2 Samuel 22:1-24

The Lord Who Delivers

Amazing aspects of visiting old castles and towers that are over 1000+ years old is their sturdy foundation without modern technology to help. Still can go within these ruins, though often destroyed from wars.

Something to be said of those things that are firmly build and established. Here, David sees the absolute foundation of his own faith is in the Lord his God, the God who created all things, who is supreme over all things, who is sovereign in all.

[1] the Lord revealed in the covenant (vv. 1-7)

[2] the Lord revealed in calamity (vv. 8-20)

[3] the Lord revealed in our cleanness (vv. 21-24)

[1] the Lord revealed in the covenant (vv. 1-7)

Nearly word for word regarding David writing Psalm 18 and also drawing close parallels to that of Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Her song and this song really serve as the bookends to the epoch of Samuel.

Covenant name of the Lord being employed.

Importance of “my”

Personal pronoun

Intimate relationship

Mutual knowing

Same as Jesus teaches in prayer, “Our Father”

Theology of “my”’s

God is those things for us

Romans 8:31“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Rock.

Three elements.

Shelter in desert land

Survive in the cool of the shade

Isaiah 32:2“Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.”

Refuge for protection

David pursued by Saul and Absalom

Hid in rocky caves, yet God was really his refuge

Foundation

Psalm 40:2“He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”

Christ as the solid rock and foundation

Shield.

Shield is protective

Ephesians 6:16“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;”

Shield absorbs the arrows

Pointer to Christ in absorbing for us

Salvation.

Cannot profess these truths without saving knowledge

Need for Gospel if you are without

Personal faith

Means of grace

The Lord as the covenant keeping God who protects his own.

Recognition from David with regard to the extent of his own persecution with Saul.

Waves of death.

Imminent doom, like that of Jonah 2:3“For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.”

Torrents of destruction.

Torrents of “Belial” as in wickedness

Judgment in relation to immersion and waters

Isaiah 59:19“So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives.”

Similar to Revelation

Revelation 12:15–16“The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.”

Revelation 17:1“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters,”

Revelation 17:15“And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.”

Water imagery for the judgment which assailed David from wickedness

Cords/snares of death.

That which entraps its prey

The fullness of judgment in relation to its effect of death

Calling upon the Lord in distress

Distress = tight, enclosed place

Claustrophobia

Looking forward to Christ

Luke 22:44“And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Holiness sandwich in recognizing God saves his people. Meaty part of our lives is persecution, destruction, and famine, yet the bookends of our lives, just as with Samuel and the two songs, is calling upon the Lord who hears and acts.

Use 1. Seek the Lord’s strength.

Verse 7, seeking the Lord in distress.

Calling to the Lord for His strength.

Knowing He hears our prayers.

Use 2. Seek the Lord’s safety.

Despite what encompasses or surrounds us, we seek the Lord’s safety.

Security in our salvation.

Romans 8:38–39“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Safety in the Lord’s Supper.

Psalm 23:5“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

Use 3. Seek the Lord’s salvation.

Rock that was struck.

Exodus 17:6–7“Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?””

Praising the Lord for this salvation. “I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.”

Greatest enemy was ourselves, “while we were still enemies”

Enemies with God to saints of God.

[2] the Lord revealed in calamity (vv. 8-20)

Cosmic upheaval in relation to the Lord’s strength and sovereignty identified by David.

Foundations trembled, quaked

Relation to God’s Law upon Mount Sinai

Hebrews 12:18–21“For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.””

Magnitude of the Law in light of our sin

Upon our conscience leaving us without excuse

Romans 1:18“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”

Smoke, nostrils, fire

Judgment

Similar to Job 41:18–21 in relation to Leviathan, “His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn. Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth. Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.”

God’s justice and judgment in relation to saving David from Saul

1 Samuel 17.50 - Goliath

1 Sam 23.27-28 - God sending Philistines to avert Saul

1 Sam 31.4 - God removing Saul

A lifetime of salvation for David

Rode on cherub

Importance of the cherubim

Atoning mercies of God

Numbers 7:89“And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.”

Lightning and Lord’s arrows

Deuteronomy 32:23 in relation to covenant disobedience,

““ ‘And I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend my arrows on them;”

Imagery of lightning

Psalm 77:17 “The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side.”

Cosmic upheaval for salvation’s sake

Drew me out of many waters.

Similarity to Moses in Exod 2.10.

Lord drawing us to Himself, out of danger, sin

John 6:44–45“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—”

Rescued

Lord was support

Brought into broad place

Related to v. 7, place of safety.

Rescued.

Use 1. Even in calamity, or persecution, the Lord is our protector.

Protecting us from ourselves, sin.

Rescues as like Jonah, like David, like Moses, drawn out of water.

Water is judgment for unbelievers, sign of clean for believers.

Use 2. Even in calamity, or persecution, the Lord is our provider.

Providing all of our needs.

Use 3. Even in calamity, or persecution, the Lord is our portion.

Portion, full supply.

Fullness of salvation found in Christ.

Samuel Rutherford, “They lose nothing who gain Christ.”

[3] the Lord revealed in our cleanness (vv. 21-24)

Righteousness, an alien righteousness.

Cleanness of hands.

Only other use is in Psalm 18 and Job.

It is Hb word “Boor” referring to a lye

Used in soaps

Complete purity from uncleanness

Hands = power, might, strength

Kept the ways.

God’s law, statutes, emph, from Ps 119.

Not departed.

Lit. Not become wicked with regard to God’s law

Blameless.

Kept from guilt.

Iniquity, sin

Suffering servant language

Passage looks to Jesus and his righteousness

Use 1. Can you confirm you are righteous?

Or justified?

Use 2. Can you confirm your cleanness?

Use 3. Can you confirm your convictions?

To the Word of God.

To Christ and His honor?