The LORD is my rock,
The term "rock" signifies strength, stability, and protection. In the ancient Near East, rocks and cliffs were often used as places of refuge and defense. This metaphor highlights God's unchanging nature and reliability. Biblically, God as a "rock" is a recurring theme (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 18:31), emphasizing His role as a secure foundation. It also foreshadows Christ, who is referred to as the spiritual rock in 1 Corinthians 10:4.

my fortress,
A fortress is a fortified place offering protection from enemies. In David's time, fortresses were essential for survival against invaders. This imagery conveys God's role as a protector and refuge. The concept of God as a fortress is echoed in other scriptures (Psalm 91:2, Psalm 144:2), reinforcing the idea of divine protection and security.

and my deliverer.
Deliverance is a central theme in David's life, as he experienced numerous rescues from perilous situations. This term underscores God's active role in saving and liberating His people. The idea of God as a deliverer is prevalent throughout the Bible, seen in the Exodus narrative (Exodus 14:30) and in the ultimate deliverance through Jesus Christ, who delivers from sin and death (Colossians 1:13).

– The words come from David “on the day the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul” (2 Samuel 22:1).

– This is a personal testimony, not abstract theology. David speaks out loud so that God’s people can repeat and own these same truths (Psalm 107:2).

– Scripture often preserves such declarations to model gratitude (Psalm 34:1) and to remind the next generation of God’s acts (Deuteronomy 6:20-25).

– David names Yahweh, the covenant God who revealed Himself as “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).

– By using the divine name, he anchors his security in God’s unchanging character (Malachi 3:6).

– The focus remains on a Person, not a principle. “Know that the LORD is God. It is He who has made us” (Psalm 100:3).

– A rock is solid, immovable, dependable. “The Rock—His work is perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

– When enemies, emotions, or circumstances shift, God’s stability never does (Psalm 62:2).

– Paul links this image to Christ: “that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4), underscoring Jesus as the same sure foundation.

– A fortress protects by keeping danger out. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10).

– The picture is of walls high enough to frustrate any assault (Psalm 91:2).

– Trusting God does not insulate believers from battle, but it guarantees a secure position within the fight (Psalm 144:2).

– God not only shields; He actively rescues. “My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, my Savior—You save me from violence” (2 Samuel 22:3).

– David recalls specific deliverances—from Saul’s spear (1 Samuel 19:10), from Philistine giants (2 Samuel 21:15-17), from his own failures (Psalm 32:7).

– The pattern continues for every believer: “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness” (Colossians 1:13) and “will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18).

2 Samuel 22:2 captures David’s lived experience: the covenant LORD is immovably solid like a rock, impenetrably safe like a fortress, and actively saving as a deliverer. These three images invite believers to rest in God’s unchanging strength, take refuge in His protective care, and rejoice in His ongoing rescue—truths fully realized in Jesus Christ for all who trust Him.

Jehovah is my Cliff and my Stronghold and my Deliverer:
The God of my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My Shield and the Horn of my salvation,
My Fastness and my Place of refuge:
My Saviour: thou savest me from violence.
I call upon Jehovah, the praised One,
And I am saved from my enemies." The Syriac in ver. 2 inserts, "Fervently do I love thee, Jehovah my Strength;" but it probably only borrows the words from Psalm 18:1. For we may well believe that it was at a later period of his life, after deeper and more heart searching trials, that David thus felt his love to Jehovah only strengthened and made more necessary to him by the loss of his earthly happiness. In ver. 3, The God of my rock is changed in Psalm 18:2 into "My God my Rock" (Authorized Version, "strength") - probably an intentional alteration, as being far less rugged and startling than this bold metaphor of the Deity being his rock's God. In the original the words present each its distinct idea. Thus in ver. 2 the rock is a high cliff or precipice. It is the word sela, which gave its name to the crag city of Idumea. Fortress really means a rock, difficult of access, and forming a secure retreat. It is entirely a natural formation, and not a building. In ver. 3 rock is a vast mountainous mass (Job 18:4), and, as it suggests the ideas of grandeur and immovable might, it is often used for God's glory as being the Strength and Protection of his people (Deuteronomy 32:15, 31; Isaiah 30:29, margin). Next follow two ordinary metaphors, the shield for defence, and the horn for attack; after which David, who had so often sought safety among the cliffs and fastnesses of the mountains, returns to the same circle of thoughts, and calls God his High Tower, the word signifying, not a building, but a height, a lofty natural stronghold; and finally his Refuge, a place of safe retreat among the mountains. This and the rest of the verse are omitted in Psalm 18:2. In ver. 4 the words are as literally translated above, and signify, "Whenever call, I am saved." In all times of difficulty, prayer brings immediate deliverance.

Parallel Commentaries ...