The Meaning of 2 Samuel 22:44 Explained

2 Samuel 22:44

KJV: Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.

YLT: And -- Thou dost deliver me From the strivings of my people, Thou placest me for a head of nations; A people I have not known do serve me.

Darby: And thou hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, Thou hast kept me to be head of the nations: A people I knew not doth serve me:

ASV: Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people; Thou hast kept me to be the head of the nations: A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou also hast delivered  me from the strivings  of my people,  thou hast kept  me [to be] head  of the heathen:  a people  [which] I knew  not shall serve  me. 

What does 2 Samuel 22:44 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 22

1  David's psalm of thanksgiving for God's deliverance and blessings

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 22:44 mean?

And You have delivered me from the strivings of my people You have kept me as the head of the nations a people not I have known shall serve me
וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵ֔נִי מֵרִיבֵ֖י עַמִּ֑י תִּשְׁמְרֵ֙נִי֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ גּוֹיִ֔ם עַ֥ם לֹא־ יָדַ֖עְתִּי יַעַבְדֻֽנִי

וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵ֔נִי  And  You  have  delivered  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: פָּלַט  
Sense: to escape, save, deliver, slip away.
מֵרִיבֵ֖י  from  the  strivings 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רִיב 
Sense: strife, controversy, dispute.
עַמִּ֑י  of  my  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
תִּשְׁמְרֵ֙נִי֙  You  have  kept  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
לְרֹ֣אשׁ  as  the  head 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
גּוֹיִ֔ם  of  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
עַ֥ם  a  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
יָדַ֖עְתִּי  I  have  known 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
יַעַבְדֻֽנִי  shall  serve  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, first person common singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.