Poole on 2 Samuel 22:7-32: God's Awe-inspiring Appearance on behalf of David

Verse 7:[1]  In my distress (Ps. 116:4; 120:1; Jonah 2:2) I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God:  and he did (Ex. 3:7; Ps. 34:6, 15, 17) hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

Verse 8:[2]  Then (Judg. 5:4; Ps. 77:18; 97:4) the earth shook and trembled; (Job 26:11) the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.

Verse 9:[3]  There went up a smoke out of his nostrils (Heb. by his nostrils[4]), and (Ps. 97:3; Hab. 3:5; Heb. 12:29) fire out of his mouth devoured:  coals were kindled by it.

Verse 10:[5]  He (Ps. 144:5; Is. 64:1) bowed the heavens also, and came down; and (Ex. 20:21; 1 Kings 8:12; Ps. 97:2) darkness was under his feet.

Verse 11:[6]  And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly:  and he was seen (Ps. 104:3) upon the wings of the wind.

Verse 12:[7]  And he made (2 Sam. 22:10; Ps. 97:2) darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters (Heb. binding of waters[8]), and thick clouds of the skies.

Verse 13:[9]  Through the brightness before him were (2 Sam. 22:9) coals of fire kindled.

Verse 14:[10]  The LORD (Judg. 5:20; 1 Sam. 2:10; 7:10; Ps. 29:3; Is. 30:30) thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.

Verse 15:[11]  And he sent out (Deut. 32:23; Ps. 7:13; 77:17; 144:6; Hab. 3:11) arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.

Verse 16:[12]  And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the (Ex. 15:8; Ps. 106:9; Nah. 1:4; Matt. 8:26) rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils (or, anger;[13] Ps. 74:1[14]).

Verse 17:[15]  (Ps. 144:7) He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many (or, great[16]) waters…

Verse 18:[17]  (2 Sam. 22:1) He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.

Verse 19:[18]  They prevented me in the day of my calamity:  but the LORD was my stay.

Verse 20:[19]  (Ps. 31:8; 118:5) He brought me forth also into a large place:  he delivered me, because he (2 Sam. 15:26; Ps. 22:8) delighted in me.

Verse 21:[20]  (2 Sam. 22:25; 1 Sam. 26:23; 1 Kings 8:32; Ps. 7:8) The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness:  according to the (Ps. 24:4) cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

Verse 22:[21]  For I have (Gen. 18:19; Ps. 119:3; 128:1; Prov. 8:32) kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

Vere 23:[22]  For all his (Deut. 7:12; Ps. 119:30, 102) judgments were before me:  and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

Verse 24:[23]  I was also (Gen. 6:9; 17:1; Job 1:1) upright before him (Heb. to him[24]), and have kept myself from mine iniquity.

Verse 25:[25]  Therefore (2 Sam. 22:21) the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight (Heb. before his eyes[26]).

Verse 26:[27]  With (Matt. 5:7) the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.

Verse 27:[28]  With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and (Lev. 26:23, 24, 27, 28) with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury (or, wrestle;[29] Ps. 18:26[30]).

Verse 28:[31]  And the (Ex. 3:7, 8; Ps. 72:12, 13) afflicted people thou wilt save:  but thine eyes are upon (Job 40:11, 12; Is. 2:11, 12, 17; 5:15; Dan. 4:37) the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

Verse 29:[32]  For thou art my (Job 29:3; Ps. 27:1) lamp (or, candle[33]), O LORD:  and the LORD will lighten my darkness.

Verse 30:[34]  For by thee I have run through a troop (or, broken a troop[35]):  by my God have I leaped over a wall.

Verse 31:[36]  As for God, (Deut. 32:4; Dan. 4:37; Rev. 15:3) his way is perfect; (Ps. 12:6; 119:140; Prov. 30:5) the word of the LORD is tried (or, refined[37]):  he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

Verse 32:[38]  For (1 Sam. 2:2; Is. 45:5, 6) who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?

[1] Hebrew:  ‎בַּצַּר־לִי֙ אֶקְרָ֣א יְהוָ֔ה וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֖י אֶקְרָ֑א וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע מֵהֵֽיכָלוֹ֙ קוֹלִ֔י וְשַׁוְעָתִ֖י בְּאָזְנָֽיו׃

[2] Hebrew:  ‎וַתִּגְעַ֤שׁ וַתִּרְעַשׁ֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ מוֹסְד֥וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם יִרְגָּ֑זוּ וַיִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ כִּֽי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ׃

[3] Hebrew:  ‎עָלָ֤ה עָשָׁן֙ בְּאַפּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֥שׁ מִפִּ֖יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּחָלִ֖ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

[4] Hebrew:  ‎בְּאַפּוֹ.

[5] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֵּ֥ט שָׁמַ֖יִם וַיֵּרַ֑ד וַעֲרָפֶ֖ל תַּ֥חַת רַגְלָֽיו׃

[6] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב עַל־כְּר֖וּב וַיָּעֹ֑ף וַיֵּרָ֖א עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃

[7] Hebrew:  ‎וַיָּ֥שֶׁת חֹ֛שֶׁךְ סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו סֻכּ֑וֹת חַֽשְׁרַת־מַ֖יִם עָבֵ֥י שְׁחָקִֽים׃

[8] Hebrew:  ‎חַשְׁרַת־מַיִם.

[9] Hebrew:  ‎מִנֹּ֖גַהּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ בָּעֲר֖וּ גַּחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ׃

[10] Hebrew:  ‎יַרְעֵ֥ם מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם יְהוָ֑ה וְעֶלְי֖וֹן יִתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֽוֹ׃

[11] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח חִצִּ֖ים וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם בָּרָ֖ק וַיְהֻֽמֵּם׃

[12] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֵּֽרָאוּ֙ אֲפִ֣קֵי יָ֔ם יִגָּל֖וּ מֹסְד֣וֹת תֵּבֵ֑ל בְּגַעֲרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה מִנִּשְׁמַ֖ת ר֥וּחַ אַפּֽוֹ׃

[13] Hebrew:  ‎אַפּוֹ.

[14] Psalm 74:1:  “O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger (‎אַפְּךָ) smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?”

[15] Hebrew:  ‎יִשְׁלַ֥ח מִמָּר֖וֹם יִקָּחֵ֑נִי יַֽמְשֵׁ֖נִי מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃

[16] Hebrew:  ‎רַבִּים.

[17] Hebrew:  ‎יַצִּילֵ֕נִי מֵאֹיְבִ֖י עָ֑ז מִשֹּׂ֣נְאַ֔י כִּ֥י אָמְצ֖וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

[18] Hebrew:  ‎יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי בְּי֣וֹם אֵידִ֑י וַיְהִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה מִשְׁעָ֖ן לִֽי׃

[19] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּצֵ֥א לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב אֹתִ֑י יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי כִּי־חָ֥פֵֽץ בִּֽי׃

[20] Hebrew:  ‎יִגְמְלֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֖ה כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י כְּבֹ֥ר יָדַ֖י יָשִׁ֥יב לִֽי׃

[21] Hebrew:  ‎כִּ֥י שָׁמַ֖רְתִּי דַּרְכֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א רָשַׁ֖עְתִּי מֵאֱלֹהָֽי׃

[22] Hebrew:  ‎כִּ֥י כָל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖ו לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו לֹא־אָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

[23] Hebrew:  ‎וָאֶהְיֶ֥ה תָמִ֖ים ל֑וֹ וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָ֖ה מֵעֲוֹנִֽי׃

[24] Hebrew:  ‎לוֹ.

[25] Hebrew:  ‎וַיָּ֧שֶׁב יְהוָ֛ה לִ֖י כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י כְּבֹרִ֖י לְנֶ֥גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃

[26] Hebrew:  ‎לְנֶ֥גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃.

[27] Hebrew:  ‎עִם־חָסִ֖יד תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד עִם־גִּבּ֥וֹר תָּמִ֖ים תִּתַּמָּֽם׃

[28] Hebrew:  ‎עִם־נָבָ֖ר תִּתָּבָ֑ר וְעִם־עִקֵּ֖שׁ תִּתַּפָּֽל׃

[29] Hebrew:  ‎תִּתַּפָּל.

[30] Psalm 18:26:  “With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward (‎תִּתְפַּתָּל).”

[31] Hebrew:  ‎וְאֶת־עַ֥ם עָנִ֖י תּוֹשִׁ֑יעַ וְעֵינֶ֖יךָ עַל־רָמִ֥ים תַּשְׁפִּֽיל׃

[32] Hebrew:  ‎כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה נֵירִ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וַיהוָ֖ה יַגִּ֥יהַּ חָשְׁכִּֽי׃

[33] Hebrew:  ‎נֵירִי.

[34] Hebrew:  ‎כִּ֥י בְכָ֖ה אָר֣וּץ גְּד֑וּד בֵּאלֹהַ֖י אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר׃

[35] Hebrew:  ‎אָר֣וּץ גְּד֑וּד.

[36] Hebrew:  ‎הָאֵ֖ל תָּמִ֣ים דַּרְכּ֑וֹ אִמְרַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ צְרוּפָ֔ה מָגֵ֣ן ה֔וּא לְכֹ֖ל הַחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃

[37] Hebrew:  ‎צְרוּפָה.

[38] Hebrew:  ‎כִּ֥י מִי־אֵ֖ל מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וּמִ֥י צ֖וּר מִֽבַּלְעֲדֵ֥י אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃