2 Samuel 22:13

By this description of a tempest he declareth the power of God against his enemies.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(13) Through the brightness.—Rather, Out of the brightness. The psalm (with the same correction) is more full, and perhaps the more exact representation of the original: “Out of the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. Through the brightness, &c.] Out of the brightness, &c. The lightning flashes which now burst through the dense cloud, are as it were rays of the “unapproachable light” in which He dwells. The text of Psa_18:12 is fuller and probably more correct: “Out of the brightness before him there passed through his clouds hailstones and coals of fire.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. See Gill on Psa 18:22.

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2 Samuel 22:24

sa2 22:24

sa2 22:24

sa2 22:24I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. See Gill on Psa 18:23.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Kindled. The words abju abru seem to be wanting here, as they are found in Syriac, Arabic and the Psalm. Kennicott would render this most striking image, "at the brightness of his presence his clouds removed; They kindled into colas of fire," &c. (Diss. i.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The splendour of the divine nature enveloped in clouds breaks through the dark covering in burning coals of fire. The coals of fire which burst forth, i.e., which break out in flame from the dark clouds, are the lightning which shoots forth from the dark storm-clouds in streams of fire.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

General Information:

David's song to Yahweh continues. He uses parallelism to emphasize what he is saying. (See: Parallelism)

From the lightning before him ... lightning bolts and dispersed them

David continues describing Yahweh, whom he compares to a storm, coming to save him from his enemies. This emphasizes God's power and anger towards David's enemies. (See: Metaphor)

From the lightning before him coals of fire fell

Possible meanings are 1) "Out of his bright light he sent burning coals" or 2) "From his brightness he sent lightning"

The Most High shouted. He shot arrows

David describes Yahweh doing these actions a person would do. (See: Personification)

He shot arrows ... lightning bolts

David compares the lightning from Yahweh's storm to arrows that a soldier would use. (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

Most High

bow and arrow

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

From the brightness before Him. You should not conclude that He dwells in darkness but rather it is light that is within the boundary and it is from that light that is before Him that the burning coals of fire [came forth]. [It is from there] that the arrows were shot at Mitzrayim.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.