching incident in English history when, after the battle of Agincourt, Henry V. of England directed the hundred and fifteenth Psalm to be sung; prostrating himself on the ground, and causing his whole army to do the same, when the words were sounded out, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Thy name give glory.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>The emphatic use of the pronoun my by the Psalmist is very instructive. It is so easy to speak in general terms of what God is, and what God does; but it is quite another thing to be able to appropriate Him as ours, and rejoice in that relation. The use of the my indicates a personal transaction, a covenant relation into which the parties have solemnly entered.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>One other point has to be noticed in this introduction–when David comes to express his dependence on God, he very specially sets Him before his mind as worthy to be praised.<\/p>\n Psalm singing<\/strong><\/p>\n Would you know? asks William Law, in his beautiful chapter on singing psalms–would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? Well, it is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives most alms, or is most eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, and who receives everything as an instance of Gods goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for His goodness. And then Law winds up with this, and I wish it would send you all to the golden works of that grace-laden writer: Sometimes, he adds, imagine to yourselves that you saw holy David with his hands upon his harp, and his eyes fixed upon heaven, calling in transport upon all creation, sun and moon, light and darkness, day and night, men and angels, to join with his rapturous soul in praising the Lord of heaven. Dwell upon this imagination till you think you are singing with this Divine musician; and let such a companion teach you to exalt your heart unto God every new morning in his thanksgiving psalms. Or make a morning psalm suitable to your own circumstance out of Davids great thanksgiving psalms. You should take the finest and the selectest parts of Davids finest and selectest psalms, and adding them together make them every morning more and more fit to express your own thankful hearts. (A. Whyte, D. D<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Abundant cause for thanksgiving<\/strong><\/p>\n Max ORell has well and wittily said that people are divided into two classes–those who complain that roses have thorns and those who rejoice that thorns have roses. We know to which class we ought to belong. Let us make most of our mercies. God is a great God, and His gifts are like Himself, and more than can be numbered. The Rev. Mark Guy Pearse tells us that, when going home from a meeting once on a starlit night, and wishing to have a little quiet to think, he gave his little girl, who was with him, the task of counting the stars, knowing this would be a task long enough until they reached home, and longer. He heard her count into the third hundred, then she stopped, and he heard her say, Dear me! I never thought they were so many! And so, he said–and we can say it with him–when I begin to count my mercies and the kindnesses of my God, I am surprised, and have to say I never thought they were so many until I began to count them. (Christian Endeavour Times<\/em>.)<\/p>\n CHAPTER XXII <\/P> David’s psalm of thanksgiving for God’s powerful deliverance<\/I><\/P> and manifold blessings, including prophetic declarations<\/I><\/P> relative to the humiliation and exaltation of the Messiah<\/I>,<\/P> 1-51. <\/P> NOTES ON CHAP. XXII<\/P> <\/P> Verse 1<\/span>. David spake unto the Lord the words of this song<\/B><\/I>] This is the same in substance<\/I>, and almost in words<\/I>, with Ps 18:1-50<\/span>, and therefore the exposition of it must be reserved till it occurs in its course in that book, with the exception of a very few observations, and Dr. Kennicott’s<\/I> general view of the subject.<\/P> <\/p>\n This chapter is in a manner wholly the same with Psa 18<\/span>, and therefore I shall adjourn the exposition of it to that place. <\/P> <\/p>\n And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day [that] the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.<\/strong> [See comments on Ps 18:1]<\/span>.<\/p>\n The heading is formed precisely according to the introductory formula of the song of Moses in Deu 31:30<\/span>, and was no doubt taken from the larger historical work employed by the author of our books. It was probably also adopted from this into the canonical collection of the Psalter, and simply brought into conformity with the headings of the other psalms by the alteration of (and David said) into (“Of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake:” Eng. ver.), and the insertion of (“to the chief musician:” Eng. ver.) at the head (see Delitzsch on the Psalms). “ In the day<\/em>,” i.e., at the time, “ when Jehovah had delivered him<\/em>.” Deliverance “ out of the hand of Saul<\/em> ” is specially mentioned, not because this was the last, but because it was the greatest and most glorious, – a deliverance out of the deepest misery into regal might and glory. The psalm is opened by in both texts.<\/p>\n David’s Song of Praise.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> B. C.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN> 1020.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE> 1 And David spake unto the LORD<\/B> the words of this song in the day that<\/I> the LORD<\/B> had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:<\/P> Observe here, I. That it has often been the lot of God’s people to have many enemies, and to be in imminent danger of falling into their hands. David was a man after God’s heart, but not after men’s heart: many were those that hated him, and sought his ruin; Saul is particularly named, either, 1. As distinguished from his enemies of the heathen nations. Saul hated David, but David did not hate Saul, and therefore would not reckon him among his enemies; or, rather, 2. As the chief of his enemies, who was more malicious and powerful than any of them. Let not those whom God loves marvel if the world hate them.<\/P> II. Those that trust God in the way of duty shall find him a present help to them in their greatest dangers. David did so. God delivered him out of the hand of Saul. He takes special notice of this. Remarkable preservations should be mentioned in our praises with a particular emphasis. He delivered him also out of the hand of all his enemies,<\/I> one after another, sometimes in one way, sometimes in another; and David, from his own experience, has assured us that, though many are the troubles of the righteous, yet the Lord delivers them out of them all,<\/I> Ps. xxxiv. 19<\/I><\/span>. We shall never be delivered from all our enemies till we get to heaven; and to that heavenly kingdom God will preserve all that are his, 2 Tim. iv. 18<\/span>.<\/P> III. Those that have received many signal mercies from God ought to give him the glory of them. Every new mercy in our hand should put a new song into our mouth, even praises to our God. Where there is a grateful heart, out of the abundance of that the mouth will speak. David spoke, not only to himself, for his own pleasure, not merely to those about him, for their instruction, but to the Lord,<\/I> for his honour, the words of this song.<\/I> Then we sing with grace when we sing to the Lord. In distress he cried with his voice<\/I> (Ps. cxlii. 1<\/span>), therefore with his voice he gave thanks. Thanksgiving to God is the sweetest vocal music.<\/P> IV. We ought to be speedy in our thankful returns to God: In the day that God delivered him he sang this song.<\/I> While the mercy is fresh, and our devout affections are most excited by it, let the thank-offering be brought, that it may be kindled with the fire of those affections.<\/P> <\/p>\n Second Samuel – Chapter 22<\/strong><\/p>\n David Calls on God, vs. 1-7<\/p>\n If the words of verse one are to be taken in context within the Book of Second Samuel, the reference to David’s deliverance from all his enemies would be to the cessation of wars near the end of his life. However the reference to being delivered from the hand of Saul suggests it may have been uttered early in David’s reign, and be referring to an earlier period of tranquillity. The early assignment seems preferable. The message is the same for the present day regardless of when it was uttered.<\/p>\n Notice the many things the Lord was <\/em>to David: 1) rock, 2) fortress, 3) deliverer, 4) God of my rock, 5) horn of salvation, 6) Savior, 7) shield. The rock indicates strength and immovability; the fortress, his shelter and hiding place from the world; his deliverer, out of dangers of the world. As the God of his rock the Lord kept David secure from evil; the horn of salvation means the power by which salvation is secured and maintained; Savior refers to literal salvation, genuine source of redemption; shield refers to his means of turning away temptation.<\/em><\/p>\n David acclaimed the Lord for <\/em>saving him from violence. He vowed to call on Him as worthy of praise, and the one who saved him for his enemies. During his flight from his enemies David had trusted the Lord to save him. In his trouble he felt like a man lost in the sea with the waves about to overwhelm him. His floods were the ungodly men who sought his life, and are represented in such as King Saul and the giant Ishbi-benob who tried to kill him. The “sorrow of hell” means David’s fear of the unknown which comes at death, especially as terrifying to the flesh. Many times it seemed death had him in its snare and would not prevent, or go from, him. In these times of distress, however, he turned to the Lord, whose ear was open, and who heard his cry <\/em>from His heavenly temple (Cf. 1Pe 3:12<\/span>).<\/em><\/p>\n CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES <\/strong><\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:1<\/span>. This Psalm, with a few unimportant variations, is identical with the eighteenth in the Psalter. Wordsworth suggests that the modifications which there appear, where the title has to the chief musician, may be accounted for from the circumstance that in the present chapter the song appears as used by David for his own private devotions; and in the Psalms 18<\/span>, it exhibits the form in which he delivered it for the general liturgical use of the Hebrew Church. The genuineness of the Psalm is acknowledged by all critics, except Olshausen and Hupfield, but there is a difference of opinion as to the time when it was composed. Keil thinks it belongs to Davids later years. The Biblical Commentary refers it to the early part of Davids reign, when he was recently established upon the throne; and Erdmann says the time of composition (the reference in 2Sa. 22:51<\/span> to 2<\/span> Samuel 7<\/span> being unmistakeable) cannot be before the date when David, on the ground of the promise given him through Nathan, could be sure that his dominion, despite all opposition, was immovable, and that the throne of Israel would remain for ever with his house. The words of the title agree with the description of victories in 2Sa. 22:29-46<\/span>, and point to a time when David had established his kingdom by war, and forced heathen princes to do homage (comp. 2Sa. 22:44-49<\/span>). But as Gods victorious help against external enemies is celebrated in the second part of the song, and the joyous tone of exultation shows that Davids heart is taken up with the gloriousness of that help, it is a fair assumption that the song was written not after the toil of Absaloms conspiracy and the succeeding events, but immediately after the victorious wars narrated in chaps. 8 and <\/p>\n 10. Spake unto the Lord,<\/strong> etc. These expressions are borrowed from Exo. 15:1<\/span>, and Deu. 31:30<\/span>. This is the more observable because the Psalm contains obvious allusions to the song of Moses in Deuteronomy. (Alexander<\/em>). The hand<\/strong> of Saul.<\/strong> Not because Saul was the last of his enemies, but rather because he was first, both in power and importance. (Alexander)<\/em>. The poets imagination, in its contemplation of the two principal periods of war, moves backwards, presenting first the external wars, which were the nearest, and then the internal, with Saul and his house. (Erdmann.)<\/em><\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:2<\/span>. My rock<\/strong> Sela<\/em>, my rock-cleft<\/em>, a place for refuge; not the same word as that used in 2Sa. 22:3<\/span>. First and frequently used by David, who had often found refuge on a sela<\/em> in his persecution; indeed, it is only once used by any other writer (Isa. 32:2<\/span>) in the Old Testament, in a figurative sense, and there the metaphor is derived from the shadow<\/em> and not from the height<\/em> of the rock. (Wordsworth.)<\/em> My deliverer.<\/strong> The explanation of the foregoing figures. Whilst David took refuge in rocks, he placed his hope of safety not in their naccessible character, but in God the Lord. (Keil)<\/em>.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:3<\/span>. God of my rock.<\/strong> Rather my rock-God<\/em>. The word here rendered rock (tsur)<\/em> indicates what is solid and immovable. Horn.<\/strong> A term borrowed from animals which have their strength and defensive weapons in their horns. (Kiel<\/em> and others). Not only a protection against attack (as a shield), but also a weapon of attack. (Erdmann)<\/em>.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:4<\/span>. I will call. Shall be saved.<\/strong> Not to be taken as future, but as indefinite as to time, the English general present. (Trans. of Langes Commentary<\/em>). Worthy to be praised.<\/strong> Rather the praised one<\/em>.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:6<\/span>. Hell<\/strong>. Sheol<\/em>, the under world, the place of departed spirits. In the wide old English sense, a poetical equivalent to death. (Alexander<\/em>.) Prevented<\/strong>, rather encountered<\/em>.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:7<\/span>. Temple<\/strong>. Better, palace<\/em>, for Jehovah is here represented as a King enthroned in heaven. (Erdmann<\/em>.) The Hebrew word means both.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:8<\/span>. The earth shook,<\/strong> etc. A few writers understand the following as a description of a real storm, and refer it to a battle with the Syrians when a storm occurred (2Sa. 7:5<\/span>), but most agree with Kiel that it is a poetical description of Davids deliverance which had its type in the miraculous phenomenon which accompanied the descent of God upon Sinai, and which suggested, as in Jdg. 5:4-5<\/span>, the idea of a terrible storm that the saving hand of God from heaven was so obviously manifested, that the deliverance experienced by him could be poetically described as a miraculous interposition on the part of God.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:9<\/span>. Smoke<\/strong>, etc. The figurative idea is that of snorting or violent breathing, which indicates the rising of wrath. (Keil<\/em> and others.) Tholuck sees in the picture thus far an image to be referred to the rising of the storm-cloud, and the flashes of sheet-lightning which announces the storm.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:10<\/span>. Bowed the heavens<\/strong>. A picture of the low hanging storm-clouds, at whose approach the heaven seems to bend down to the earth. (Erdmann<\/em>.) Came down<\/strong>. The scene here seems to be transferred from heaven to earth, where the Psalmist sees not only the Divine operation, but the personal presence of Jehovah. (Alexander<\/em>). Darkness<\/strong>, rather gloom<\/em>. A poetical expression applied to thick clouds and vapours. (Alexander<\/em>.)<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:11<\/span>. A cherub<\/strong>, The cherubim of the Mosaic system were visible representations of the whole class of creatures superior to man. The singular form seems to be used here to convey the indefinite idea of a superhuman, yet created being. As earthly kings are carried by inferior animals, so the heavenly King is here described as being borne through the air in His descent by beings intermediate between Himself and man. (Alexander<\/em>.) The poetical figure is borrowed from the fact that God was enthroned between the two cherubim upon the lid of the ark of the covenant, and above their outspread wings. As the idea of His dwelling between the cherubim (2Sa. 6:2<\/span>, etc.) was founded upon this typical manifestation of the gracious presence of God in the Most Holy place, so here David thus depicts the descent of Jehovah, picturing the cherub as a throne upon which God appears in the clouds of heaven, though without imagining Him as riding upon a sphinx or driving in a chariot-throne. Such notions are precluded by the addition of the term, did fly. (Keil<\/em>.)<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:12<\/span>. Pavilions<\/strong>, i.e., tents or coverts<\/em>. Alexander takes this as expressive of the brightness insupportable by mortal sight; Keil thinks that it represents Jehovah as hiding His face from man in wrath. Dark waters<\/strong>. Literally, water gatherings<\/em>, or watery darkness<\/em>. A beautiful description of clouds charged with rain. (Alexander<\/em>.) Thick clouds<\/strong>, or cloud-thicket. This second noun is used only in the plural, and seems properly to designate the whole body of vapours constituting the visible heavens or sky. (Alexander<\/em>.)<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:13<\/span>. Through, or out of<\/em>, were kindled<\/strong>, rather burned<\/em>.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:14<\/span>. Thundered.<\/strong> Uttered His voice<\/strong>. The second clause is a poetical repetition of the first. (Alexander<\/em>.)<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:15<\/span>. Arrows<\/strong>. The lighthings of the last clause may be understood as explaining the arrows of the first. (Alexander<\/em>.) Discomfited<\/strong>. The standing expression for the destruction of the foe accomplished by the miraculous interposition of God. (Keil<\/em>.)<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:16<\/span>. The breakers of death<\/em> and the streams of evil<\/em>, have, according to 2Sa. 22:5<\/span>, overwhelmed David. Under the image of water-waves he has thus depicted the dangers that have threatened his life. The Lord in revealing His anger against his enemies, saves him by laying bare the depths of the sea to which he had sunk, and uncovering the foundations of the earth by the storm-wind of His wrath. Thither descending from on high the Lord seized him and drew him forth from the waves as described in the following verses. (Delitzsch<\/em> and Erdmann<\/em>.) Some writers also see here a reference to the early history of Moses. The verb to draw<\/em>, says Dr. Jamieson, naturally suggests it. Luther<\/em>, says Hengstenberg<\/em>, already called attention to this reference. It is the more important as Moses was a type of the Israelitish people; the waters an image of the hostile oppression to which he was exposed; and the event, a prophecy constantly fulfilling itself under different circumstances.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:18<\/span>. Here is a transition from the figurative to the literal.<\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:19<\/span>. Prevented<\/em>. (See on 2Sa. 22:6<\/span>). Day of calamity<\/strong>. Most writers think the time of Sauls persecution is here specially intended.<\/p>\n MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.<\/em>2Sa. 22:1-19<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n DAVIDS SONG OF THANKSGIVING.PART I<\/p>\n I. Deep gratitude in the heart will find its way to the lip<\/strong>. It seems altogether unnatural that any being should experience real and deep emotion without in some way making it manifest to otherswe should as soon expect to see the cup filled above the brim without running over as to find a man with a heart overflowing with grateful love who gave no expression to his feeling. The one seems as great a contradiction of the laws of our soul-life as the other does of the physical world outside of us. True it is that speech is not the only index of what men feel, and there are often many words where there is little or no emotion, still there appears to be a divinely ordained connection between all deep stirring of the inner lifeespecially when it is of a joyous natureand the utterance of it in speech, so that the experience of each man may be helpful to all, and individual joy be increased by the sympathy of others. It is so in the heavenly world, for there we are told the redeemed Church gives expression to its grateful love in songs of praise, and it was so with David. Even while surrounded with much to sadden him, he could not look back upon a life so filled with tokens of Divine favour without bursting forth into a song of thanksgiving, which, although addressed in the first instance to Jehovah, was doubtless intended also to be a testimony to his fellow-men.<\/p>\n II. The foundation of all joy in God is found in a conviction of His personal interest in the individual man<\/strong>. The key-note of this psalm, and, indeed, of the whole psalter, is a sense of personal relationship to an Almighty and Loving-Father; not simply a share in a general providence which extends to all, or even to a few, but of special interposition and guidance on behalf of one man as truly if he were the sole object of Gods care. There are many ascriptions of praise in the Bible to God as the God of nations and of all created beings, but there are many in which the writers confine themselves principally, and often entirely, to celebrating His goodness to them as individual men and women, and this not because they were selfish, entirely or chiefly occupied with their own concerns and thinking little of the needs of others. In this song David makes no mention of anybody but himself, and yet we know he had the welfare of his people very near his heart, and grieved deeply when his sin brought trouble upon them (see 2Sa. 24:17<\/span>). Nehemiah gave up his place in the kings palace to devote himself to his people, yet he could not feel heart-satisfaction merely in the help God gave to him as one of a nation, but craved a special and individual remembrance also (see Neh. 5:19<\/span>; Neh. 13:14<\/span>; Neh. 13:22<\/span>; Neh. 13:31<\/span>). Nor is this feeling confined to Old Testament saints. Paul was, perhaps, the most self-forgetful man who has ever lived, yet, amidst all his praises for the riches of Christs mercy to the world, his gratitude is never deeper than when he speaks of the Saviour who loved him<\/em> and gave himself for him<\/em> (Gal. 2:20<\/span>); and he never penned a more glowing ascription of praise to God than when he contemplated the abundant grace which had been manifested to himself personally (1Ti. 1:12-17<\/span>). The Bible does not require men to ignore their individuality, on the contrary Christ himself appeals to that Divinely-implanted self-love, which is so far removed from selfishness (Mar. 8:36<\/span>), that those who obey its instincts are never at rest unless they can persuade others to partake of the same blessedness. An unshaken confidence that God is his God in a personal and direct sense, is the only foundation for that rest and satisfaction of the spirit without which no obedience to God or service to man can ever be rendered.<\/p>\n III. No material similitude is too strong to express soul-experience<\/strong>. The ocean-depths are great, but they are not too great to set forth the deep agony into which a soul is sometimes plunged by remorse or by a sense of Gods displeasure. The waves of the sea are often rough, and buffet the weary swimmer until his bodily strength entirely fails him; but they are not rougher than the waves of adverse circumstances which often overwhelm his soul. Gods hand was seen very plainly when He drew Moses out of the water and made a way for Israel through the sea, but when David looked back on his eventful life he felt that Divine interposition was as plainly seen in the deliverances which he had experienced. Storm and fire and earthquake are wonderful manifestations of the power of God, but they are not so mighty nor so glorious as the omnipotence which rules in the world of spirit, and works all things there also according to the counsel of His own will. It is great to still the noise of the waves, but it is greater to keep in check the passions of evil men (Psa. 65:7<\/span>) and more glorious to rule over the the countless myriads that people the globe than to ride upon the wings of the wind. Therefore no metaphor that David here uses can even adequately set forth what he desires to express, because nothing that belongs to the world of sense can perfectly represent the unseen and the spiritual.<\/p>\n OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS<\/em><\/p>\n 2Sa. 22:1<\/span>. God lets out His mercies to us for this rent of our praises, and is content we have the benefit of them, so Ho have the glory.Trapp<\/em>.<\/p>\n The mention of Saul in the title does not indicate that the Psalm was composed in Davids early life, but rather that, even though thirty years had gone since his persecution by the son of Kish, the deliverances which he then experienced had not faded from his memory, but still stood out before him as the greatest mercies which he had ever received. We are prone to forget past favors. The benefactors of our youth are not always remembered in our after years; and in the crowd and conflict of events in our later history we have too often little thought to spare, and few thanks to express, for our early mercies. We do not enough consider that, in mounting the ladder of life, it is often more difficult to set our foot on the first round than to take any single step thereafter; and, therefore, that those who aided us in the beginning have given us by far the most effectual assistance. But it was not so with David, for as he sits here looking back on his career, his first conflicts seem still his greatest; and much as he blessed God for after-kindness, he places high above all the other favors which he had received his deliverance out of the hand of Saul.Dr. Taylor<\/em>.<\/p>\nFuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>The <\/strong>leading thought of the song, an adoring acknowledgment of what God had been and was to David (2Sa 22:2-4<\/span>.)<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>Trials and Gods deliverance in his times of danger (2Sa 22:5-20<\/span>.) That description is eminently poetical. First, there is a vivid picture of his troubles. The waves of death compassed me, and the floods vi ungodly men made me afraid; the sorrows of hell compassed me; the snares of death prevented me. (The cords of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid; the cords of sheol were round about me; the snares of death came upon me, R.V.) It is no overcharged picture. With Sauls javelins flying at his head in the palace, or his best troops scouring the wilderness in search of him; with Syrian hosts bearing down on him like the waves of the sea, and a confederacy of nations conspiring to swallow him up, he might well speak of the waves Of death and the cords of Hades. Then, after a brief account of his calling upon God, comes a most animated description of God coming to his help. The description is ideal, but it gives a vivid view how the Divine energy is roused when any of Gods children are in distress. Faith saw God bestirring Himself for his deliverance, as if every agency of nature had been set in motion on his behalf. And this being done, his deliverance was conspicuous and corn-plebe. He saw Gods hand stretched out with remarkable distinctness. And what a blessed thing to have accumulated through life a store of such providences–to have Ebenezers reared along the whole line of ones history!<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The grounds on which the Divine protection was thus enjoyed by David. <\/strong>Substantially <\/strong>these grounds were the uprightness and faithfulness with which he had served God. The expressions are strong, and at first sight they have a flavour of self-righteousness. The Lord rewarded me according to my self-righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. But it is impossible to read this Psalm without feeling that it is not pervaded by the spirit of the self-righteous man. It is pervaded by a profound sense of dependence on God, and of obligation to His mercy and love. Now that is the very opposite of the self-righteous spirit. What he here celebrates is not any personal righteousness that might enable him as an individual to claim the favour and reward of God, but the ground on which he, as the public champion of Gods cause before the world, enjoyed Gods countenance and obtained His protection. There would be no self-righteousness in an inferior officer of the navy or the army who had been sent on some expedition, saying, I obeyed your instructions in every particular; I never deviated from the course you prescribed.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>His providential mercies, for which he specially praises God. One of the earliest appears to be recalled in the words, By my God have I leaped over a wall the wall, it may be supposed, of Gibeah, down which Michal let him when Saul sent to take him in his house. Still further back: perhaps, in his life is the allusion in another expression–Thy gentleness hath made me great. He seems to go back to his shepherd life, and in the gentleness with which he dealt with the feeble lamb that might have perished in rougher hands, to find an emblem of Gods method with himself. If God had not, dealt gently with him, he never would have become what he was. But what? Can David praise Gods gentleness and in the next words utter such terrible words against his foes? How can he extol Gods gentleness to him and immediately dwell on his tremendous severity to them? We cannot but regard it as the spirit of one who was imperfectly enlightened. We rejoice in the Christian spirit that teaches us to regard even public enemies as our brothers, for whom individually kindly and brotherly feelings are to be cherished. In the closing verses of the Psalm, the views of the Psalmist seem to sweep beyond the limits of an earthly kingdom. His eye seems to embrace the wide-spreading dominion of Messiah; at all events, he dwells on those features of his own kingdom that were typical of the all-embracing kingdom of the Gospel. It is beyond doubt, says Luther, that the wars and victories of David prefigured the passion and resurrection of Christ. At the same time, he admits that it is very doubtful how far the Psalm applies to Christ, anal how far to David,. and he declines to press the type to particulars. But we may surely apply the concluding words to Davids son: He showeth loving-kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed for evermore. (W. G. Blaikie, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n