A Psalm in 2 Samuel

1David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2He said:

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

3my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield^a and the horn^b of my salvation.

He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—

from violent people you save me.

4“I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and have been saved from my enemies.

5The waves of death swirled about me;

the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

6The cords of the grave coiled around me;

the snares of death confronted me.

7“In my distress I called to the Lord;

I called out to my God.

From his temple he heard my voice;

my cry came to his ears.

8The earth trembled and quaked,

the foundations of the heavens^c shook;

they trembled because he was angry.

9Smoke rose from his nostrils;

consuming fire came from his mouth,

burning coals blazed out of it.

10He parted the heavens and came down;

dark clouds were under his feet. (2 Samuel 22)

Thoughts: This is a Psalm right in the middle of 2 Samuel.  So many of the Psalms can find their beginnings and similarities in this chapter. This is almost the essence of Davidic Psaltry.  God is our rock in our distress sounds like Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength an ever-present help in trouble."  "In my distress I called to the Lord"  Sounds like Psalm 34 " I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears."  These verses echo in the human heart as humans can count on experiencing distress in this life.  Yet we can also experience God's help if we will but call out to Him.  

Prayer: Lord, when you come the earth splits and melts.  Nothing can withstand your power and presence.  Help me to remember that- you are Lord and worthy of my praise, attention, and life.  

Absalom vs. David

13A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

14Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee,rnone of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

15The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”

16The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. 18All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king...

23The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.

24Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

25Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. 26But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.” (2 Samuel 15)

Thoughts: David was betrayed by his son.  This same son killed his half brother.  David was lenient and his leniency was awarded with conspiracy and rebellion.  So David who conquered Jerusalem and brought the ark there, had to leave his own capital.  Absolom was young and handsome and won the hearts of the people fashionably.  Absolom would be like a politician today who would care only for what the polls say not for doing the right thing.  David knew he was a sinner, but he also knew to try to do the right thing.  In the end. God shows us that even being a sinner who tries to please God is better than one who simply tries to get power by pleasing the people.  

Prayer: Lord, let me choose you.  Forgive my rebellious ways.  Help me to desire to always do your will.  

David is Rebuked by a Friend

1The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

4“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”

5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! 6He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

7Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9Why did you despise the word of the Lordby doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

11“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ”

13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.

Thoughts: David thought he had gotten away with marrying Bathsheba and no one would know his sin.  But God had revealed it to Nathan.  Nathan was a good friend of David, but he knew his main allegiance is to the Lord. To David's credit, he did not blame the messenger- at all.  He did not make up excuses.  He admitted his sin.  We should imitate David in his penance.  Psalm 51 was written about this sin and repentance. 
    Nathan played on an old trick- we can see sin better in others than ourselves.  He left David see his sin as if it was in someone else and he quickly condemned the man who had stolen the one sheep to add to his collection.  We too easily see the sin in others.  Jesus said the Pharisees saw the speck in another's eye but could not see a plank in their own eye.  

Prayer: Lord, against you and you only have I sinned.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  

David's great sin

1In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

6So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. 7When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.

10David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”

11Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents,^a and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

12Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.

14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.” (2 Samuel 11)

Thoughts: David teaches us here what not to do.  He also teaches us that everyone- even someone after God's own heart is vulnerable to sin.  Here are some things we learn-
1) David should have answered his call- he stayed home when most kings went to war (vs. 1).  2) He should have stayed in bed instead of looking around from his roof at night; 3) When he saw a woman bathing, he should not have continued to look and should have gone back down- instead he pursued her.  4) When he found out he was married (especially to such a loyal soldier) he should have backed down; 5) He should not have sent messengers to get her.  6) When she came he should not have had sex with her.  7) When she became pregnant he should not have tried to cover it up with Uriah; 8) He should not have tried to kill Uriah (or have him killed). 
    There are always many ways we can stop sin.  Sin is not irresistible.  God's grace and help can aid us in putting the brakes on sin in our lives.  We do not have to give into our natural (we are naturally selfish- like animals) ways.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to resist sin and instead ave myself heartache and trouble.   

David Is Blessed by the Defeat of his Enemies

1In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

2David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.ve

3Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at^a the Euphrates River. 4David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers^b and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

5When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. 6He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. (2 Samuel 8)

Thoughts: David won many victories. God was  blessing David to establish His kingdom.  David's kingdom's influence reached its greatest height from the Euphrates River in Iraq to the east to Syria (Aramea) in the north.  These would be seen as the ideal borders of Israel to the east and north for the rest of time, but never again would they be extended this far.  After Solomon left the throne, the influence and the territory was lost.  David did not want to fight the Arameans, but he did defensively and ended up with their territory. 
      Sometimes God blesses us and other times that blessing is reduced or taken away.  Job had the right perspective when he said, "Naked came I into the world, naked shall I return from which I came.  Yet when God blesses us we should appreciate it is a blessing from God, and give Him thanks.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to see your hand blessing me, and helping me to honor you.  

God's Covenant with David

1After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

3Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? ...

8“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders^a over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me^b ; your throne will be established forever.’ ”

Thoughts: This is a very gracious act of God.  David offered to build a "house" (Temple) for the Lord.  Instead the Lord said he will build up David's house (lineage/descendants).  You cannot out-give God.  God reminds David-- now that his throne is established- with a capital, a palace, a central place of worship, and peace from his enemies-- of how far God has brought him.  It is always good to see how God has blessed us- for that wells up thanksgiving inside of us to the glory of God. 
    As Christians, we see this promise of a descendant on the throne eternally being fulfilled in the Prince of Peace and King of kings- Jesus Christ.  While the last real king of Judah was Zedekiah (586).  There were princes who ruled informally and kept up with the Davidic line.  The Maccabees(Hasmoneans) defeated the Greeks and re-established the Davidic throne.  When Augustus asked people to go to their hometown- Bethlehem (the city of David) was full of his descendants.  Jesus was born there.  The last legitimate claim to all of Judea (Judah) was Herod the Great who claimed the Davidic throne by marriage to a Hasmonean princess.  Jesus was born during Herod's reign.  Luke 1:32 has the angel prophesying: "He (Jesus) will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end."  So Jesus fulfilled this prophesy made about 1,000 BC.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to be generous toward your kingdom as David was.  Help me to love you with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me also to trust in your promises.  

David Grieves for Saul

17David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):

19“A gazelle^a lies slain on your heights, Israel.

How the mighty have fallen!

20“Tell it not in Gath,

proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,

lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad,

lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.

21“Mountains of Gilboa,

may you have neither dew nor rain,

may no showers fall on your terraced fields.^b

For there the shield of the mighty was despised,

the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil.

22“From the blood of the slain,

from the flesh of the mighty,

the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,

the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.

23Saul and Jonathan—

in life they were loved and admired,

and in death they were not parted.

They were swifter than eagles,

they were stronger than lions.

24“Daughters of Israel,

weep for Saul,

who clothed you in scarlet and finery,

who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.

25“How the mighty have fallen in battle!

Jonathan lies slain on your heights.

26I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;

you were very dear to me.

Your love for me was wonderful,

more wonderful than that of women.27“How the mighty have fallen!

The weapons of war have perished!” (2 Samuel 1) 

Thoughts: David sang this lament to help him and all Israel grieve for Saul and his good friend Jonathan.  David had a code that no one should tough the Lord's anointed- evident in rebuking the Amelekite who helped kill Saul.  David grieved for his king, his friend, and his country.  He had a respect for the office of king, even though Saul exiled him and tried to kill him.  He had a respect for the kingship even though the king was jealous and publicly sinned.  David never spoke a mean word against Saul.  He only challenged him in his idea that David was out to get Saul.  This respect for the office earned him respect later.  This lament for Saul also helped unite the country even though there would be a four year civil war between Saul's followers and David's.  Sympathy and grace bring unity and hope.  We can all learn from this. 

Prayer: Lord, help me on this Memorial Day weekend to pray for our leaders.  We pray for peace in our world at this crucial time and ask that those who are leading us would have wisdom and that peace will prevail. 

A Psalm of David when Chased by Saul

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^b When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.

1Deliver me from my enemies, O God;

be my fortress against those who are attacking me.

2Deliver me from evildoers

and save me from those who are after my blood.3See how they lie in wait for me!Fierce men conspire against me

For no offense or sin of mine, Lord.

4I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.

Arise to help me; look on my plight!

5You, Lord God Almighty,

you who are the God of Israel,

rouse yourself to punish all the nations;

show no mercy to wicked traitors.^c

6They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

7See what they spew from their mouths—

the words from their lips are sharp as swords,

and they think, “Who can hear us?”

8But you laugh at them, Lord;

you scoff at all those nations.

9You are my strength, I watch for you;

you, God, are my fortress,

10my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me

and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

11But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^d

or my people will forget.

In your might uproot them

and bring them down.

12For the sins of their mouths,

for the words of their lips,

let them be caught in their pride.

For the curses and lies they utter,

13consume them in your wrath,

consume them till they are no more.

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.

17You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

you, God, are my fortress,

my God on whom I can rely.

Thoughts: There are several Psalms of David that he wrote on the run from Saul.  Psalm 17 is a Psalm he wrote when he was betrayed by Cush, a Benjamite.  Here David writes about the time Saul sent men to watch his house but his wife, Michal, Saul's daughter, pretended he was asleep, putting something in his bed. 
    David takes refuge not in a fortress but in God.  He did the same when Absolam pursued him.  Then he left Jerusalem to go in the wilderness where he could not be cornered as easily.  David's prayer is not that his enemies would be killed (Saul was praying that he could kill David).  David's prayer is that their pride would ensnare them.  Usually our sins have a way of coming back on us.  In the end, David outlasted Saul because of his trust in the Lord (which Saul could never attain). Saul was jealous. In the end his jealousy weakened his army and destroyed him.  David put his trust in God and was saved, though he went through hardship.  This is a call to us all to trust God in the hard and unjust times of life.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust in you and rely on you.   

Saul Dies

1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 2The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. 3The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.

4Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.”

But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.5When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. 6So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.

7When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

8The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. 10They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

11When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. 13Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days. (1 Samuel 31)

Thoughts: This is a sad end to a king who had a great start.  He went from being successful everywhere and seeking God- even being a prophet to being isolated, consulting a witch and dying shamefully on Mount Gilboa.  We are called to stay close to God so that our success will also be a moral and eternal success and not just a temporary success that takes away our values or our soul. 
     This is one of the few passages where cremation occurs.  The people of Israel cremated the bodies to keep the bodies from being abused.  Cremation is not condemned or commended- but it is seen as a way to disposed of bodily remains.  

Prayer: Lord, keep me in your care, and let me keep you as the apple of my eye.  

Saul Consults a Witch

16Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today.19The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”

20Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night.

21When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.” (1 Samuel 28)

Thoughts: Saul, when he was close to the Lord, had forbidden the consulting of mediums and witches.  This coincides with what the Law said (Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Dt. 18:10-12; - later Isa. 8:19).  Now as he faces a large Philistine army, Saul consults the dead and a witch instead of consulting the Lord.  This is a lesson to us all.  The Pagans consulted ghosts and the dead.  But believers look to the Lord who gives life and hope.  Saul had a problem with pride, with waiting, and with curiosity. He had a hard time just trusting in the Lord. 
     Samuel basically said that now his prophecy is fulfilled- that Saul and his line will die in the battle tomorrow, and the kingdom will be handed to David.  Saul, who tended toward depression, sank deep into devastation.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to see wisdom from you.  You give it freely to all who ask of you.  Keep me from being over-curious, but help me to trust in you and your will for me.