WHO IS THE ROCK EXCEPT OUR GOD?

Passage: 2 Samuel 22:31-51

Key verse: 32

NIV

31 “As for God, his way is perfect:(A)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(B)
    he shields(C) all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the Lord?
    And who is the Rock(D) except our God?(E)
33 It is God who arms me with strength[a]
    and keeps my way secure.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(F)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(G)
35 He trains my hands(H) for battle;
    my arms can bend a bow(I) of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield;(J)
    your help has made[b] me great.
37 You provide a broad path(K) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.

38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed(L) them completely, and they could not rise;
    they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries before me.(M)
41 You made my enemies turn their backs(N) in flight,
    and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help,(O) but there was no one to save them—(P)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(Q)
43 I beat them as fine as the dust(R) of the earth;
    I pounded and trampled(S) them like mud(T) in the streets.

44 “You have delivered(U) me from the attacks of the peoples;
    you have preserved(V) me as the head of nations.
People(W) I did not know now serve me,
45     foreigners cower(X) before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.(Y)
46 They all lose heart;
    they come trembling[c](Z) from their strongholds.

47 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
    Exalted(AA) be my God, the Rock, my Savior!(AB)
48 He is the God who avenges(AC) me,(AD)
    who puts the nations under me,
49     who sets me free from my enemies.(AE)
You exalted me(AF) above my foes;
    from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing the praises(AG) of your name.(AH)

51 “He gives his king great victories;(AI)
    he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,(AJ)
    to David(AK) and his descendants forever.”(AL)

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Samuel 22:33 Dead Sea Scrolls, some Septuagint manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:32); Masoretic Text who is my strong refuge
  2. 2 Samuel 22:36 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text shield; / you stoop down to make
  3. 2 Samuel 22:46 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text they arm themselves
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

31 This God—(A)his way is perfect;
    the (B)word of the Lord proves true;
    he is (C)a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

32 “For who is God, but the Lord?
    (D)And who is a rock, except our God?
33 This God is my (E)strong refuge
    and has made my[a] way blameless.[b]
34 (F)He made my feet like the feet of a deer
    and set me secure (G)on the heights.
35 (H)He trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your gentleness made me great.
37 (I)You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet[c] did not slip;
38 I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,
    and did not turn back until they were consumed.
39 I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise;
    they fell (J)under my feet.
40 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
    you made (K)those who rise against me sink under me.
41 You (L)made my enemies turn their backs to me,[d]
    those who hated me, and I destroyed them.
42 They looked, but there was none to save;
    they cried to the Lord, but (M)he did not answer them.
43 I beat them fine (N)as the dust of the earth;
    I crushed them and stamped them down (O)like the mire of the streets.

44 “You delivered me from strife with my people;[e]
    you kept me as the head of (P)the nations;
    (Q)people whom I had not known served me.
45 Foreigners came cringing to me;
    as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.
46 Foreigners lost heart
    and came trembling[f] (R)out of their fortresses.

47 “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be (S)my God, (T)the rock of my salvation,
48 the God who gave me vengeance
    and (U)brought down peoples under me,
49 who brought me out from my enemies;
    you exalted me above (V)those who rose against me;
    you delivered me from (W)men of violence.

50 (X)“For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
    and sing praises to your name.
51 (Y)Great salvation he brings[g] to his king,
    and shows steadfast love to (Z)his anointed,
    to David and his offspring (AA)forever.”

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Samuel 22:33 Or his; also verse 34
  2. 2 Samuel 22:33 Compare Psalm 18:32; Hebrew he has blamelessly set my way free, or he has made my way spring up blamelessly
  3. 2 Samuel 22:37 Hebrew ankles
  4. 2 Samuel 22:41 Or You gave me my enemies' necks
  5. 2 Samuel 22:44 Septuagint with the peoples
  6. 2 Samuel 22:46 Compare Psalm 18:45; Hebrew equipped themselves
  7. 2 Samuel 22:51 Or He is a tower of salvation
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. God empowered David (31-46) God's way is not just good. It is perfect. His word is more than beneficial. It is flawless. His plan for us is beyond our imaginations and all his promises will be fulfilled. God alone is the Rock! He enabled David to be the king over Israel and in the same way he enables us to preach the gospel of Jesus to all the nations. Look at the words David uses in verses 33-37. This is how God equips his people. The Lord actively works to strengthen, make, stand, train, keep, help, and provide for his servants. The result in David's case was an overwhelming victory over his enemies. Even foreigners trembled and cowered before him. 2. A great victory (47-51) The Lord lives! Let's rejoice with David. Praise be to my Rock! Let's also look beyond David's kingdom. Verse 51 says, "He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever." This is a prophecy about the Messiah. Everything that was true of David has an even greater fulfillment in Jesus, who is the Son of David and our eternal King. He is the one whom God has avenged, freeing him from all his enemies and placing the nations under his feet. Jesus reigns in victory and unfailing kindness.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are our Rock and Salvation. We will praise your name forever!

One Word: God is our Rock