This verse resembles the last part of the Hebrew title of Psa 18. It describes the occasion on which David wrote the psalm. It concerns David’s victories over his enemies and his escape from King Saul (see 1 Sam 23.7-14). The basic structure of this verse is reversed in Good News Translation, since this seems more natural in English. The expression the words of this song or “these words” (Good News Translation) need to come toward the end of the verse, since the actual words follow in the text.

These words are very much like those of Psa 18.1b (with the exception of the word for the hand [of Saul], which is a different word in the Psalm). And there David is called “the servant of the LORD,” a phrase that does not occur here. The composition is called a song (literally the words of this song).

Spoke: since this is called a song, it may be preferable in many languages to use the verb “sang” in place of this verb (so Good News Translation, New International Version, New Century Version).

Delivered: the verb used here literally means “to snatch away,” but it is often used in parallel with the verb “save” and has essentially the same meaning. Some other ways of saying this are “rescued” and “liberated.”

The word rendered hand (literally “palm”) really refers to the “power” of Saul and of David’s other adversaries. This is the meaning that should be translated in many languages. But others may take the hand as a representative of the person as a whole and speak of being delivered from Saul and from his other enemies. Note that Good News Translation reverses the order so that Saul is mentioned first, since he was the principal enemy of David during the period when this song was written. It then speaks of David’s “other enemies.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .