= 2 Samuel 22
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== 2 Samuel 22
1 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:
2 And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3 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.
4 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
7 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.
9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.
11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.
20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
25 Therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
29 For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.
30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
32 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?
33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
34 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.
35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.
40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.
41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.
43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.
44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.
45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.
46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.
47 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me.
49 And 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.
50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
== Notes
== Cross Reference
== Commentary
== Rashi
==== Verse 1
On the day Adonoy saved him. In his old age after all his troubles had passed and he had survived all of them.
And from the hands of Shaul. Shaul was part of the general grouping [of "his enemies"]?1 but he was his greatest enemy and pursuer. Similarly [we find], "Nineteen men and Asohel2 Similarly, "Go spy out the land and Yericho."3 And similarly, "King Shlomo loved [many] foreign women and [he loved] the daughter of Pharoah."4
==== Verse 2
My Rock, my Fortress. They are words denoting strength. Rock is obvious in its connotation [of strengh]. Fortress is [a reference to] a fortress amongst the forests that is called flassant in O.F. It is [also] a reference to the miracle that occurred by the rock at the crossroads5 and the fortresses of the forest.6
My Rescuer. He saved me when I was with Yisroel's army at war and other times He saved me when I was alone7 for example [He saved me] from (the inhabitants of Nov)[“Yishbi-Benov”].
==== Verse 3
My Rock. Language denoting a rock because a rock protects passerby from the rain and from the winds. Abriments in O.F.
I take refuge. Language denoting a covering that I was able to be protectively covered.
My Stronghold. He supported me.
My Refuge. I would run to him for protection.
==== Verse 4
I call to Adonoy in praise. As it is translated, when I called Him, I praised Him (with my mouth) because I trusted that I would be saved from my enemies. And it is possible to interpret the words אֶקְרָא and אִוׇּשֵׁעַ as being used in the present tense.
==== Verse 5
Surrounded me. Surrounded me.
Death's destruction. As [Yonoson] translates, "Like a woman sitting on the birthing chair," that is the name of the stone seat where women give birth.8
The deluge. Soldiers pouring forth like a stream.
==== Verse 6
The agony. As [Yonoson] translates, "Groups," as [we find], "Group of prophets."9
Were before me. Came before me.
==== Verse 7
In my distress I called to God… He hears. This is typical of the present tense it uses both past and future at the same time.10
==== Verse 8
Shook and shuddered. This is not referring to the miracles that happened to him but to the miracles that happened to Yisroel and the beginning of the verse is connected to the end.
When God became angry. The word כי is being used here to mean "when," and this is its interpretation, when God became angry on account of his antagonists the world shook and shuddered and the pillars of heaven trembled and shook.
==== Verse 9
Smoke rose from His Nostrils. Such is the manner of an angry person, smoke comes out of his nostrils and so [we find], "Smoke has risen from My nostrils."11 This is always the meaning of the words "Anger of the nose," the nose flares and lets out air.
Fire from His Mouth consumed [the wicked]. Through the decree utterred from His Mouth fire [came forth] and consumed the wicked.
==== Verse 10
He bent heaven. To take revenge from His enemies, from Mitzrayim and from Pharoah.
==== Verse 12
He put [a protective] darkness around. For [protective] cover as it says, "The pillar of cloud and the darkness separated between Mitzrayim and Yisroel."12
Abundant waters, thick clouds of the sky. From where did the darkness come? They came from thick clouds that sprinkle water on the earth.
Sprinkled. [This is] language that denotes a sieve, [the water] falls to the earth in small droplets. This [same language] is used in many places in Aggadah, "They dice it in a sieve," Some interpret חַשְׁרַת as denoting a binding, that the skies became bound up with clouds because of the water [in them] as [the word] "the spokes"13 used [in connection with] the wheels of a wagon. They are wooden spokes that bond and bind the wheel's perimeter together.
==== Verse 13
From the brightness before Him. You should not conclude that He dwells in darkness14 but rather it is light that is within the boundary and it is from that light that is before Him that the burning coals of fire [came forth]. [It is from there] that the arrows were shot at Mitzrayim.
==== Verse 16
The foundations of the earth were revealed. The deep seas split open. When the Reed Sea split all the world's waters split [as well].
By the wind. From the force of wind blowing from His Nostrils.
==== Verse 18
They were too powerful. When they were overpowering.
==== Verse 21
For my rightesnous. When they [the people of Yisroel] followed God into the desert and had faith in His promise.
==== Verse 26
To the Kind, Sincere, Pure. [These three nouns] represent the three Patriarchs. God paid the reward of their righteousness to their children.15
==== Verse 27
And to those who are crooked. [This refers to] Paroh
You act perversely. [This is] language denoting jagged and crooked. In the book of Tehilim16 it is written, תִּתְפַּתָּל.17 An alternative explanation,18 [when writing] "He delivers [salvation] from on high,"19 [Dovid] was refering to himself.20 When he was rushing to escape Shaul [and had reached] the rock at the crossroads,21 and was close to being captured an angel came to Shaul saying, "Go quickly because the Pelishtim have spread out [in battle formation over the terrain.]"22 "He rewarded me…according to my righteousness."23 [Refering to the fact] that I did not kill him [Shaul] when I [instead just] cut off the corner of his coat.
==== Verse 31
The word of Adonoy is clear. It is clear, He makes promises and keeps them.
==== Verse 33
He cleared my path to perfection. From any obstacle, from any sin and from any danger until there was peace and [the land was] conquered.
==== Verse 35
My arms to bend a copper bow. So that a copper bow can be bent by my arms because I have the strength to bend them. Dovid had bows hanging in his palace, and kings of other nations would come and see them and ask each other, Do you think that he can bend them? This is only to scare us. Dovid would hear them and would take them [the bows] and bend them in front of them [the kings]. The binding of a bow is denoted by the word חִתַּת24 and so [we find], "Your arrows have been shot into me".25
==== Verse 36
You have been abundant for my sake with Your humility. You have been abundant for my sake, with Your humility.
==== Verse 37
You have expanded my stride. When a man keeps his legs together, it is easier for him to fall, and so it says, "When you travel, do not narrow your stride."26
My ankles. My ankles.
==== Verse 42
They cried out there was no one to deliver them. The words of verse are not written in order [the proper order should be] "They will cry out to Adonoy but He will not answer them and no one will deliver them"27 as [we find], "Man will turn to his Maker",28 as if to say "turn".29 Menachem connected [the word יִשְׁעֶה] with [the verse,] "Adonoy listened to Hevel",30 and he [Menachem] interpreted it as "listening." This word can be used to denote both the listener and the listened to as [we find], "Yitzchok implored Adonoy… and Adonoy listened to him."31 So too here "They will implore [God] and they will not be saved"32 is a case where the word יִשְׁעוּ is refering to the one praying and "Adonoy listened…"33 is a case where the word is refering to the [Holy] One being prayed to.
==== Verse 43
I will trample them. I will trample them. There are many cases like this in the book of Yechezkiel, [such as] "You will trample with your feet"34 [and] "You trampled with [your] foot."35
==== Verse 44
Antagonists. From Doeg, Achitophel, Shaul and the Ziffites.
You preserved me to be a leader of nations. He kept me hidden for this purpose. The Midrash Aggadah [interprets our verse], "Dovid said, "Master of the universe, spare me from [potential] judgement concerning [the people of] Yisroel for if I shall cause [Yisroel] to turn away [from You] or I rule them harshly during the course of my service I will be punished [by You]. Rather, make me the leader of the Pelishtim and let them serve me [because] I will not be punished on their account.
==== Verse 45
Lied to me. Out of fear they told me lies.
[As soon] as their ears hear [my wish] they listen to [and obey] me. Even when they are not in my presence they are fearful of me [to the point that as soon] as their ears hear [my wish], they move [to obey] my command.
==== Verse 46
Foreign people will wither. Will wither [Similar to] the language of "I will become withered".36 Pagisterant in O.F.
They will become lame. Lame people.
From [the agony of] their imprisonment. From the tortures of imprisonment that I will inflict upon them.
==== Verse 47
Adonoy lives. Who does all of this for me.