2 Samuel 22:2

22:2 He said:

“The Lord is my high ridge, ¹  my stronghold, ²  my deliverer.

2 Samuel 22:32

22:32 Indeed, ³  who is God besides the Lord?

Who is a protector ⁴  besides our God? ⁵ 

[22:2]  ¹ tn Traditionally “is my rock”; CEV “mighty rock”; TEV “is my protector.” This metaphor pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.

[22:2]  ² tn Traditionally “my fortress”; TEV “my strong fortress”; NCV “my protection.”

[22:32]  ³ tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.

[22:32]  ⁴ tn Heb “rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor of protection.

[22:32]  ⁵ tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “No one.” In this way the psalmist indicates that the Lord is the only true God and reliable source of protection. See also Deut 32:39, where the Lord affirms that he is the only true God. Note as well the emphasis on his role as protector (צוּר, tsur, “rocky cliff”) in Deut 32:4, 15, 17-18, 30.