2 Samuel 22:35 (DBY)

Passage

He teacheth my hands to war, And mine arms bend a bow of brass.

Nearby Context

2 Samuel 22:33 God is my strong fortress, And he maketh my way perfectly smooth.

2 Samuel 22:34 He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], And setteth me upon my high places.

2 Samuel 22:35 He teacheth my hands to war, And mine arms bend a bow of brass.

2 Samuel 22:36 And thou didst give me the shield of thy salvation, And thy condescending gentleness hath made me great.

2 Samuel 22:37 Thou enlargedst my steps under me; And mine ankles did not slip.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "teacheth", "hands", "mine", "arms", "bend", and "brass". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "teacheth" and "hands", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 34's "He maketh my feet like hinds' feet..." into verse 36's "And thou didst give me the shield...", so "teacheth" and "hands" 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 "teacheth" and "hands" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.