2 Samuel 22 7

2 Samuel 22:7 kjv

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

2 Samuel 22:7 nkjv

In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears.

2 Samuel 22:7 niv

"In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.

2 Samuel 22:7 esv

"In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.

2 Samuel 22:7 nlt

But in my distress I cried out to the LORD;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.

2 Samuel 22 verses

2 Samuel 22 7 Meaning

This verse powerfully declares King David's profound trust in God during periods of severe distress. It encapsulates a consistent pattern in David's life: in the face of overwhelming trouble, he turns to the LORD with an earnest and urgent plea. The verse then affirms God's immediate and effective response, illustrating that the Almighty, from His majestic dwelling, attentively hears and responds to the sincere cries of His servant. It portrays a dynamic, personal relationship where God is not distant but intimately involved in the suffering and deliverance of His anointed one.

2 Samuel 22 7 Context

2 Samuel 22 is a profound psalm of thanksgiving attributed to David, mirroring Psalm 18 almost identically. This song is given "in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul." This crucial context reveals that the chapter is not a cry during distress but a retrospective celebration after numerous deliverances. David, looking back over a lifetime filled with battles, betrayals, and perils—from Saul's relentless pursuit to various military campaigns and personal afflictions—recounts how God consistently responded to his pleas. Therefore, verse 7 acts as a summary of David's entire experience of God's faithfulness, serving as a powerful testament to prayer and divine intervention. It encapsulates the deep spiritual dynamic of David's kingship, portraying him not just as a warrior, but as a man whose primary reliance was on the Almighty.

2 Samuel 22 7 Word analysis

• In my distress: Hebrew batzar li (בַּצַּר־לִ֗י). The word tzar (צַר) literally means "narrow" or "cramped place," which powerfully conveys the feeling of being pressed in, hemmed in, or under severe constraint. It speaks of acute anguish, affliction, and oppressive circumstances from which escape seems impossible without divine intervention. It's not just discomfort, but a state of overwhelming confinement and crisis.
• I called upon: Hebrew eqra (אֶקְרָ֥א). From the root qara' (קָרָא), meaning "to call," "to cry out," "to proclaim," or "to summon." This is an active and deliberate act of seeking. It implies a conscious invocation of the divine, acknowledging God's authority and ability to intervene. This form emphasizes an immediate and decisive action in response to distress.
• the LORD: Hebrew YHWH (יהוה). This is God's covenant name, representing His personal, self-existent, and relational character. By calling upon YHWH, David is appealing to the God of Israel, the one who made promises, established a covenant, and has demonstrated Himself to be faithful and powerful throughout history. This is distinct from appealing to any generic deity.
• to my God: Hebrew el Elohai (אֶל־אֱלֹהָ֥י). Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is a general term for God or a deity, but with the possessive suffix "-ai" (my), it transforms into a deeply personal declaration: "my God." This expresses a unique, intimate, and exclusive relationship, rooted in covenant. David is not merely addressing a powerful entity, but his powerful entity, on whom he has personally depended.
• I cried for help: Hebrew eshva (אֶשְׁוַע). From the root shava' (שָׁוַע), meaning "to cry out for help" or "to make a loud cry for deliverance." This word suggests a more desperate, intense, and emotional outpouring than merely "calling." It indicates a plea of last resort, an urgent shriek for salvation from danger.
• From his temple: Hebrew meheikhalo (מֵהֵיכָל֗וֹ). The word heikhal (הֵיכָל) can refer to a palace or a temple. Given that Solomon's Temple had not yet been built during much of David's active life, this must refer primarily to God's heavenly dwelling or His cosmic palace, where He reigns sovereignly. It emphasizes God's transcendence – His abode is not limited to an earthly structure, but from His glorious celestial throne, He oversees and intervenes in creation.
• he heard my voice: Hebrew yishma qoli (יִשְׁמַ֥ע קוֹלִֽי). Shama' (שָׁמַע) means "to hear," but often implies more than just perceiving sound; it includes listening attentively, understanding, and even obeying or responding. God actively listens. "My voice" (קוֹלִי) indicates the very sound of David's pleading words, affirming that his direct address was not lost or ignored.
• and my cry came into his ears: Hebrew u'shav'ati b'oznav (וְשַׁוְעָתִ֖י בְאׇזְנָֽיו). This phrase echoes and reinforces the previous one. Shav'ati (שַׁוְעָתִי) is "my cry for help" (from the same root as eshva). The use of anthropomorphism – "into his ears" – makes God's attentiveness vividly concrete for human understanding. It portrays an active, direct reception of David's desperate plea by God, signifying His full comprehension and intention to respond, removing any doubt of His engagement.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help.": This parallelism demonstrates David's total turning to God in extremity. The two phrases intensify the act of calling (from "called" to "cried for help") and the object of faith (from "the LORD" – His covenant name – to "my God" – His personal relationship). It highlights both the desperate situation and the exclusive reliance on God for deliverance.
• "From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came into his ears.": This segment describes God's divine reception of the prayer. The repeated affirmation of "hearing" ("he heard," "came into his ears") emphasizes the certainty and completeness of God's attentiveness. "From his temple" establishes God's transcendent origin of intervention, confirming that the powerful ruler of the universe hears even the individual cries of His servants. This entire part confirms the efficacy of earnest prayer addressed to the living God.

2 Samuel 22 7 Bonus section

The nearly identical wording of 2 Samuel 22:7 to Psalm 18:6 highlights the shared theological core and canonical emphasis on God's responsiveness to the distressed. This is not a mere textual duplication but an affirmation that this truth is central to biblical understanding of God's nature and covenant faithfulness. The concept of God hearing from "His temple" (or "holy temple" in Pss 18:6) also counters polytheistic and idolatrous beliefs prevalent in David's era. Idols were mute and deaf; they had ears but could not hear. David's God, YHWH, in stark contrast, actively listens and intervenes from His cosmic dwelling, proving His living and true nature against the impotence of false gods (cf. Pss 115). This verse therefore not only celebrates God's personal attentiveness but also serves as a polemical statement, declaring the living God's unparalleled sovereignty and efficacy compared to lifeless deities. It is the very foundation for the confidence of believers who approach God's throne of grace.

2 Samuel 22 7 Commentary

2 Samuel 22:7 is a vibrant confession of faith born from a lifetime of experienced deliverances. David, having navigated countless perils by divine aid, retrospectively testifies to God's unshakeable faithfulness. The depth of "distress" underscores the critical need that drove David to prayer, portraying circumstances that demanded supernatural intervention. His choice to call upon "YHWH" and "my God" reveals a covenantal and personal intimacy, not just a vague hope. Crucially, "From his temple" points to God's heavenly throne, not an earthly sanctuary, affirming that God's power and ability to hear transcend any physical limitation or human construction. God is not distant or limited; He is the sovereign, omnipresent Lord who bends His ear to His children's cries. This verse serves as an enduring reminder that sincere, desperate prayer, directed to the living God, is always heard and always occasions divine response. It is a profound declaration of God's character as a present, listening, and delivering Father, establishing a pattern for believers across all generations.

• Example 1: When a believer faces an insurmountable financial crisis and fervently prays, remembering David's desperate cries.
• Example 2: A missionary in a dangerous land, surrounded by threats, who clings to this truth that God hears from His heavenly dwelling.
• Example 3: One suffering chronic illness, when all human avenues are exhausted, turning with the deepest "cry for help" to the LORD, believing His ear is open.