2 Samuel 22 20

2 Samuel 22:20 kjv

He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

2 Samuel 22:20 nkjv

He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

2 Samuel 22:20 niv

He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

2 Samuel 22:20 esv

He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

2 Samuel 22:20 nlt

He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.

2 Samuel 22 verses

2 Samuel 22 20 Meaning

2 Samuel 22:20 is a verse from David's song of deliverance, a psalm celebrating God's salvation. It proclaims that the Lord brought David out of distress and restriction into a place of freedom and security. The foundational reason for this divine intervention is not David's merit but God's sovereign delight and good pleasure in him. It highlights God's initiative in rescuing His chosen ones based purely on His loving favor.

2 Samuel 22 20 Context

This verse is part of David's song of praise and thanksgiving, recorded in 2 Samuel chapter 22. This psalm closely parallels Psalm 18, expressing David's gratitude for God's mighty deliverance from all his enemies, including King Saul. The psalm is placed at a significant point in the book of Samuel, serving as a climactic reflection on David's entire career as king. It encapsulates his personal testimony of God's faithfulness amidst relentless opposition and deep personal trials. The context underscores that David's survival and success were not due to his own strength or ingenuity but entirely to the powerful and unwavering intervention of God.

2 Samuel 22 20 Word analysis

• He brought me forth (וַיּוֹצִאֵ֥נִי – vay-yo-tzi-e-ni): This phrase from the Hebrew root yatsa (to go out, to bring forth) signifies a powerful, decisive act of extraction. It portrays God actively intervening to remove David from a dangerous or restrictive situation. The "He" is emphatic, highlighting divine agency.
• also (גַּם – gam): This small word intensifies the preceding declaration, suggesting that this deliverance was in addition to, or perhaps the ultimate expression of, all the ways God had worked for him.
• into a broad place (לַמֶּרְחָ֥ב – lam-merchav): The term merchav denotes expansiveness, amplitude, or wide open space. It stands in direct contrast to "distress" or "narrow straits," which characterized David's persecution. It signifies safety, freedom, security, and the absence of any constriction, metaphorically representing release from peril and establishment in a secure position.
• He delivered me (וַיְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי – va-y’chal-tze-ni): The verb chalats means to draw out, rescue, loose, or extricate. It conveys the idea of God actively freeing David from entanglement or confinement. It implies a precise and effective rescue operation.
• because (כִּ֣י – ki): This conjunction clearly indicates the reason or basis for God's preceding actions. It signals the theological crux of the verse.
• He delighted in me (חָפֵ֥ץ בִּֽי – chaphets bi): This is a pivotal phrase. The Hebrew verb chaphets carries the meaning of deep pleasure, desire, favor, or choosing. It is not a casual liking but an act of sovereign will and affectionate choice. It emphasizes that God's deliverance of David stemmed not from David's perfection or merit, but from God's own free, gracious, and purposeful favor and love toward him. This "delight" is indicative of a covenantal relationship, an elective love that initiates and sustains the relationship.
• "He brought me forth... He delivered me": This pairing underscores the comprehensiveness of God's salvific work—both taking him out of danger and establishing him in security. It's a full rescue.
• "broad place... because He delighted in me": This connection reveals that the freedom and safety David experienced were direct results of God's favor. It posits divine delight as the primary mover in all God's beneficial actions towards His servant.

2 Samuel 22 20 Bonus section

The phrase "broad place" (merchav) is a significant biblical metaphor. It's often used to describe freedom from adversity, security, prosperity, and God's provision. It is the antithesis of a "tight spot" or "distress" (tsar). This imagery powerfully conveys a holistic salvation—not just escape from danger but establishment in abundant living. Furthermore, David's recognition that God "delighted in him" prefigures God's ultimate delight in His Son, Jesus, the perfect "Servant" in whom the Father is "well pleased," highlighting a continuous thread of divine favor being the ultimate basis for redemption and blessing throughout redemptive history.

2 Samuel 22 20 Commentary

2 Samuel 22:20 profoundly expresses the essence of God's relationship with His chosen. David, having faced relentless life-threatening challenges, attributes his complete rescue and establishment in security entirely to the Lord. The transition from "distress" (implied by the deliverance to a "broad place") to "broad place" signifies a move from existential threat and constriction to absolute freedom, safety, and prosperity. The remarkable insight of this verse lies in its articulation of why God acted: not because David earned it, but "because He delighted in me." This divine delight (Hebrew: chaphets) transcends mere pleasure; it is a profound, active, and covenantal love, an electing favor. It implies God's good pleasure to choose and sustain His relationship with David, ensuring his well-being despite his circumstances or even his shortcomings. This principle resonates throughout Scripture: God's salvation is initiated by His gracious choice and steadfast love, demonstrating His sovereign freedom and unmerited favor. This serves as a powerful testament to God's character and an encouragement to all who trust in His faithful, loving care.