2 Samuel 22

Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin

2 Samuel 22

Wiersbe - The Lord delivered David from all his enemies. The Hebrew language contains 23 different words for deliverance. The Jewish people knew something about deliverance. Throughout their history God had delivered them. Who delivered David? God did....."Deliver" is a key word in this song (vv. 1, 2, 18, 20, 44, 49), and it carries with it the meanings of "drawing out of danger, snatching, taking away, allowing to escape." For at least ten years before he became king, David was pursued by Saul and his army, and the record shows that Saul tried to kill David at least five times. (See 1 Sam. 18:10-11; 19:8-10, 18-24.) After he became king, David had to wage war against the Philistines, the Ammonites, the Syrians, the Moabites, and the Edomites, and God enabled him to triumph over all his enemies. (Be restored : 2 Samuel & 1 Chronicles)

2 Samuel 22

Wiersbe - “Rock” (Ps 18:2, 31, 46) is a familiar metaphor for the Lord, speaking of strength and stability, a place of refuge (Ps 19:14; 28:1; 31:2–3; 42:9; 62:2, 6–7; 71:3; 78:20; 89:26; 92:15; 94:22; 95:1; 144:1; 1 Sam. 23:25). It goes back to Genesis 49:24 and Deuteronomy 32:4, 15, 18, 30–31. Goettsche on the LORD as David's Rock - In the Middle Eastern deserts things could get really hot. An over-heated traveler would find respite by resting in the shade of a large rock. When the winds blew a rock formed a shield from the sand and dust. If David was writing this today he might say, “The Lord is my shade tree” or “the Lord is my shelter house”. He might even say “the Lord is my storm shelter.” David had learned this lesson from the experiences of his life. As you read his words he reflects back on those times when it seemed like David was in desperate shape. There were the times when Saul was chasing him in the desert or throwing spears at him in the palace. There were civil wars and the battles with the Philistines. And there was the coup orchestrated by his son. In the Middle Eastern deserts things could get really hot. An over-heated traveler would find respite by resting in the shade of a large rock. When the winds blew a rock formed a shield from the sand and dust. If David was writing this today he might say, “The Lord is my shade tree” or “the Lord is my shelter house”. He might even say “the Lord is my storm shelter.” David had learned this lesson from the experiences of his life. As you read his words he reflects back on those times when it seemed like David was in desperate shape. There were the times when Saul was chasing him in the desert or throwing spears at him in the palace. There were civil wars and the battles with the Philistines. And there was the coup orchestrated by his son. This is an important lesson. The Lord cares for us, He delights in us, He is eager to protect and lead us. We do not have to question His love. He has proved it again and again. Steven Curtis Chapman (who has faced his own heartache) wrote familiar words (Play His Strength is Perfect), His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on. Raised in His power, the weak become strong. His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect. And my Fortress (or stronghold - mesudah; Lxx - ochuroma used in 2Co 10:4+; see also imagery of fortress) and my Deliverer (palat; Lxx - exaireo - set free, rescue) - God as Rock and Fortress speak of David's protection, for he had personally experienced God as his Protector (Play Marty Goetz's moving song "He is My Defense" - Here is a soulful He is My Rock) David undoubtedly recalls "the cave of Adullam, where David first formed his band of outlaws; a refuge in many crises, and a place of many memories 1 Samuel 22:4 Then he left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold (mesudah) 1 Samuel 24:22 David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold (mesudah). 2 Samuel 5:17 When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard of it, he went down to the stronghold (mesudah). 2 Samuel 23:13-14 Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold (mesudah), while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. CHS - "My deliverer," interposing in my hour of peril. When almost captured the Lord's people are rescued from the hand of the mighty by him who is mightier still. This title of "deliverer" has many sermons in it, and is well worthy of the study of all experienced saints. Wiersbe - “Fortress” pictures God as a stronghold, like the city of Jerusalem on Mount Zion (1Sa 22:4; 24:22; 2 Sam. 5:17; 23:14). Don't miss David's repetition of the possessive pronoun "MY" (10 times in two verses - 2Sa 22:2-3) which means belonging to or associated with the speaker, indicating personal possession, not an abstract concept. David clearly has a personal relationship with Yahweh. Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus or did you just know about Him intellectually? One question I ask people I meet is "Do you know Jesus as your Savior?" Many answer "Yes," but with more conversation, their answer suggests (and I am NOT their final Judge!) that they seem to know ABOUT Him, but they can't really call Him "MY Jesus," or "MY Lord." We must remember Jesus' strong and frightening warning in Mt 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many (WHAT DOES "MANY" MEAN?) will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never (ABSOLUTELY) knew you (NO PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP); DEPART (COMMAND - DO THIS NOW!) FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE (Present tense = lifestyle, habitual practice) LAWLESSNESS.’ THOUGHT - Can you call God "MY GOD?" Because of what Jesus accomplished at the cross, every believer by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9+) can call the transcendent, infinite, incomprehensible, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God, MY GOD. Now take from time and meditate (see A Primer of Meditation) on each of the "my's" in the following list from chapter 22...how is He your Rock? What does that metaphor depict?, etc. And then offer up your prayers of praise to Him for each of these wonderful pictures of Who He is in our lives (Heb 13:15+) MY Rock - 2Sa 22:2,3,32,47 MY Fortress - 2Sa 22:2,33 MY Deliverer - 2Sa 22:2,51 MY Shield - 2Sa 22:7,31,36 Horn of MY salvation - 2Sa 22:3 MY Stronghold - 2Sa 22:3 MY Refuge - 2Sa 22:3 MY Savior - 2Sa 22:3 MY Lamp - 2Sa 22:29 If you like an upbeat song listen to My God or the great song by Rich Mullins My Deliverer. or Augustus Toplady's timeless hymn Rock of Ages. James Montgomery

2 Samuel 22

Wiersbe - “Horn” refers to strength (Deut. 33:17; 1 Sam. 2:1, 10; 1 Kings 22:11) and has Messianic connotations (Luke 1:69). Luke 1:69+ And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant– CHS - "My High Tower," (MY STRONGHOLD) a citadel high planted on a rocky eminence beyond the reach of my enemies, from the heights of which I look down upon their fury without alarm, and survey a wide landscape of mercy reaching even unto the goodly land beyond Jordan. Here are many words, but none too many; we might profitably examine each one of them had we leisure, but summing up the whole, we may conclude with Calvin, that David here equips the faithful from head to foot. Wiersbe - “Shield” speaks of God’s protection (Ps 3:3; 7:10; 28:7; 33:20; Ge 15:1; Deut. 33:29), but it also is a symbol of the king (Ps 84:9; 89:18). Dictionary of Biblical Imagery - The true stronghold in Scripture is indeed a high, lofty place. One can reach that place, however, only by bowing low before the God of salvation. The Bible pictures His presence as the only true stronghold. Jamieson, Fausset, Brown on horn - The horn, as the means of attack or defense of some of the strongest animals, is a frequent emblem of power or strength efficiently exercised (compare De 33:17; Lu 1:69). My Savior (yesha'; Lxx soteria), You save (yasha' - deliver, help; Lxx sozo) me from violence (chamas/hamas - wrong, malicious) - Lxx has "from the unjust man." Rock (see also)(06697) tsur is used a few times to describe a literal rock (usually a large rock or boulder), but the figurative uses are more common and usually descriptive of Jehovah. A rock includes ideas of strength and permanence. Figurative expressions include honey from the rock (clefts where bees lived) (Ps. 81:16); Abraham as the ancestral rock of Israel (Isa. 51:1); rock as a symbol of stability (Job 14:18; Nah. 1:6); God as the Rock to look to and depend on as source of strength and refuge (Ps. 31:2 = "Be to me a Rock of strength"; Isa. 17:10 = "have not remembered the Rock of your refuge"); God personified as a Rock of the nation of Israel (2Sa 23:3); of God as the Rock many times (Dt. 32:4, 18; Hab 1:12). It is used of an insufficient rock, a god of the pagan nations (Deut. 32:31). In Ps 18:2 we find two words for "rock", the first "rock" being "sela'" (see below) and the second "rock" being "tsur." Sela' more frequently suggests a larger, more massive rock structure such as a crag (a steep rugged rock - eg, Job 39:28 uses sela' to describe a safe, resting place for the eagle "upon the rocky crag [sela'], an inaccessible place"), a cliff or a mountainside. Tsur on the other hand refers to smaller rock structures such as a boulder, but these distinctions are not absolute and there is overlap. Other uses of tsur in 2 Samuel - 2Sa 21:10; 2Sa 22:3; 2Sa 22:32; 2Sa 22:47; 2Sa 23:3 Horn (07161)(qeren) means horn (see also below), literally a bony projection from an animal's head (Ge 22:13 first use - "ram caught...by horns") and is expanded to refer to the horn-like protrusions on the corners or edges of altars, possibly representing strength, power (Ex. 27:2; Jer. 48:25). E.g., blood was applied to the horns of the altar (Ex. 29:12). "Zadok the priest then took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon" (1KI 1:39) Iron horns were manufactured (1Ki 22:11). Horns were used to make musical instruments (Josh. 6:5). Figuratively qeren is symbolic of power strength as related to the strength of an animal. describes strength, honor, rulership, dignity, fertility, descendants (1Sa 2:10); fertility, descendants (1 Sam. 2:1; Ps. 89:17); the power and source of salvation (2Sa 22:3). To raise up one’s horn meant to act arrogantly, insolently (Ps. 75:4). The special anointing oil was sometimes kept in a horn, a container made of a hollowed-out horn (1Ki 1:39). Gilbrant says qeren "refers literally to the “horns” of animals, figuratively to the “power,” “honor” or “glory.”....Figuratively, a horn symbolized a person’s strength, power or glory, such as Joseph’s (Deut. 33:17), the anointed king’s (1 Sam. 2:10) or Hannah’s (2:1). Usually, the horn was spoken of as being lifted up as a sign of honor, but Job spoke of his horn as defiled in the dust (Job 16:15), and a person could have become sinfully proud of his horn (Ps. 75:4f). The horns of a wild ox are used figuratively of adversity (22:21). Theologically, the horn is a figure of God’s saving power (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2), and the lifting of a horn is a figure of divine exaltation of favored persons and nations (1 Chr. 25:5; Pss. 75:10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; 112:9; 132:17; 148:14; Lam. 2:17; Ezek. 29:21; Mic. 4:13). On the other hand, breaking a horn is a figure of military defeat (Jer. 48:25; Dan. 8:8) or divine judgment (Lam. 2:3). Prophetically, horns sometimes symbolized kings (Dan. 8:3, 5–9, 20f) or world powers (Zech. 1:18f, 21). The false prophet Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, used iron horns to symbolize military victory (1 Ki. 22:11; 2 Chr. 18:10). Qeren also has a few unusual meanings. For example, in Isa. 5:1, it refers to a fruitful hill for planting a vineyard, and in Hab. 3:4 it refers to a ray of light radiating from the hand of the Messiah coming in his power and glory. Qeren - 75x/68v hill(1), horn(24), horns(46), might(1), rays(1), strength(1), tusks(1). Ge 22:13; Ex 27:2; Ex 29:12; Ex 30:2; Exod. 30:3; Exod. 30:10; Exod. 37:25; Exod. 37:26; Exod. 38:2; Lev. 4:7; Lev. 4:18; Lev. 4:25; Lev. 4:30; Lev. 4:34; Lev. 8:15; Lev. 9:9; Lev. 16:18; Deut. 33:17; Jos. 6:5; 1 Sam. 2:1; 1 Sam. 2:10; 1 Sam. 16:1; 1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 22:3; 1 Ki. 1:39; 1 Ki. 1:50; 1 Ki. 1:51; 1 Ki. 2:28; 1 Ki. 22:11; 2 Chr. 18:10; Job 16:15; Ps. 18:2; Ps. 22:21; Ps. 69:31; Ps. 75:4; Ps. 75:5; Ps. 75:10; Ps. 89:17; Ps. 89:24; Ps. 92:10; Ps. 112:9; Ps. 118:27; Ps. 132:17; Ps. 148:14; Isa. 5:1; Jer. 17:1; Jer. 48:25; Lam. 2:3; Lam. 2:17; Ezek. 27:15; Ezek. 29:21; Ezek. 34:21; Ezek. 43:15; Ezek. 43:20; Dan. 8:3; Dan. 8:5; Dan. 8:6; Dan. 8:7; Dan. 8:8; Dan. 8:9; Dan. 8:20; Dan. 8:21; Amos 3:14; Mic. 4:13; Hab. 3:4; Zech. 1:18; Zech. 1:19; Zech. 1:21 Salvation (03468)(yesha יֵשַׁע from yasha' = to deliver) means salvation which has a variety of connotations including deliverance, help, liberty, welfare, preserve, rescue, salvation, safety (Ps 12:5, Job 5:11), welfare or keep safe. Yeshua is used most often in the Hebrew "song book," the Ps. (Ps 12:5; 18:2, 35, 46; 20:6; 24:5; 25:5; 27:1, 9; 50:23; 51:12; 62:7; 65:5; 69:13; 79:9; 85:4, 7, 9; 95:1; 132:16). David repeatedly uses yeshua to describe Who God is (intimately) to him (from his experiences) (2Sa 22:3, 36, 47, cp 1Chr 16:35; see also similar uses in Psalms) TWOT has an informative note (gives us a great picture of "salvation," yeshua/yesuah) on the origin of this Hebrew word group - The root meaning in Arabic is “make wide” or “make sufficient”; this root is in contrast to sārar “narrow,” which means “be restricted” or “cause distress.” That which is wide connotes freedom from distress and the ability to pursue one’s own objectives. (Ed: Compare the great NT verb Jesus used when He said "the truth shall make you free" = eleutheroo) To move from distress to safety requires deliverance. Generally the deliverance must come from somewhere outside the party oppressed. In the OT the kinds of distress, both national and individual, include enemies, natural catastrophes, such as plague or famine, and sickness. The one who brings deliverance is known as the “savior.” The word may be used, however, in everyday life free of theological overtones; e.g., at a well Moses saved the daughters of Reuel from being driven off by the shepherds (Ex 2:17). But generally in the OT the word has strong religious meaning, for it was Yahweh who wrought the deliverance. Thus he is known as the “God of our salvation” (Ps 68:19 [Ed: Hebrew here not 03468 but 03444 - yeshua/yesuah ]). Although salvation could come through a human agent, it was only because God empowered the agent. In the NT the idea of salvation primarily means forgiveness of sin, deliverance from its power and defeat of Satan. Although the OT begins to point in this direction, the majority of references to salvation speak of Yahweh granting deliverance from real enemies and out of real catastrophes. Shield (04043) magen from ganan = to cover, surround, defend) is a masculine noun which most often refers to a shield, indicating some kind of protection, literal or figurative. A shield is described as a weapon (Jdg. 5:8; 2 Sa 1:21; 1 Ki 14:27; Job 15:26), as an ornament (1 Ki. 10:17; 14:26), as the protective scales of a crocodile (Job 41:15). Krell says "The shield was the primary defensive weapon of the OT warrior. It was a portable fortress, a defensive wall that could be taken with the warrior into battle. It provided a barrier between the vulnerable flesh of the warrior and the dangerous impact of various weapons. It’s a recurring image, particularly in the Psalms, of God’s protection." James Anderson - The word rendered “shield” is in the Hebrew text מָגֵן, magen, which was a short buckler intended merely for defence. The word rendered “buckler” is צִנָּה tsinnah; it was double the weight of the magen, and was carried by the infantry; the magen, being lighter and more manageable, was used by the cavalry. Figuratively magen refers to God as a Source of protection or escape, a refuge. Magen is used figuratively to refer to Israel's king in (Ps 84:9 cp Ps 84:9NLT, Ps 89:18, rulers in Ps 47:9), a shield describes God's truth in (Ps 91:4KJV) In the Lxx the word for shield when it figuratively refers to God is either the verb huperaspizo = to hold a shield over (Ge 15:1, Dt 33:29, Pr 2:7, ) or the noun huperaspistes = one who holds a shield over, a protector (2 Sa 22:3, 31, 36, Ps 18:2, 30, 35, 28:7, 33:20, 59:11, 115:9-11, 144:2) Be Thou my battle shield, sword for the fight; Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight; Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tower: Raise Thou me heavenward, O power of my power. The most important figurative use of magen is the description of Jehovah as a shield to those who are His, which emphasizes that He is our Protector or our protection. This of course implies we need protection. Indeed, we have 3 enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil , and God is Our Protector from each. THOUGHT - Perhaps you are under attack and fearful like many of God's saints of old (Biblical and not in the Bible). Can I encourage you to pause for a moment and sing a declaration of your faith in the Eternal God as your Shield from the attack...A Shield About Me When (not "if") the attack comes hold on to the truth that Jehovah Himself is your Shield. Then the truth that you are holding on to will hold you fast and secure! See Ephesians 6:16+ " in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Stronghold (04869) (misgab from sagab = to be inaccessibly high, raised up, securely on high) a secure height, retreat, stronghold. Misgab is a masculine noun indicating a stronghold. It refers to a place naturally fortified or fortified by man: a high hill or cliff, a rock (Isa. 33:16; Jer. 48:1); walls built by men (Isa 25:12). It is used often of God as a safe haven, a place of refuge (2Sa 22:3; Ps. 9:9; 18:2; 46:7, 11; 48:3, etc.). A proper noun, Misgab, in Moab. It is taken by some translators as a name for a city (Jer. 48:1KJV). Gilbrant - Derived from sāgab, "to be high," "to be inaccessible," misgāb is attested elsewhere only in the Dead Sea Scrolls. It appears seventeen times in the Hebrew Bible. In only three of these occurrences is it used literally to denote a "fortification." Twice, it is used to describe the coming demise of Moab, represented by its fortresses being demolished (Isa. 25:12; Jer. 48:1). Once, it is used to illustrate the coming restoration of divine order in the world, as Yahweh will see to it that the righteous will inhabit the heights, the locale of fortifications, safe from those who would economically oppress them (Isa. 33:16). In the remainder of its occurrences, misgāb is used as a metaphor for the sanctuary that the oppressed and persecuted find in Yahweh (e.g., 2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 46:7). Without divine protection, the implication of this imagery is that the victim would surely be at the mercy of those enemies which seek that victim. (Complete Biblical Library) Gary Cohen - The verb sagab is used in a local sense with reference to a lofty city (Isa 26:5) and high walls (Prov 18:11; Isa 30:13) even as it is used in the Amarna correspondence. Associated with the notion of “height” it frequently has the connotation of security.... The masculine noun miśgāb is derived from the root, śāgab “to be high,” and is found fifteen times in the OT, eleven of these being in Ps. In most appearances of the word it is used in a favorable sense. Miśgāb speaks of God being the believer’s high tower (2Sa 22:3), or his refuge (Ps 46:7, 11), or defense (Isa 33:16). The allusion is to the fact that in the ancient world, safety to either the one fleeing or to the one at rest was synonymous with reaching and remaining upon some fortified height which would be inaccessible to beast and enemy alike. The Psalmist, as well as the prophets, saw this to be the precise picture of the believer’s security in God. Miśgāb “high place,” is not to be confused with the bāmâh “high place,” which signifies a hill consecrated to the pagan Canaanite deities, such as Baal. miśgāb is never used for such a location. (TWOT) Misgab - 17x/16v - lofty stronghold(1), refuge(1), stronghold(14), unassailable(1). (NOTE MOST USES ARE IN PSALMS) - 2Sa. 22:3; Ps. 9:9; Ps. 18:2; Ps. 46:7; Ps. 46:11; Ps. 48:3; Ps. 59:9; Ps. 59:16; Ps. 59:17; Ps. 62:2; Ps. 62:6; Ps. 94:22; Ps. 144:2; Isa. 25:12; Isa. 33:16; Jer. 48:1 Refuge (04498)(manos from nus = to flee or escape) is masculine noun indicating a refuge, flight, a place of escape or refuge. This noun denotes the place of escape to which one flees. Compare to maḥseh, a place of shelter, maoz, place of strength, hence, of safety, and miśgāb, inaccessible secure place, stronghold. It is used of a location of safety; a place to which to flee. It is used metaphorically of the Lord as one’s refuge (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 59:16[17]; 142:4[5]); flight itself in a time when one needs refuge, safety (Jer. 46:5). The refuge or escape of the wicked perishes (Job 11:20); and the escape of God’s enemies fails (Jer. 25:35; Amos 2:14). Gilbrant - Derived from the Hebrew verb, nûs, mānôs means "place of escape" or "refuge." This noun deals with refuge in Yahweh or a place of escape from Yahweh. Those who look to God for their refuge trust in his ability to save from violence (2 Sam. 22:3), from the day of trouble (Ps. 59:16), or from the day of affliction (Jer. 16:19). There is nowhere to escape from God. Thus the wicked will not escape (Job 11:20). The evil leaders (Jer. 25:35) and the swift (Amos 2:14) will not find a place to escape to. (Complete Biblical Library) Manos - 9x/8v - escape(2), flight(3), refuge(3). 2 Sam. 22:3; Job 11:20; Ps. 59:16; Ps. 142:4; Jer. 16:19; Jer. 25:35; Jer. 46:5; Amos 2:14 REFUGE - A safe place into which to run is a universal need for all creatures, including human beings. We can all remember childhood games in which there was a place where one was “safe” and could not be touched by a pursuer or opponent. “Out there” was danger, but to reach the sanctuary or haven (even if it was only a circle drawn in the dust) meant security. A number of Hebrew words in the OT evoke images of refuge—a place of safety from danger, relief after stress, defense from an enemy, protection from the heat of the sun, overall security. These images incorporate both rocks and fortresses on the one hand and houses or homes on the other. A rock in the desert could be seen as a military outpost and therefore a refuge for those in flight. The home is a refuge of a more permanent nature, one to which a wanderer can finally return. The preponderance of biblical references to refuge declare God to be the believer’s refuge, but other major clusters of references are to the cities of refuge and to the altar as a sanctuary. It is also important to note that the image is largely an OT image. Of ninety-five references in the RSV to “refuge,” the only NT reference is (tellingly) in the book of Hebrews (Heb 6:18–20). We can get a feel for the range of the image of refuge by noting the leading OT words for it. Maẖseh, “place of refuge,” is frequently used to refer to God (e.g., Ps 14:6; 71:7; 142:5). In Psalm 104:18, though, the word designates the place God has provided for animals, and in Isaiah 4:5–6 it is the canopy that God will spread over Zion. Mānôs, “place of flight,” is a place of safety while one escapes from enemies (2 Sam 22:3; Ps 59:16; 142:4). The heading of Psalm 57 suggests that the Cave of Adullam, where David gathered his forces, was just such a refuge. Mis̄gāb, “high place” or “tower,” was particularly dear to David in his exile (Ps 9:9; 46:7, 11; 48:3). Me’ōnâ, “the arms of the Lord,” comes close to suggesting eternal life, as in Deuteronomy 33:27: “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (RSV). Refuge from Vengeance. Prominent in the OT notion of refuge are detailed arrangements for dealing with fugitives who had accidentally caused the death of someone (Num 35:9–34; 35:6; Deut 4:41–43; 19:1–13; Josh 20:1–9; 21:13, 21, 27, 32, 28; 1 Chron 6:57, 67). Designed to prevent endless cycles of vengeance, a network of cities of refuge enabled anyone who had unintentionally or accidentally committed a murder to be safe from retaliation by relatives of the murdered person. Something of the aura surrounding these places of refuge can be gleaned from such stipulations as that “the congregation” help to rescue an inadvertent murderer from his pursuers (Num 35:25), that enough cities of refuge be established to make the distance for reaching them a practical possibility (Deut 19:3, 8–10) and that a person fleeing from vengeance would be safe only within a city of refuge and subject to vengeance if he strayed outside it (Num 35:26–28). What did the image of the city of refuge mean to the ordinary Israelite? It was an image at once of safety, protection from pursuit, a renewal of life that would otherwise be doomed and a kind of salvation. The picture of the harassed fugitive finding safety is central to OT ideas of justice and salvation, and it may partly account for the popularity of the image in Psalms. A related OT institution is the horns of the altar, to which a person fleeing from blood vengeance might flee. The conditions surrounding this institution are shadowy compared with what we know about the cities of refuge, but we have narrative accounts of two people who attempted to use the horns of the altar as a place of safety from vengeance-Adonijah (1 Kings 1:50–53) and Joab, who was killed while still clinging to the altar because Solomon judged him to be guilty rather than innocent (1 Kings 2:28–34). God as Refuge. For the writers of the Bible, God is the ultimate refuge. The book of Psalms is the primary text, with nearly fifty references. The writers mainly picture God as someone “in” whom the covenant people take refuge, but sometimes the refuge is given a more specific picture. The refuge afforded by God is thus variously portrayed as a rock (Ps 18:2; 31:2; 62:7; 94:22), wings (Ps 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 91:4), a fortress (Ps 59:16; 71:3; 91:2) and a strong tower (Ps 61:3). Psalm 144:2 is a good composite image: “my rock and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge” (RSV). Eschatological References. Another leading cluster of images of safe refuge can be found in the eschatological visions of the Bible. In these visions God promises a future place of refuge for his people. People who take refuge in God will “possess the land, and … inherit my holy mountain” (Is 57:13 RSV). The days are coming, wrote Jeremiah, when “Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely” (Jer 23:6); cf. Jer 33:16). Ezekiel paints similar pictures (Ezek 28:26; 34:28), as does Hosea (Hos 2:18). The ultimate “safe place” comes at the end of the book of Revelation, with its picture of a foursquare city with stately walls (Rev 21:9–21), securely beyond the reach of evil (Rev 21:27; 22:15). (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery) HORN - The literal image of horn is of the animal horn as an effective defensive weapon. The Bible does not distinguish between horns and antlers, so horn refers to pointed bony structures on the heads of male sheep, goats, deer, cattle, oxen and so forth. They give the animal a regal look and provide such an impressive defense mechanism that their imagery was widely employed to represent power. The metaphorical value of the horn comes primarily from the fact that the size and condition of an animal’s horns are indicative of its power, status and health. Animal horns were used for a variety of purposes, including the carrying of oil, but no metaphorical development of this function occurs in the Bible. When used as a (quasi-)musical instrument, a horn is, with few exceptions, called a *“trumpet.” In general, horn represents power or status in a social context. In Deuteronomy 33:17 Moses compares the tribes of Joseph to “a firstborn bull, [whose] horns are the horns of a wild ox” because Ephraim and Manasseh were large and powerful. Therefore, “lifting up the horn” of someone means bestowing power, joy, health and prestige (Ps 92:10; 1 Sam 2:1). Conversely, “cutting off the horn” is the removal of one’s power or influence (Ps 75:10; Jer 48:25). Since God is the source of strength to those who trust in him, David declares, “The LORD is … the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Ps 18:2 NIV par. 2 Sam 22:3). In Revelation 5:6 the lamb has seven horns-his kingly power is perfect. By metonymy, horn came to symbolize those who had power: political or military. In Mesopotamian art, horns indicate deity and deified kings from Naram-Sin on. Thus in Daniel 7–8 the horns represent successions of kings or multiple branches of military power. The book of Revelation also picks up this kind of imagery: both the dragon and the first beast in Revelation 12–13 have ten horns, which Revelation 17:12 explains as ten kings. In Zechariah 1:18–21 the metaphor is taken both ways: the horns represent both the foreign powers themselves (Zech 1:18) and the condition of their strength and influence (Zech 1:21). Since horn is a symbol of power, particularly kingly power, it is not unnatural that it represent God’s anointed one (Messiah). Psalm 148:14 and Ezekiel 29:21 possibly use “horn” as a metonym for the expected Messiah. Horns also became a symbol for radiance. In Habakkuk 3:4 the Lord’s splendor is like the light: “rays flash from his hand” (NIV, lit. “horns are from his hand,” cf. KJV). Psalm 132:17 parallels “horn” and “lamp”-“I will make a horn sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed” (RSV). Thus the Hebrew verb qāran, which may have originally been a verbal form of qeren, the word for horn (cf. Ps 69:31 [69:32 in Heb]), in Exodus 34:29–30 means “to shine.” (This is the source of the medieval idea that Moses had horns.) The sacrificial altar, similar to other ancient Near Eastern altars, had four horns, which were projections on the four corners of the top (Ex 27:2), on which blood was smeared. The altar of incense also had four horns. The horns of an altar, whatever their original purpose, probably came to symbolize the power of that altar. Just as the cutting off of Moab’s horns was a destruction of Moab’s power, so the cutting off of the horns of the altars at Bethel symbolized the destruction of their religious or cultic power (Amos 3:14). Also, something gave Adonijah the idea that the horns of the altar were a surety against being killed (1 Kings 1:50–53). Probably Adonijah knew that Solomon would hesitate to have him dispatched if it would mean an implicit challenge to the power of God. (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery) STRONGHOLD - Although the terms stronghold and fortress are somewhat interchangeable, the former is a more generic image than the latter. Both constitute places of safety from the enemy. Rather than necessarily a walled fortification, though, a stronghold may be any inaccessible place of refuge, especially an elevated one. The KJV generally uses “high tower” rather than the NIV’s and other versions’ “stronghold.” The fifty biblical references to strongholds (NIV; sixty-two in NRSV) fall into two categories: in the narrative and prophetic books strongholds are literal places of military refuge, while in Psalms they tend to be metaphors for God. The many literal strongholds in the Bible shed light on the metaphorical strongholds the poets celebrate. Having watched David find strongholds in caves, deserts and hills as he flees the pursuing Saul, we grasp the vividness of his picture when he calls God “my stronghold, my refuge and my savior” (2 Sam 22:3 NIV). The stronghold is generally used in scriptural poetry to picture the safe, eternal refuge of the soul in God. Such a picture offers security, strength and confidence: one can almost identify with that eagle God described to Job, which builds “his nest on high,” “dwells on a cliff” and makes a “rocky crag” his “stronghold” (Job 39:27–28 NIV). The stronghold saves from the enemy, and it is the salvation of God our stronghold that Scripture repeatedly celebrates. Again David speaks of his God as “the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Ps 18:2NIV). “The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD,” he writes, and the next line follows naturally: “he is their stronghold in time of trouble” (Ps 37:39NIV). We can understand the feelings evoked by the image of the stronghold when we observe the threats with which it is often paired: trouble, enemies, oppressors, pursuers. These cannot reach or destroy the one who has found refuge in God’s saving presence. That presence is often pictured in terms of a temple or tabernacle where God dwells. Often a temple within a city was the city’s highest point and its stronghold; in Shechem, for example, all the citizens under siege went and hid in “the stronghold of the temple” (Judg 9:46). David calls God “the stronghold of my life” and goes on to picture that stronghold in terms of “the house of the LORD, … the shelter of his tabernacle … high upon a rock” (Ps 27:2, 4–5NIV). Elsewhere he calls God “my stronghold” and goes on to picture himself as led by God’s light and truth up to “your holy mountain … the place where you dwell” (Ps 43:2–3). In his holy tabernacle, which signifies the presence of God the Most High, is the stronghold that saves the soul. Ezekiel addresses the Israelites who put their trust in the literal stronghold of the Jerusalem temple: “the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection” (Ezek 24:21NIV). God tells them through Ezekiel that he is about to desecrate his sanctuary. God’s people had ceased to seek the true spiritual stronghold—God himself—of which the physical temple was only a sign. Scripture gives pictures of those who have tried to build their own strongholds apart from the presence of God. Such strongholds are generally shown to be high places of pride that will be brought down low in the end. It is predicted that God will “bring … down to everlasting ruin … the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth” (Ps 52:5, 7). The true stronghold in Scripture is indeed a high, lofty place. One can reach that place, however, only by bowing low before the God of salvation. The Bible pictures His presence as the only true stronghold. (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery) SHIELD - The shield was an ancient Near Eastern warrior’s primary defensive weapon. Having the right type of shield in battle could mean the difference between life and death. Shields varied considerably in size and shape from time to time and place to place. Infantrymen without armor preferred longer shields, while those protected by armor could afford to use a smaller shield that allowed greater mobility. Shield bearers accompanying a warrior into battle usually carried long shields. Shields took various shapes, including the circle, rectangle, triangle and figure eight. Some shields were flat, while others were convex, giving better protection against angular thrusts and arrows. Shields were made from a variety of materials, including metal, wood, leather and braided twigs. Sometimes wood and leather shields were reinforced with metal plates or inlays (see Yadin, 13–15). Because of its importance in battle, the shield became a metaphor for protection in both biblical and other ancient Near Eastern literature. For example, in an Assyrian oracle the goddess Ishtar assures King Esarhaddon of her protective presence: “I am your reliable shield” (ANET, 605). The OT frequently calls God a shield when emphasizing his ability to protect his people. Following Abram’s military victory over the kings of the East (Gen 14), the Lord appeared to him in a vision and declared, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield” (Gen 15:1 NRSV). In the conclusion to his blessing of the tribes, Moses pictured the Lord as Israel’s shield and sword, for he had defeated their enemies (Deut 33:29). The metaphor is especially prominent in Psalms. Like a shield, the Lord protects his people from hostile enemies (Ps 3:3; 5:12; 7:10; 18:2, 30 [par. 2 Sam 22:3, 31]; Ps 28:7; 33:20; 59:11; 115:9–11; 119:114; 144:2). This shieldlike protection is evidence of his faithfulness and enables his people to be confident, not afraid (Ps 91:4–5; see FEAR). Sometimes the shield metaphor appears as a royal idiom, for kings were responsible for protecting their subjects (Ps 47:9; 84:9 [note the parallelism with “your anointed one,” NIV]; 89:18 [note the parallelism with “our king”]). The author of Psalm 84 uses the image in this idiomatic sense when he declares that “the LORD God is a sun and shield” (Ps 84:11). As the just King of the world, the Lord blesses his loyal subjects. (Ancient Near Eastern kings frequently compared themselves to the sun when speaking of their sovereignty and responsibility to protect their people. For example, Ashur-nasir-apli II of Assyria described himself as one “whose protection spreads like rays of the sun over his land” [see Grayson, 2:184]. Both Hittite kings and Egyptian pharaohs were addressed as “the sun” because they ruled over vast kingdoms.) In his role as a mighty warrior-king (see DIVINE WARRIOR), the Lord himself is depicted as carrying a shield (Ps 35:2). He shatters the shields of his foes (Ps 76:3) and destroys them with fire (Ps 46:9 NIV—which here follows the reading of the ancient Greek version of the OT). David pictured God giving him a shield for battle (Ps 18:35 par. 2 Sam 22:36). The image of a deity giving a king special weapons is well attested in ancient Near Eastern art and literature. For example, in an Egyptian text the god Amun says to Ramses III, “I give thee my sword as a shield for thy breast, while I remain the (magical) protection of (thy) body in every fray” (see Edgerton and Wilson, 107). The shield metaphor is rare in the NT. Paul compares faith to a shield, for it is able to protect Christians from satanic attacks, likened to flaming arrows (Eph 6:16). See also ARMOR; PROTECTION; WEAPONS, HUMAN AND DIVINE. BIBLIOGRAPHY. W. F. Edgerton and J. A. Wilson, Historical Records of Ramses III (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1936); A. K. Grayson, Assyrian Royal Inscriptions (Wiesbaden: O. Harrassowitz, 1972); Y. Yadin, The art of warfare in Biblical lands : in the light of archaeological study (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1963) 13–15, 48, 64–65, 83–84, 295–96. Source - Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Amazing Grace (borrow) - Kenneth Osbeck - HIDING IN THEE William O. Cushing, 1823–1902 But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. (Psalm 94:22) In childhood when we were frightened we wanted to run and hide in our mother’s or father’s arms until we felt the danger had passed. In the same way when trouble and sorrow disturb our adult lives, we look for a place of consolation or escape. But we can only find the deep satisfying peace of God in the midst of our storms when we are relying on the God of all peace. William O. Cushing said that, when he wrote this hymn text in 1876, “it was the outgrowth of many tears, many heart conflicts and yearnings of which the world could know nothing.” After the death of his wife in middle age, Cushing was forced to retire from an active ministry because of poor health. He had been a successful pastor in the eastern areas of the United States. He began to be intensely interested in writing hymns, collaborating with many of the leading gospel musicians of that time. One day when Ira Sankey made a special request for a song in his gospel work, Cushing felt it was a direct call from God. He explained: I prayed, “Lord, give me something that may glorify Thee.” It was while thus waiting that “Hiding in Thee” pressed to make itself known. Mr. Sankey called forth the tune and by his genius gave the hymn wings, making it useful in the Master’s work. William Cushing knew personally the sorrows and turmoil of life, but he also knew where he could find safety and rest—in the “blest Rock of Ages.” When this hymn was first published, the author prefaced it with Psalm 31:2—“Be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.” O safe to the Rock that is higher than I my soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly. So sinful, so weary—Thine, Thine would I be: Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee. In the calm of the noon-tide, in sorrow’s lone hour, in times when temptation casts o’er me its pow’r, in the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea, Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee. How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe, I have fled to my Refuge and breathed out my woe. How often, when trials like sea billows roll, have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul. Chorus: Hiding in Thee, Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee. For Today: Psalm 4:8; Psalm 31:2; Isaiah 26:3, 4; 2 Corinthians 1:9, 10 Whenever tempests arise in your sea of life, do not hesitate to fly for refuge to the safety of your “Rock of Ages,” and rest peacefully there. Sing this musical truth as you go— The Lord Is My Rock The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust. —Psalm 18:2 Today's Scripture: Psalm 18:1-3 It turns out that we humans reason largely by means of our hearts and not by our heads. As French mathematician and theologian Blaise Pascal noted long ago, “The heart has reasons that reason does not know.” Poets, singers, storytellers, and artists have always known this. They use symbols and metaphors that speak to our hearts rather than to our minds. That’s why their ideas penetrate where everything else has failed. And that’s why we say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Images remain in our minds when all else is forgotten. David wrote, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress, . . . my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2). He was thinking of physical elements that convey spiritual realities. Each picture expresses a deeper thought, linking the visible world to the invisible realm of the Spirit. David doesn’t wander into definition and explanation, for explanation can blunt imagination. Each picture is left hanging in our minds—images that evoke mystery, arouse our imagination, and deepen our understanding. David wakes up what is hidden deep within us. It’s good to think long thoughts about it. What does this mean to you: God is my rock, my fortress, my shield? By: David H. Roper O love of God, our shield and stay Through all the perils of our way; Eternal love, in Thee we rest, Forever safe, forever blest. —Bonar Faith bridges chasms that reason cannot fathom. 2 Samuel 22:4 "I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies. BGT 2 Samuel 22:5 ὅτι περιέσχον με συντριμμοὶ θανάτου χείμαρροι ἀνομίας ἐθάμβησάν με LXE 2 Samuel 22:5 For the troubles of death compassed me, the floods of iniquity amazed me: KJV 2 Samuel 22:5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; NET 2 Samuel 22:5 The waves of death engulfed me; the currents of chaos overwhelmed me. CSB 2 Samuel 22:5 For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of destruction terrified me. ESV 2 Samuel 22:5 "For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; NIV 2 Samuel 22:5 "The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. NLT 2 Samuel 22:5 "The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me. NRS 2 Samuel 22:5 For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of perdition assailed me; NJB 2 Samuel 22:5 With Death's breakers closing in on me, Belial's torrents ready to swallow me, NAB 2 Samuel 22:5 "The breakers of death surged round about me, the floods of perdition overwhelmed me; YLT 2 Samuel 22:5 When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me, I will: Ps 116:2,4,13,17 worthy: Ne 9:5 Ps 18:3 66:2 106:2 148:1-4 Rev 4:11 5:12 so: Ps 34:6 50:15 55:16 56:9 57:1-3 Ro 10:13 Related Passage: Psalm 18:3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies. I call upon the LORD, Who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies. Alan Carr - David called on the Lord and God heard his cry and delivered him! There were many times in David’s life when the gates of the cities of men were closed off to him. There were times when he could not go into Jerusalem, nor could he run to the Tabernacle. But, even when the cities of earth were closed to him and offered no help or hope; the gates of Heaven, and even the very throne room of God was opened to his cry. When he lifted his cry to God, God heard him and moved in power to help him! Vos points out, “In the introduction appears to sum and substance of the entire psalm. David heaps up images to convey his confidence of security in God, who is his defender, refuge, and deliverer. The two verbs in verse 4 are in the imperfect, and indicate continued action. “I continually call, and I am continually saved.” What God has done in the past, He would assuredly do in the present and future. David’s experience as a fugitive in the wilds colored his figures of speech both in the introduction and throughout the rest of the psalm. The almost inaccessible rocks and ravines of Palestine offered protection to the harried fugitive, but he placed his real hope in the God whom the geological formations seemed to typify. God was his true fortress, an impregnable place in whom he could hide. And he, like the immoveable rock, was characterized by unchanging faithfulness. Like a shield of the warrior he protected and like a horn of a fierce animal, he defended the righteous.” (Borrow 1, 2 Samuel : Bible study commentary) Jamieson, Fausset, Brown on to be praised—for past favors, and worthy of confidence. Swindoll, in trying to capsulize these first verses in a principle, calls this: “When times are tough, the Lord is our only security.” Kirkpatrick says "The tenses are frequentative, describing David’s habitual experience of God’s readiness to answer prayer. This verse presents “the theme of the Psalm.”" CHS - In this verse the happy poet resolves to invoke the Lord in joyful song (ED: Sing it out beloved - I will call upon the LORD) , believing that in all future conflicts his God would deal as well with him as in the past. It is well to pray to God as to one who deserves to be praised, for then we plead in a happy and confident manner. If I feel that I can and do bless the Lord for all his past goodness, I am bold to ask great things of him. That word So has much in it (2Sa 22:4KJV = "So shall I be saved"). To be saved singing is to be saved indeed. Many are saved mourning and doubting; but David had such faith that he could fight singing, and win the battle with a song still upon his lips. How happy a thing to receive fresh mercy with a heart already sensible of mercy enjoyed, and to anticipate new trials with a confidence based upon past experiences of divine love! "No fearing or doubting with Christ on our side, We hope to die shouting, 'The Lord will provide.' 2 Samuel 22:5 "For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of destruction overwhelmed me; BGT 2 Samuel 22:5 ὅτι περιέσχον με συντριμμοὶ θανάτου χείμαρροι ἀνομίας ἐθάμβησάν με LXE 2 Samuel 22:5 For the troubles of death compassed me, the floods of iniquity amazed me: KJV 2 Samuel 22:5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; NET 2 Samuel 22:5 The waves of death engulfed me; the currents of chaos overwhelmed me. CSB 2 Samuel 22:5 For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of destruction terrified me. ESV 2 Samuel 22:5 "For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; NIV 2 Samuel 22:5 "The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. NLT 2 Samuel 22:5 "The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me. NRS 2 Samuel 22:5 For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of perdition assailed me; NJB 2 Samuel 22:5 With Death's breakers closing in on me, Belial's torrents ready to swallow me, NAB 2 Samuel 22:5 "The breakers of death surged round about me, the floods of perdition overwhelmed me; YLT 2 Samuel 22:5 When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me, GWN 2 Samuel 22:5 The waves of death had surrounded me. The torrents of destruction had overwhelmed me. waves: or, pangs, 1Th 5:3 the torrents: Ps 18:4 69:14,15 93:3,4 Isa 59:19 Jer 46:7,8 Rev 12:15,16 Rev 17:1,15 ungodly men: Heb. Belial Related Passage: Psalm 18:4 The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. CHS - Verses 4-19. In most poetical language the Psalmist now describes his experience of Jehovah's delivering power. Poesy has in all her treasures no gem more lustrous than the sonnet of the following verses; the sorrow, the cry, the descent of the Divine One, and the rescue of the afflicted, are here set to a music worthy of the golden harps. The Messiah our Saviour is evidently, over and beyond David or any other believer, the main and chief subject of this song; and while studying it we have grown more and more sure that every line here has its deepest and profoundest fulfilment in Him; but as we are desirous not to extend our comment beyond moderate bounds, we must leave it with the devout reader to make the very easy application of the passage to our once distressed but now triumphant Lord. THE PSALMIST'S PERILS ELUCIDATED For the waves of death encompassed me - Ps 18:4 reads "cords" as in 2Sa 22:6 ("cords of Sheol"). The word waves occurs five times in the Hebrew Bible (2Sa 22:5; Ps 42:7; Ps 88:7; Ps 93:4; Jon 2:3), and refers exclusively to the waves of the deep, which are controlled by Yahweh. Matthew