2 Samuel 22:42 (ASV)

Passage

They looked, but there was none to save; Even unto Jehovah, but he answered them not.

Nearby Context

2 Samuel 22:40 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

2 Samuel 22:41 Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, That I might cut off them that hate me.

2 Samuel 22:42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even unto Jehovah, but he answered them not.

2 Samuel 22:43 Then did I beat them small as the dust of the earth, I did crush them as the mire of the streets, and did spread them abroad.

2 Samuel 22:44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people; Thou hast kept me to be the head of the nations: A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "looked", "none", "save", "even", "jehovah", and "answered". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "looked" and "none", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 41's "Thou hast also made mine enemies turn..." into verse 43's "Then did I beat them small as...", so "looked" and "none" 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 "looked" and "none" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.