David Praises the Lord, his Deliverer
Introduction:
On March 31, 2022, we looked at:
1 Samuel 2:1-10 NLT (Near the beginning of our study of 1st & 2nd Samuel)
Hannah’s Prayer of Praise
Hannah’s prayer is also known as a song or a poem.
Hannah’s Prayer of Praise also has similarities to David’s Song of Praise in 2 Samuel 22. (Near the end of our study of 1st & 2nd Samuel)
Hannah’s prayer is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.
(This prayer celebrated the fact that Hannah had been saved from barrenness, as well as celebrating Samuel’s dedication to the Lord’s service.)
The prayer celebrates God’s holiness, sovereignty, and justice.
David’s song is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.
(David was saved from his enemies.)
The song expresses David’s deep gratitude and faith in God’s power and faithfulness.
2 Samuel 22:1-7 NLT
David’s Song of Praise
22:1 David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. 2 He sang:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
4 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
5 “The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
6 The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
7 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
Examine the Scriptures
2 Samuel 22:1-7 NLT
David’s Song of Praise
David Praises the Lord his Deliverer
22:1 David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.
David’s song of thanksgiving and praise to God.
- David’s song is a song of praise to the Lord for his deliverance from all his enemies and from Saul.
In this song David recognized God’s faithfulness as well as God’s power.
- David’s song recorded in 2 Samuel (2 Samuel 22:1-51) is nearly identical to Psalm 18.
2 He sang:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
In this translation David uses words and phrases including:
rock, fortress, shield, refuge, my place of safety, my savior, and the one who saves me
to describe the Lord.
- David used words and phrases including rock, fortress, shield, and refuge, my place of safety, my savior, and the one who saves me, to describe the Lord.
- Many of these terms or images found in this section of David’s song came from David’s experiences as a warrior and fugitive who often hid in rocky strongholds.
These words and phrases represented God’s greatness, strength and reliability.
David knew that true security is only found in the Lord.
Rock – symbolizes strength, permanence, stability, immovable
God was David’s rock, his unshakable foundation.
God was David’s strength in times of danger.
Fortress – emphasizes security from enemies, a place of safety, protection from enemies, a secure retreat that the enemy finds inaccessible, a place of safety beyond enemy reach.
For David, God is his security and protection in times of danger.
Savior –means deliverer, rescuer, or protector.
God repeatedly intervened to rescue David from danger.
- God was David’s security, protection, refuge, strength, and deliverer in the face of danger.
4 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
- David called on the Lord and the Lord saved David from his enemies.
5 “The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
This vividly portrays David’s feeling of being overwhelmed, like a man drowning in a sudden, violent flood.
6 The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
- In his lifetime David faced many near death experiences.
Many times throughout his life, David would have felt wrapped up and trapped, like a captive destined for death.
David felt entangled and trapped. David knew that he was unable to free himself. This verse highlights the finality and hopelessness of his situation without divine intervention.
But God repeatedly broke these snares.
2 Samuel 22:1
Psalm 18:1
“the Lord rescued him (David) from all his enemies and from Saul.”
- God rescued David repeatedly. (This is just a partial list.)
For emphasis, I believe it is important that we review these events.
- David defeats Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
David risked his life when he fought the giant Philistine warrior Goliath with only a sling and faith in God.
1 Samuel 17:41-44 NLT
41 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42 sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43 “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.
- David faced Saul’s Jealous Rage (1 Samuel 18:10–11 & 1 Samuel 19:9–10)Saul tried to kill David with a spear while David was playing the harp.
This happened on at least two occasions.
1 Samuel 18:10-11 NLT
10 The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand, 11 and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.
- Saul tried to have David killed in battle. 1 Samuel 18:17
1 Samuel 18:17 NLT
17 One day Saul said to David, “I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I’ll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself.”
- Saul sent men to David’s house to kill him, but Michal (David’s wife) helped him escape through a window. 1 Samuel 19:11
1 Samuel 19:11 NLT
11 Then Saul sent troops to watch David’s house. They were told to kill David when he came out the next morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning.”
- Saul wants to kill David. 1 Samuel 20:30-31
1 Samuel 20:30-31 NLT
30 Saul boiled with rage at Jonathan. “You stupid son of a whore!” he swore at him. “Do you think I don’t know that you want him to be king in your place, shaming yourself and your mother? 31 As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!”
- 1 Samuel 20–23
Saul repeatedly hunted David in the wilderness with his army, leading to close calls where David narrowly escaped.
David was constantly on the run, hiding in fields, caves, and deserts.
- David among the Philistines at Gath.
David sought refuge in the Philistine city of Gath, the home of Goliath, where he was recognized and seized by the Philistines. He feigned madness to escape this danger.
King Achish of Gath could have killed David. 1 Samuel 21:10-15
1 Samuel 21:10-15NLT
10 So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. 11 But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
12 David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. 13 So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.
14 Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? 15 We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”
- Saul Again Pursues David (1 Samuel 26)
- When the Amalekites raided Ziklag and burned it to the ground David’s own men even spoke of stoning him.
1 Samuel 30:6 NLT
6 David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
- Civil War with Ish-bosheth’s supporters (2 Samuel 2–4)
David’s forces battled Abner and Ish-bosheth’s men; constantly in danger in the struggle for the throne.
- Battles with the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17–25)
The Philistines repeatedly attacked David after he became king.
2 Samuel 5:17 NLT
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him
- War with the Ammonites and Arameans (2 Samuel 10–12)
David led his army in dangerous campaigns that risked his life.
- Absalom’s Rebellion (2 Samuel 15–18)
David fled Jerusalem when Absalom seized power. Crossing the Jordan and hiding in the wilderness, he faced possible death if captured. Absalom’s forces actively sought to kill David.
- Battles Against Giants (2 Samuel 21:15–22)
David grew weary fighting the Philistine giant Ishbi-benob, who tried to kill him. Abishai rescued him just in time.
2 Samuel 21:16 NLT
16 Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants; his bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds, and he was armed with a new sword. He had cornered David and was about to kill him.
7 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
- David called to the Lord in his distress.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
Where the Lord is enthroned as king
The temple here refers to God’s dwelling place in heaven, showing that even in his earthly peril, David’s prayer reached the divine throne room.
- God heard David’s cry.
Summary:
- David is reflecting back on a lifetime of deliverances, from the hand of all his enemies, by God.
- David gives all the credit to God for his victories and survival, recognizing that every triumph came from divine deliverance, not his own strength.
