2 Samuel 22:19 kjv
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
2 Samuel 22:19 nkjv
They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my support.
2 Samuel 22:19 niv
They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.
2 Samuel 22:19 esv
They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.
2 Samuel 22:19 nlt
They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the LORD supported me.
2 Samuel 22 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 18:18 | They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. | Near identical verse to 2 Sam 22:19. |
| Ps 46:1 | God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. | God is always available aid in times of distress. |
| Isa 41:10 | So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. | Divine presence, strengthening, upholding in fear. |
| Ps 37:23-24 | The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. | God's steadfast support prevents falling. |
| Ps 118:6 | The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? | Fearlessness stemming from God's presence. |
| Deut 33:27 | The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. | God's everlasting arms provide ultimate support. |
| Ps 9:9-10 | The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you... | God as a fortress for the troubled. |
| Ps 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | Contrast between human and divine trust. |
| Ps 27:1 | The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? | God as ultimate source of safety. |
| Ps 34:19 | The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. | God delivers from numerous afflictions. |
| Ps 61:2-3 | ...when my heart is faint, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. | God as a higher, unassailable refuge. |
| Ps 71:3 | Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go... | God as a constant place of safety. |
| Ps 121:1-2 | I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. | Help comes solely from the Creator God. |
| Prov 18:10 | The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. | God's name as a place of refuge. |
| Jer 17:7-8 | But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water... | Blessings of trusting in the Lord. |
| Rom 8:31 | What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's ultimate championship for believers. |
| Phil 4:13 | I can do all this through him who gives me strength. | Christ provides the necessary strength. |
| 2 Cor 1:9-10 | Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God... who delivered us... | Relying on God alone in face of death. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses... | God's power made perfect in human weakness. |
| Heb 13:6 | So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” | God as helper, removing fear of man. |
| Nah 1:7 | The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. | God's goodness and refuge in trouble. |
| John 16:33 | "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." | Believers will face trouble, but find peace and overcoming in Christ. |
| Eph 6:13 | Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. | God's provision for standing in evil times. |
2 Samuel 22 verses
2 Samuel 22 19 Meaning
This verse testifies to the unfailing faithfulness of the Lord, who intervened on David's behalf precisely when his enemies attacked him in his moment of greatest vulnerability and distress. Despite facing overwhelming odds and direct confrontation during a period of calamity, David declares that the Lord Himself became his steadfast and reliable support, preventing his downfall. It underscores that God's help is most evident and crucial when human strength utterly fails.
2 Samuel 22 19 Context
Second Samuel chapter 22 is a song of deliverance and praise sung by David to the Lord "on the day the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul." This entire chapter is almost identical to Psalm 18, suggesting it either served as the source for Psalm 18 or both were drawn from a common tradition. The song summarizes David's tumultuous life, characterized by numerous confrontations, persecutions, and escapes, particularly from Saul, but also from Philistines and Absalom's rebellion. Verse 19 specifically describes a common scenario for David: his adversaries attacking when he was most vulnerable, leading him to fully depend on divine intervention. This context highlights David's personal experience of God's sovereign and powerful preservation throughout a lifetime of intense warfare and adversity.
2 Samuel 22 19 Word analysis
- "They confronted me" (Hebrew: קָדְּמ֥וּנִי, qāddə·mū·nī): From the root קָדַם (qadam), meaning "to come before," "to meet," often with the implication of opposition, ambush, or a pre-emptive strike. It conveys that David's enemies directly approached or attacked him, likely with hostile intent and possibly when he was unaware or unable to prepare. It signifies a direct, unprovoked encounter meant to disadvantage him.
- "in the day of my disaster" (Hebrew: בְּי֥וֹם אֵידִ֑י, bə·yō·wm ’ê·ḏî):
- "day of": (יוֹם, yōm) Signifies a specific time or period.
- "my disaster": (אֵידִי, ’ê·ḏî) From the root אֵיד (ēyd), meaning "calamity," "ruin," "destruction," or "distress." It points to a time of profound trouble, great distress, severe trial, or a moment when David's personal resources or fortunes were at their lowest point, making him particularly susceptible to attack or ruin. It speaks of his vulnerability.
- "but the Lord" (Hebrew: וַיְהִי יְהוָה, wa·yə·hî YHWH): The conjunctive "but" (ו) acts as a strong contrast or pivot, shifting from the dire situation created by human enemies to the decisive divine action. "The Lord" (יְהוָה, YHWH), the covenant name of God, emphasizes His personal, active, and unwavering commitment to His chosen one.
- "was my support" (Hebrew: מִשְׁעָ֥ן, miš·‘ān): From the root שָׁעַן (sha‘an), meaning "to lean on," "to rely on," "to rest on." Miš‘ān denotes a "staff," "prop," or "leaning-place." It vividly portrays God as a solid, dependable, and indispensable aid, providing stability, strength, and firm standing for David when he was otherwise teetering on the brink of collapse. It conveys that God physically upheld him or empowered him to stand firm.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "They confronted me in the day of my disaster": This phrase paints a picture of intense adversity and vulnerability. It highlights the ruthlessness of David's enemies, who presumably sought to exploit his weakest moments for their advantage. The "day of disaster" signifies not just a challenge but a critical juncture, perhaps when all human help seemed to fail or when his strength was completely depleted. This underscores the severity of the trials David faced.
- "but the Lord was my support": This powerful contrast provides the resolution and main point of the verse. It asserts God's immediate and effective intervention against overwhelming odds. The divine "support" is not just passive help but active, upholding power that directly counters the force of the enemies. This emphasizes God's sovereign power, His unfailing loyalty to David, and His ability to turn a desperate situation into a testament of His saving grace, revealing Him as the ultimate source of stability and strength.
2 Samuel 22 19 Bonus section
This verse's nearly identical replication in Psalm 18:18 indicates its profound significance and truth not only for David but for all generations. It shows that David's personal experience of divine deliverance was considered so exemplary and foundational that it became part of the inspired songs of Israel's worship. This passage also serves as a potent reminder of the common Christian experience of feeling weakest right when external pressures intensify, only to find God's strength made perfect in that very weakness (as echoed in the New Testament by Paul). David's testimony here is not just historical but profoundly applicable, inviting believers to likewise proclaim God's supportive faithfulness in their own "days of disaster."
2 Samuel 22 19 Commentary
2 Samuel 22:19 serves as a profound testimony to the steadfast character of God in the face of human peril. David, reflecting on his tumultuous life, identifies a recurring pattern: his enemies would strategically target him when he was at his lowest, when his strength was depleted, or when circumstances had already conspired against him to create a "day of disaster." Such moments were intended by his adversaries to be his end, a point of no return.
However, the verse dramatically shifts from human vulnerability to divine invincibility with the stark conjunction "but." It reveals that in those very moments of ultimate distress and perceived isolation, it was the covenant-keeping God, YHWH, who stepped in. He did not merely observe or offer abstract comfort; He became David's mish'an, his literal "support" or "staff." This imagery evokes someone who is weak and about to fall, suddenly being propped up by an external, firm, and reliable pillar. God provided stability, strength, and unwavering assistance when all other resources were exhausted.
This verse therefore conveys a vital spiritual truth for all believers: God is most clearly demonstrated as our help when our own abilities are completely overwhelmed. It teaches absolute dependence on Him, not only in general life but specifically in crises engineered by adversarial forces. It celebrates divine intervention that preserves and empowers the one trusting in Him, transforming a day of disaster into a display of divine deliverance. It underscores that while adversity is certain, God's support is even more certain, ultimately triumphing over every confrontation.