2 Samuel 22:5 (GNV)

Passage

For the pangs of death haue compassed me: the floods of vngodlinesse haue made mee afrayd.

Nearby Context

2 Samuel 22:3 God is my strength, in him will I trust: my shielde, and the horne of my saluation, my hie tower and my refuge: my Sauiour, thou hast saued me from violence.

2 Samuel 22:4 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praysed: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.

2 Samuel 22:5 For the pangs of death haue compassed me: the floods of vngodlinesse haue made mee afrayd.

2 Samuel 22:6 The sorowes of the graue compassed mee about: the snares of death ouertooke mee.

2 Samuel 22:7 But in my tribulation did I call vpon the Lord, and crie to my God, and he did heare my voyce out of his temple, and my crie did enter into his eares.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "pangs", "death", "haue", "compassed", "floods", "vngodlinesse", and "afrayd". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "pangs" and "death", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "I will call on the Lord who..." into verse 6's "The sorowes of the graue compassed mee...", so "pangs" and "death" 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 "pangs" and "death" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.