2 Samuel 22:4 — Word Study
WLCמְהֻלָּ֖ל אֶקְרָ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃
BSAI will call uponqârâʼ▸ [cry out, send up my cry] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah] ◂[who is worthy] to be praisedhâlal [deserves, should be, celebrated, honored] so shall I be savedyâshaʻ▸ [delivered, rescued] from my enemiesʼôyêb [those who hate me, adversaries]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מְהֻלָּ֖ל | [the one] to be praised | Verb, Pual, participle (passive) masculine singular |
| אֶקְרָ֣א | I called out to | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| יְהוָ֑ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י | and from enemies my | Conjunction, preposition, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common |
| אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃ | I am delivered | Verb, Niphal, imperfect first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. |
| KJV | I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. |
| ASV | I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies. |
| YLT | The Praised One, I call Jehovah: And from mine enemies I am saved. |
| WEB | I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. |
| BBE | I will send up my cry to the Lord, who is to be praised; so will I be made safe from those who are against me. |
Where they part company is מְהֻלָּ֖ל — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by a relative clause and a result clause, emphasizing the relationship between calling upon God and the assurance of salvation.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָלַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 2 Samuel 22:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — David's Song of Deliverancegenerated
2 Samuel 22:4 is part of a song of praise by David, celebrating God's deliverance from his enemies. This verse emphasizes the relationship between calling upon God and experiencing His saving power. It reflects a common theme in the Psalms, where the faithful cry out to God for help and acknowledge His greatness and worthiness of praise.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 116:2–4 | Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. |
| 2 | Nehemiah 9:5 | Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. |
| 3 | Psalm 18:3 | I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. |
| 4 | Psalm 66:2 | Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious. |
| 5 | Psalm 106:2 | Who can describe the mighty acts of the LORD or fully proclaim His praise? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מְהֻלָּ֖ל, me.hu.Lalgenerated
The word מְהֻלָּ֖ל (mehu.lal) is a passive participle from the root הָלַל (halal), which means 'to shine' or 'to praise.' It indicates someone or something that deserves to be praised or celebrated. In this context, it highlights God's inherent worthiness to receive honor and acclaim.
The passive form indicates that God is the recipient of praise rather than the one doing the praising. This emphasizes that God's nature and actions warrant recognition and celebration, aligning with the overall theme of reliance on Him for deliverance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb אֶקְרָ֣א ('ek.Ra', I will call) governs the verse, with two clauses connected to it: the first clause identifies the object of the call, and the second clause expresses the result of the action. The structure emphasizes the act of calling upon God and the resulting assurance of salvation.
The first clause, אֶקְרָ֣א יְהוָ֑ה (I will call upon the LORD), places emphasis on the act of calling, while the second clause, אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ (I shall be saved), highlights the outcome of that call.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מְהֻלָּ֖ל as αἰνετὸν (aineton), which conveys the idea of something that is praiseworthy. This choice reflects a direct connection to the concept of praise and honor, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while also emphasizing the nature of God as deserving of such recognition.
The Greek word κύριον (kurion) is used for יְהוָ֑ה, reinforcing the understanding of God as the Lord, who is to be called upon in times of need.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 22:4 shows David declaring his intention to call out to the LORD, whom he recognizes as worthy of praise. He is confident that by doing so, he will be saved from his enemies. This verse illustrates the connection between worship and divine deliverance.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To call upon the LORD means to cry out to God for help, recognizing His power and authority.
God is worthy to be praised because of His nature, His actions in history, and His faithfulness to His people.
This verse emphasizes that calling upon God leads to salvation and deliverance from adversaries.
We learn the importance of relying on God in times of trouble and acknowledging His greatness through praise.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what situations do I find myself needing to call upon God for help?
- How can I actively acknowledge God's worthiness to be praised in my daily life?
- What does it mean for me to be saved from my enemies in a modern context?
- How can I encourage others to call upon God in their times of need?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 22:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI will call on the Lord, [who is] worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. [See comments on Psalms 18:3].
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised - i:e., who is a Being of transcendent excellence.
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. I will call … so shall I be saved] Better, I called … and I was saved. The tenses are frequentative, describing David’s habitual experience of God’s readiness to answer prayer. This verse presents “the theme of the Psalm.”
Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 22 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.
I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.
I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was delivered from my enemies.
Tyndale line
I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies.
I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praysed: so shall I be safe from mine enemies.
Strictly literal
I will call upon Jehovah, who is to be praised; So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
The Praised One, I call Jehovah: And from mine enemies I am saved.
I call on YHWH, [who is worthy] to be praised: And I am saved from my enemies.
Praised, I cried, be the Lord, and from my enemies was I saved.
I will call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised, and I will be saved from my enemies.
From the Latin
I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised: and I shall be saved from my enemies.
Simplified
I call for help from the Lord, who should be praised, and he saves me from those who hate me.
I will send up my cry to the Lord, who is to be praised; so will I be made safe from those who are against me.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of 2 Samuel 22:4 reads, "מְהֻלָּ֖ל אֶקְרָ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃" which translates to, "I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in all five words, maintaining the same essential meaning and structure, although the word order may differ slightly due to the nature of Greek syntax. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text's wording in this instance, confirming the consistency across these ancient witnesses.
מְהֻלָּ֖ל אֶקְרָ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 2 Samuel 22:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word הָלַל (halal) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to shining, boasting, and foolishness. It can signify to praise or celebrate, often in a clamorously foolish manner, and includes the idea of making a boast or being made a fool of. The entries indicate a range of uses, from expressing God's favor to acting madly.
[הָלַל] vb. shine
Qal when it, viz. his lamp, shone upon my head, fig. of God’s favour.
Hiph. flash forth light
base
[הָלַל] vb. be boastful, Pi. praise
Qal be boastful
Pi.
praise man or woman
usually praise י׳
appar. boast, make one’s boast
Pu. be praised
Hithpa. glory, boast, make one’s boast
Po‛el make into a fool, make a fool of
Po‛al of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)
Hithpo. act madly, or like a madman
base
H1984a הָלַל shine H1984b הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise H1984c הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise .be boastful
. . praise man or woman
. usually praise י׳
. appar. boast, make one’s boast
. be praised
. glory, boast, make one’s boast
.make into a fool, make a fool of
.of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)
. act madly, or like a madman
1984 halal haw-lal'
a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of
color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to
be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate;
also to stultify:--(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend,
(deal, make), fool(- ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make,
feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy
of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.
הָלַל (ha.lal) — to shine.
1) to shine
1a) (Qal) to shine (fig. of God's favour)
1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light
הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: praise.
: praise
1) to praise, boast, be boastful
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be boastful
1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to praise
1b2) to boast, make a boast
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise
1d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one's boast
הָלַל (ha.lal) — to be foolish.
1) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool
1f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman
הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: boast.
: boast
1) to praise, boast, be boastful
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be boastful
1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to praise
1b2) to boast, make a boast
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise
V-Pual-Inf-c — Verb · Pual · participle (passive) masculine singularHVPsmsa
The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read
Qal
call, cry, utter a loud sound
call, cry
call unto some one
cry for help
proclaim
read aloud
read to oneself
summon
call = name
Niph.
reflex.
pass. be called
Pu. be called
base
H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound
. call, cry
. . call unto some one
. cry for help
. proclaim
. . read aloud
. read to oneself
. summon
. call = name
. . reflex.
. pass. be called
. be called
7121 qara' kaw-raw'
a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea
of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,
address by name, but used in a wide variety of
applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,
forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,
mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),
pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
see HEBREW for 07122
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.
: call_to/invite/entreat
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow
1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to call oneself
1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named
1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.
: call_by/name
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
אֹיֵב (oyeb) means 'enemy' or 'foe,' indicating hostility. It can refer to personal or national adversaries. The word is derived from the active participle of another root, אָיַב (ayab), which also conveys the sense of being hostile.
[אָיַב] 283 vb. be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)
base
H341 אָיַב be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)
341 'oyeb o-yabe'
or (fully) owyeb {o-yabe'}; active participle of 340;
hating; an adversary:--enemy, foe.
see HEBREW for 0340
אֹיֵב (o.yev) — enemy.
1) (Qal) enemy
1a) personal
1b) national
Conj | Prep | V-Qal | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHC/R/Vqrmpc/Sp1bs
יָשַׁע (yasha`) is a Hebrew root meaning to save or deliver. It encompasses various forms of salvation, including liberation from physical and moral troubles, victory in battle, and general safety. The word can appear in different grammatical forms, such as Niph. (to be saved) and Hiph. (to save).
[יָשַׁע] vb. Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass.
Niph.
be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)
be saved in battle, victorious
Hiph.
deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)
save from moral troubles
give victory to
base
H3467 [יָשַׁע] Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass. . . be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)
. be saved in battle, victorious
. . deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)
. save from moral troubles
. give victory to
3467 yasha` yaw-shah'
a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e.
(by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or
succor:--X at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help,
preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation,
save(-iour), get victory.
יָשַׁע (ya.sah) — to save.
1) to save, be saved, be delivered
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be liberated, be saved, be delivered
1a2) to be saved (in battle), be victorious
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to save, deliver
1b2) to save from moral troubles
1b3) to give victory to
V-Niphal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Niphal · imperfect first person common singularHVNi1cs