The Horn of Salvation

We can find the phrase "horn of salvation" or "horn of my salvation" at least 3 times in scripture (Luke 1:69, 2 Samuel 22:3 and Psalm 18:2) all using the allusion to "horn" as a reference to "victorious deliverance." Thus Jesus, from birth, was the one who would deliver victory over the consequence of sin.

Some like to say if Jesus provides the means of reconciliation for the whole of humanity, that means He does not actually provide salvation for those God gives to Him. But such claims are poppycock.

 

One of the many sidelights of this phrase usage is it is applied to Yahweh and to Jesus, thus providing evidence that Jesus is God.

 

1 Samuel 2:10
“Those who contend with the LORD will be terrified;
Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;
And He will give strength to His king,
And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

Here if we use less temporal and less ambiguous words of translation we might say " And will exalt the victorious deliverance of His Christ. The idea is to use the immediate reference to King David as a type for the coming King of Kings.

 

Psalm 132:17 (NASB)
“I will make the horn of David spring forth there;
I have prepared a lamp for My anointed.


Pulpit Commentary
Verse 17. - There will I make the horn of David to bud. The "horn of David" budded most gloriously when "a rod came forth out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch grew out of his roots, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon him" (Isaiah 11:1, 2) - in other words, when Messiah appeared, and re-established the Davidian kingdom, which thenceforth has endured, and will endure for ever. I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. The metaphor is changed; but the idea is the same. Christ's coming shed a glory on David's house, and on the temple, and on David himself, such as had never previously illumined them. David is often promised "a lamp" (1 Kings 11:36; 1 Kings 15:4; 2 Kings 8:19; 2 Chronicles 21:7). In Christ the lamp was given.

 

Habakkuk 3:4 provides yet another metaphorical usage of "horns" referring to power hidden of God's hand providing deliverance, i.e. the horn of my salvation. Some, actually many translations substitute rays or lightning for horns, but that choice is poor considering the power is "hidden."