2 Samuel 22:18 (ASV)

Passage

He delivered me from my strong enemy, From them that hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

Nearby Context

2 Samuel 22:16 Then the channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare, By the rebuke of Jehovah, At the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

2 Samuel 22:17 He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters;

2 Samuel 22:18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From them that hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

2 Samuel 22:19 They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.

2 Samuel 22:20 He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "delivered", "strong", "enemy", "hated", and "mighty". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "delivered" and "strong", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "He sent from on high he took..." into verse 19's "They came upon me in the day...", so "delivered" and "strong" belong inside that flow. In 2 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "delivered" and "strong" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.