2 Samuel 22:44

You rescue me from a hostile army; ¹  you preserve me as a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. ² 

"You have delivered me from the attacks of my people; you have preserved me as the head of nations. People I did not know are subject to me,

"You have also delivered me from the contentions of my people; You have kept me as head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me.

"You gave me victory over my accusers. You preserved me as the ruler over nations; people I don’t even know now serve me.

You rescued me from a squabbling people; you made me a leader of nations. People I'd never heard of served me;

You have made me free from the fightings of my people; you have made me the head of the nations: a people of whom I had no knowledge will be my servants.

You delivered me from strife with the peoples; you kept me as the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.

"You have also delivered me from the strivings of my people; You have kept me as the head of the nations. A people I have not known shall serve me.

You rescue me from a hostile army; ¹  you preserve me as a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. ² 

¹ tn Heb “from the strivings of my people.” In this context רִיב (riv, “striving”) probably has a militaristic sense (as in Judg 12:2; Isa 41:11), and עַם (’am, “people”) probably refers more specifically to an army (for other examples, see the verses listed in BDB 766 s.v. עַם 2.d). The suffix “my” suggests David is referring to attacks by his own countrymen, the “people” being Israel. However, the parallel text in Ps 18:43 omits the suffix.

² tn Heb “a people whom I did not know serve me.” In this context the verb “know” (יָדַע, yada’) probably refers to formal recognition by treaty. People who were once not under the psalmist’s authority now willingly submit to his rulership to avoid being conquered militarily (see vv. 45-46). The language may recall the events recorded in 2 Sam 8:9-10 and 10:19.