2 Samuel 22:34

22:34 He gives me the agility of a deer; ¹ 

he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. ² 

2 Samuel 22:43

22:43 I grind them as fine as the dust of the ground;

I crush them and stomp on them like clay ³  in the streets.

2 Samuel 23:6

23:6 But evil people are like thorns –

all of them are tossed away,

for they cannot be held in the hand.

[22:34]  ¹ tc Heb “[the one who] makes his feet like [those of] a deer.” The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading רַגְלַי (raglai, “my feet”) rather than the MT רַגְלָיו (raglav, “his feet”). See as well Ps 18:33.

[22:34]  ² tn Heb “and on my high places he makes me walk.” The imperfect verbal form emphasizes God’s characteristic provision. The psalmist compares his agility in battle to the ability of a deer to negotiate rugged, high terrain without falling or being injured. Habakkuk uses similar language to describe his faith during difficult times. See Hab 3:19.

[22:43]  ³ tn Or “mud” (so NAB, NIV, CEV). See HALOT 374 s.v. טִיט.