II Samuel 22-23; Psalm 57     Listen

David, the song writer (II Samuel 22)
In this passage, David writes a song.

David cites his relationship with Jehovah

1 Then David spoke to the LORD the words of this song, on the day when the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.
2 And he said:
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
3 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.
4 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

David recounts God’s deliverance

5 “When the waves of death surrounded me,
The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress I called upon the LORD,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry entered His ears.
8 “Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
9 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
And He was seen upon the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness canopies around Him,
Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
13 From the brightness before Him
Coals of fire were kindled.
14 “The LORD thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.
15 He sent out arrows and scattered them;
Lightning bolts, and He vanquished them.
16 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered,
At the rebuke 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,
From those who hated me;
For they were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the LORD was my support.
20 He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.

David explains why God delivered him

21 “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has 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 blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness in His eyes.
26 “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
28 You will save the humble people;
But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.
29 “For You are my lamp, O LORD;
The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.
30 For by You I can run against a troop;
By my God I can leap over a wall.
31 As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

David writes more about the victory

32 “For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
33 God is my strength and power,
And He makes my way perfect.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.
35 He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your gentleness has made me great.
37 You enlarged my path under me;
So my feet did not slip.
38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
40 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose against me.
41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save;
Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
43 Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trod them like dirt in the streets,
And I spread them out.
44 “You have also delivered me from the strivings of my people;
You have kept me as the head of the nations.
A people I have not known shall serve me.
45 The foreigners submit to me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.
47 “The LORD lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let God be exalted,
The Rock of my salvation!
48 It is God who avenges me,
And subdues the peoples under me;
49 He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.

David's praise goes to God

50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.
51 He is the tower of salvation to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forevermore.”

This song is so good, we get it twice - here and Psalm 18 (see notes). It's a song of deliverance, and David doesn't pull any punches. After the deaths of Saul and Absalom, along with everyone in between, David has ample precedent to make the bold statements about God's provision in this Psalm. And why does David feel God is on his side? Look at II Samuel 22:24-25, "I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in His eyes." David felt it was because of his cleanness before God.

It is amusing to me how politically incorrect, even in fundamental Christian circles, David's proclamations in this Psalm are. Consider the wrath that would be incurred from fellow Believers were one to make statements like these regarding those who have wronged them in today's society.

Regarding David's fellowship and position before God:

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me; For they were too strong for me.
20 He also brought me out into a broad 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 He has 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 blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in His eyes.

Regarding David's treatment of his enemies:

38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet.
41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me.
43 Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I trod them like dirt in the streets, And I spread them out.
48 It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me;

So...where's David's modesty? Who of us hasn't thought like David in this Psalm when the world seemed to be closing in on us. Keep in mind, included in David's enemies here are two people he loved dearly, Saul and Absalom. Who of David's contemporaries would have ever dreamed that David would one day die of old age instead of battle; what are the chances?! Yet, God did indeed deliver David, and David knew it; moreover, he openly expresses here that it was God who had favor upon him. This is a great example of a Godly man's confidence in his position before God.

David has some last words (II Samuel 23:1-7)

1 Now these are the last words of David.
Thus says David the son of Jesse;
Thus says the man raised up on high,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2 “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said,
The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
“He who rules over men must be just,
Ruling in the fear of God.
4 And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
Like the tender grass springing out of the earth,
By clear shining after rain.’
5 “Although my house is not so with God,
Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things and secure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire;
Will He not make it increase?
6 But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with hands.
7 But the man who touches them
Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

Verse 1 says, "Now these are the last words of David." David attests to verbal inspiration here in verse 2, "The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue."

Notice David's declaration in verse 5 regarding God's covenant with him, "...He has made with me an everlasting covenant." That's the covenant of II Samuel 7:12-16 (see notes), and it's unconditional in addition to being eternal in scope. This is the same covenant under which Jesus came as the promised Messiah. For more information regarding the Davidic Covenant, click here.

David names the top 37 men of battle he has known (II Samuel 23:8-39)

8 ¶ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated.
10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.
13 ¶ Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD.
17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. ¶ These things were done by the three mighty men.
18 ¶ Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three.
19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.
20 ¶ Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
21 And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men.
23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.
24 ¶ Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah),
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39 and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

David lists their accomplishments, many of whom we read about in the Samuels. He even tops it off at the end by giving special recognition to Uriah the Hittite. Hmmmmm...where have we heard that name before? That's right, Bathsheba's first husband. When you read about Uriah in II Samuel 11 (see notes), you must admit that this was a great fighting warrior for Israel. We also find David's list of men in I Chronicles 11:10-46 (see notes).

Do you see a name missing in this list? While Joab is mentioned in verses 18, 24 and 37, it is only to provide context with regard to his relatives and associations. He does not make the list of the great men of battle. As a matter of fact, David directs Solomon to have him executed after he's gone in I Kings 2:5-6 (see notes). Joab rescued David over and over again from his enemies, but David resented him; David did not like Joab's tactics. What's more, Joab was responsible for the execution of David's son, Absalom, back in II Samuel 18:1-18 (see notes).

David from a cave (Psalm 57)

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.
1 ¶ Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.
2 I will cry out to God Most High,
To God who performs all things for me.
3 He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.
Selah
God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
4 My soul is among lions;
I lie among the sons of men
Who are set on fire,
Whose teeth are spears and arrows,
And their tongue a sharp sword.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
6 They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They have dug a pit before me;
Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen.
Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.
8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.
10 For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

According to this introduction, David is writing this Psalm after the occasion of his experience in Gath either in I Samuel 22 (see notes) or I Samuel 24 (see notes). In both instances, we find David taking refuge in caves from the wrath of Saul. Here David proclaims that, while it looks bad right now, God will deliver him. He praises God for that.

Incidentally, verses 7-11 here comprise Psalm 108:1-5 (see notes). As a matter of fact, Psalm 108:6-13 (see notes) is comprised of Psalm 60:5-12 (see notes). For a comparison of these three Psalms, click here.

In the introduction, we find the term Michtam. Here's an explanation taken from Easton's Bible Dictionary:

Michtam: writing; i.e., a poem or song found in the titles of Ps. 16; 56-60. Some translate the word “golden”, i.e., precious. It is rendered in the LXX. by a word meaning “tablet inscription” or a “stelograph.” The root of the word means to stamp or grave, and hence it is regarded as denoting a composition so precious as to be worthy to be engraven on a durable tablet for preservation; or, as others render, “a psalm precious as stamped gold,” from the word kethem, “fine or stamped gold.”