2 Samuel 22:27
Konteks22:27 You prove to be reliable 1 to one who is blameless,
but you prove to be deceptive 2 to one who is perverse. 3
2 Samuel 22:41-42
Konteks22:41 You make my enemies retreat; 4
I destroy those who hate me.
22:42 They cry out, 5 but there is no one to help them; 6
they cry out to the Lord, 7 but he does not answer them.
[22:27] 2 tc The translation follows two medieval Hebrew
[22:27] 3 tn The adjective עִקֵּשׁ (’iqqesh) has the basic nuance “twisted; crooked,” and by extension refers to someone or something that is morally perverse. It appears frequently in Proverbs, where it is used of evil people (22:5), speech (8:8; 19:1), thoughts (11:20; 17:20) and life styles (2:15; 28:6). A righteous king opposes such people (Ps 101:4). Verses 26-27 affirm God’s justice. He responds to people in accordance with their moral character. His response mirrors their actions. The faithful and blameless find God to be loyal and reliable in his dealings with them. But deceivers discover he is able and willing to use deceit to destroy them. For a more extensive discussion of the theme of divine deception in the OT, see R. B. Chisholm, “Does God Deceive?” BSac 155 (1998): 11-28.
[22:41] 4 tn Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck” ].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” See Exod 23:27 and HALOT 888 s.v. II ערף.
[22:42] 5 tc The translation follows one medieval Hebrew
[22:42] 6 tn Heb “but there is no deliverer.”
[22:42] 7 tn The words “they cry out” are not in the Hebrew text. This reference to the psalmists’ enemies crying out for help to the