“He said:
‘Adonai is my Rock,
my fortress and deliverer’,
the God who is my Rock,
in whom I find shelter,
my shield, the power that saves me,
my stronghold and my refuge.
My savior, you have saved
me from violence...”
-2 Samuel 22:2
From verse 2, David kicks things off with poetic elegance.
He begins by describing the Lord as his rock, fortress, and deliverer.
In the first phrase, the Hebrew word for rock is SELAH.
What does this word mean exactly?
SELAH refers to a part of a rock or a rock formation that sticks out or becomes visible above the surface of the ground, but is located on a high place.
That “located on a high place” part is key.
Why?
Because it’s meant to convey a picture of the Lord whisking us away from the dangers below and placing us above them, where we will be secure and protected.
This dovetails perfectly with the description of the Lord also being David’s fortress and Deliverer.
Remember, in the Biblical era, the people believed that their gods dwelt on mountaintops.
That’s why the first Biblical name given to the Lord is EL SHADDAI.
It literally means “God of the Mountain.”
Ya feeling me?
The second word for rock used in this passage is TSUR.
This word actually shows up quite frequently in the Scriptures.
It’s the same as our word “boulder” in English.
It expresses the Lord’s stability and strength.
I’m reminded of these words from the prophet Isaiah:
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.”
-Isaiah 43:10-11
In those verses from Isaiah, we are reminded of the utter uniqueness of our Father-in-Heaven, and how there is no other being in heaven nor earth to compare to him.
This leads to our takeaway for today and something I’ve brought up many times before.
The Lord’s formal name YOD-HEI-VAV-HEI is being expressed over and over again here.
So don’t be fooled whenever you see the generic terms “God,” “Lord,” or ADONAI.
Those words are just masking what’s really written.
There are only two ways to distinguish the God we worship from the pagan gods of the Gentiles:
By His Name and His attributes.
That’s it.
That’s how we know our God is NOT the same being as ALLAH, whom the Muslims worship.
Done.
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