Lectio Divina - 2 Samuel 22:31-33

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless; 

He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 

For who is God except the LORD? and who is a rock, except our God? 

God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect.

This passage has a parallel in Psalm 18:30-32, one of a couple of King David's songs that are recorded in the historical books, too.  This one had historical significance because it commemorated David's deliverance from the hand of King Saul and his armies.  

A few word choices come to mind here.  Of course "the LORD" here is actually YHWH, the covenant name of God, and can be read that way.  

The Hebrew word for perfect carries a connotation of completeness, full of wholeness and without fault, much like the word shalom has versus our English word peace.  In our Western culture "perfect" often has a scientific or manufacturing aspect to it, with more of a quality control or precision orientation, as in made exactly to the specifications of a template.  In the context of the Scriptures, though, I think you could read the word more like what a friend might say when you have described your lifestyle (as in "Hey, nothing wrong with that!") or shown the friend your home/yard. ("Yeah, this is perfect for you").  It doesn't mean everyone needs to have an exact clone of something that is good and complete to also be considered good and complete.

When the passage talks about the word of the LORD, the word for flawless is also used to describe a process of refining metal by fire so that it is pure.  Better here, I think, to describe the word of the LORD as tested and proven.

Trust, in this passage, could better be translated as "take refuge".  Certainly trust is implied, but taking refuge also contains an action within it - you go in to a place you trust, go to a Person you trust.

The word translated here as strength is really a place of safety, a refuge; "power" in this translation is a strength of resources or protection (as in Psalm 20:7 - "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the Name of the LORD our God.")  In other words, we have a feeling of strength and power, but it is not ours, not based on our resources - it is God's power and strength, available to us because we trust in Him and His resources for refuge and protection.  Or as Ps. 46:1 puts it: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."

It's like this old scripture song from back in the 1970s:

You are my rock my shield and my deliverer my refuge and my strength 

You are my rock my shield and my deliverer you'll rescue me in time. 

Na na na na

Na na na na

I cried for help and He delivered me

Na na na na

Na na na na

I cried for help and He delivered me

(based loosely on Psalm 18:1-2)

So for me, I would translate the passage more like this:

As for God, His way is complete, full of wholeness, without fault.  

The word of YHWH is tested and proven.  

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.  

For who is God except YHWH? And who is a rock, except our God? 

God is my refuge and strength, and He makes my way complete, full of wholeness, without fault.