In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

2 SAMUEL 22:7KJV
Know the Bible

2 Samuel 22:7 (KJV)

What does 2 Samuel 22:7 mean?

2 Samuel 22:7 means that when David was in deep trouble, he called out to the LORD for help, and God listened to his cry from His holy place. The verse shows that David’s prayers were truly heard by God, even from heaven itself.

David is the speaker here, reflecting on a time of great distress when he felt overwhelmed by danger or enemies. He describes how he turned to God (using both “LORD” and “my God”) and was confident that his voice reached God’s “temple,” a way of saying God’s dwelling or presence. The verse highlights a personal relationship with God and the assurance that God hears and responds to sincere cries for help.

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 22:7

  • The word for “distress” is צָרָה (tsarah), meaning a tight spot, trouble, or anguish. This word emphasizes how pressed and desperate David felt.
  • “Called” and “cried” both use קָרָא (qara), which means to call out loudly, often in need or urgency. The repetition underlines David’s earnestness and desperation.
  • “LORD” is יְהוָה (YHWH, Yahweh), the personal name for God, showing David is addressing the covenant God of Israel.
  • “Temple” is הֵיכָל (heikhal), which literally means a palace or temple, here representing God’s heavenly dwelling, not a building in Jerusalem (which did not exist yet at David’s time).

Why 2 Samuel 22:7 matters

  • This verse clarifies that God’s attention is not limited by location; David’s cry reaches God’s “temple” even though the earthly temple was not yet built.
  • The verse emphasizes the personal nature of prayer—David calls God both “the LORD” and “my God,” showing both reverence and intimacy.
  • It connects to the wider song in 2 Samuel 22, where David recounts God’s faithfulness in rescuing him from many dangers, setting a tone of gratitude and trust in God’s responsiveness.

Where else these words appear

“cry” Hebrew H7775 · used in 11 verses

  • Exodus 2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
  • Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
  • Psalms 102:1 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.

“temple” Hebrew H1964 · used in 76 verses

  • 1 Samuel 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
  • Nehemiah 6:11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
  • Ezekiel 41:1 Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle.

“distress” Hebrew H6862 · used in 102 verses

  • Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
  • Psalms 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
  • Proverbs 23:27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.