What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 22:6? The cords of Sheol – David pictures the realm of the dead (“Sheol”) as having cords or ropes that reach upward to seize the living. Psalm 18:4 echoes, “The cords of death encompassed me.” In Jonah 2:5 the prophet describes similar peril under God’s discipline. These passages confirm that Scripture treats Sheol as a real place, not mere metaphor, highlighting the seriousness of sin’s penalty—separation from God and life (Romans 6:23). entangled me – “Entangled” conveys helpless immobilization. David’s situation (2 Samuel 22:1) left him unable to escape by his own power, whether from Saul’s relentless pursuit (1 Samuel 23:26-28) or later enemies. Psalm 40:12 notes, “My sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see,” reminding us that both external threats and personal sin can trap us. Yet in every instance God remains the only sure Deliverer (Psalm 34:17). the snares of death – A snare is a hunter’s hidden trap. David sensed death lying in wait at each step (1 Samuel 20:3). Hebrews 2:14-15 affirms that Satan wields the fear of death as bondage, while John 10:10 reveals Christ’s purpose to give life in place of death’s theft and destruction. The phrase underscores death’s active hostility toward God’s people. confronted me – David felt death “confronting” him face-to-face, leaving no retreat. In Psalm 116:3 the same wording appears, “The cords of death encompassed me, and the anguish of Sheol laid hold of me.” Yet immediately afterward comes deliverance: “Then I called on the name of the LORD” (Psalm 116:4). Scripture consistently pairs mortal peril with divine rescue, teaching reliance on God’s intervention rather than human ingenuity (2 Corinthians 1:9-10). summary 2 Samuel 22:6 portrays David’s utter helplessness: death was tightening cords, trapping him in snares, and standing before him as an implacable foe. The verse magnifies the reality of both physical and spiritual death, while setting the stage for God’s dramatic salvation described in the surrounding passage (22:7-20). Believers today are reminded that though death and Sheol threaten, the Lord who delivered David—and who in Christ conquered the grave (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)—still rescues all who call on His name. |
    |