Day 167 – 2 Samuel 22:21-30

Scripture Review

2 Samuel 22:21-30

David is singing near the close of his life about the LORD's deliverance.

"The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me."

(2 Samuel 22:21)

David is not saying he never sinned. His life has already shown serious failures. But in this song, he is speaking as a man who was falsely pursued, hated, and attacked, especially by Saul, yet he did not rebel against God or take vengeance into his own hands. The "cleanness of my hands" speaks of innocent conduct. Clean hands picture a life not stained by the crime others accused him of. Recompensed means repaid or rewarded. David is saying God saw the truth of his life and dealt with him accordingly.

"For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God."

(2 Samuel 22:22)

David's life had failures, but he did not turn away from the LORD as Saul did. He did not cast God off. Even when rebuked by Nathan, he returned in repentance.

"For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them."

(2 Samuel 22:23)

Judgments are God's righteous decisions, laws, and standards. They were not hidden in a corner of David's life. They stood before him. David says he did not depart from God's fixed commands and decrees. Again, this does not mean he never sinned, but that the law of God remained his rule and guide. He did not reject God's authority.

"I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity."

(2 Samuel 22:24)

David says he was straight, sincere, and honest before God. Then he says he kept himself from "mine iniquity." Every person has certain sins that seem especially near, personal, and dangerous. David knew he had to guard himself.

"Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight."

(2 Samuel 22:25)

David repeats the thought of verse 21. The LORD recompensed him according to righteousness and cleanness in His eyesight.

That last phrase "in his eye sight" express that men had judged David wrongly many times. Saul called him a threat. Enemies treated him as a rebel. But David cared most about how his life appeared before God.

"With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright."

(2 Samuel 22:26)

David now speaks of how God deals with men. With the "merciful," God shows Himself merciful. The merciful are those who show compassion, kindness, and pity. With the upright man, God shows Himself upright. God's dealings are righteous, straight, and faithful toward those who walk sincerely before Him. This does not mean men earn God's grace by their works. It means God's dealings reveal and answer the true condition of a man's heart.

"With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury."

(2 Samuel 22:27)

With the "pure," God shows Himself pure. But with the "froward," God deals with them in a troubling, opposing, and distasteful way. The crooked man finds God hard, not because God is unrighteous, but because the man himself is crooked. A rebellious heart often complains about God's dealings, but the real problem is its own crookedness.

"And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down."

(2 Samuel 22:28)

David says God saves the "afflicted" people, the humble, oppressed, troubled, or brought low. God sees the lowly who cry to Him. But His eyes are upon the "haughty." Haughty means proud, lifted up, arrogant, or self-exalting. God sees pride, and He knows how to bring it down. This verse fits David's life. Saul was lifted up and stubborn. Absalom was proud and self-promoting. David, for many years, was humbled and afflicted. God knew how to save one and bring down the other.

"For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness."

(2 Samuel 22:29)

David calls the LORD his "lamp." A lamp gives light in darkness. It shows the path, gives comfort, and removes confusion. He had many dark seasons. Caves, wilderness, betrayal, exile, and war all brought darkness around him. But the LORD lightened his darkness. That means God gave guidance, hope, understanding, and deliverance.

"For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall."

(2 Samuel 22:30)

Here he says, by God I have run through a gathered force of enemies. By God's strength, David could break through what stood against him. He also says, "by my God have I leaped over a wall." A wall pictures an obstacle, defense, or barrier. David is not boasting in athletic ability. He is praising the God who enabled him to overcome what should have stopped him.