Era 6 · The First Kings2 Samuel
David's Song of Deliverance
"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer"
"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation… When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid… In my distress I called upon the LORD… and he did hear my voice out of his temple."
"Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved… He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind… He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters."
"With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful… As for God, his way is perfect… For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?… Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great… He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore."
One song, two versions
| Verse | 2 Samuel 22 | Psalm 18 |
|---|---|---|
| 22:2 / 18:1–2 | "The LORD is my rock" | Begins "I will love thee, O LORD, my strength" |
| 22:11 / 18:10 | "He was seen (vayyera) upon the wings of the wind" | "He did fly (vayyede) upon the wings of the wind" |
| 22:12 / 18:11 | "Darkness pavilions round about him" | "Darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him" |
| 22:36 / 18:35 | Lacks "thy right hand hath holden me up" | Has it |
Hebrew ר (r) and ד (d) look alike, which explains "seen" and "fly" in 22:11. Other differences are poetic variations. Psalm 18 counts its title as a verse in Hebrew, so its verse numbers are one higher than in English Bibles. See the passage page.
The storm-god language
God riding a cherub, thundering, and shooting lightning as arrows uses the imagery of the divine warrior known from Canaanite storm-god poetry (Baal "rider of the clouds"). It is theological poetry. Readings of it as a description of flying machines have no basis.
When was it written?
The song has archaic features; many scholars date its core early, perhaps to the 10th–9th centuries BC, while others see later editing. Whether David composed it is a matter of tradition and debate.
The Case for the Biblical Account
Scripture's account
David's song (2 Samuel 22; Psalm 18).
What evidence would we expect?
Ancient royal thanksgiving hymns; divine-warrior imagery.
The discoveries
Ugaritic storm-god poetry; Egyptian and Mesopotamian royal hymns; Psalm 18 in Qumran psalms manuscripts.
Testing the discoveries
The genre and imagery fit the ancient world; authorship cannot be tested.
The strongest reconstruction
An old royal psalm preserved in two lines of transmission.
What remains possible
That David wrote it.
What the evidence shows
- 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18 differ in many small details.
- David composed the song.
- The song describes flying machines. Speculation only.
Continue the journey
Journey of a Passage2 Samuel 22; Psalm 18: One song in two booksDavid's song is preserved twice, in 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18, with dozens of small differences.More from this lesson
Echoes Across Civilizations
Optional: how other ancient peoples told similar stories. Open one to compare, then come back to the lesson.
The God who marches out to battleCanaanite (Ugarit) · Assyrian · Israelite
Did other ancient peoples sing of a god who comes from his mountain in storm, shaking the earth, with heaven fighting for his people?
- Canaanite (Ugarit): Baal the storm god Shared literary world
- Assyrian: Royal inscriptions of the storm god Adad Resemblance only
- Israelite: "YHWH of Teman" Possible historical contact
Also covered: A battle in the sky?, clearly labeled as a modern theory.
Compare side by side →Why this matters to the rest of Scripture
- The parallel psalm.
- Hannah's song.
- The Song of the Sea.
- Paul quotes 22:50 / Psalm 18:49.