David not only had Solomon installed as king before he died in 1 Chronicles 23 he also established the service of the Levitical families. They had all the needed functions of the Tabernacle covered. Some were musicians, gatekeepers, in charge of all the different kinds of festivals, and sacrifices. These families would continue these duties after the Temple is built by Solomon.
The book of 1st Chronicles is very interesting in the way it tells the same stories as other books. One example in chapter twenty-four is the way Aaron’s oldest two sons died. No specifics are given, but we know from Exodus that their deaths were in response to disobedience. We are given the genealogical divisions for work in the Tabernacle and eventually the Temple.
Of course, David would appoint some of the Levites as musicians. The prophets mentioned in 1 Chronicles 25 are most likely what we know as Cantors. They would chant or sing the words of the Psalms during worship. The accompaniment by the lyres, harps, and cymbals is also assigned by the King. Two-hundred and eighty-eight men from the line of Levi are selected for their positions by Jehovah.
A song that says, “Let us sing for joy to the Lord” is Chapter 95 of Psalms. Thanksgiving, rejoicing, and praise are flowing. He is the King of all deities and the creator of everything. That is why we should worship Him. Yahweh reminds them that their ancestors rebelled and were punished for forty years because they did not trust Him enough to go into the land of Canaan the first time. When have you rebelled?
“The Lord reigns” is the beginning of Psalm 97. Clouds and darkness, righteousness and justice, and fire and lightning are all used to describe Him. Those who do not worship Jehovah are considered wrong. Today Christians are often ridiculed by those whose faith is based on other gods or no god at all. Science is an object of worship as is money, fame, and society.
New songs are often mentioned in the Psalms and #98 is not an exception. We sing of His salvation, righteousness, love, faithfulness, and judgment. The new song is not only sung by us but by the earth and the sea. Even the mountains and rivers also are said to praise their creator.
We have a replay of Psalm 97 in Psalm 99 that we are reading today. His reign is mentioned again. He is placed between the cherubim on the lid of the Ark of Covenant. He is over the entire universe. He is holy or separate from everyone and everything. He was not created. God is The Creator. Those who praised Him are honored as He is.
Are you ready for a song? In Second Samuel in the twenty-second chapter, David sings to us. He describes Jehovah as his rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, salvation, stronghold, and savior. Stop and meditate on these descriptions for a few minutes. Just a few thoughts about our rock who can be a stepping stone or stumbling block and corner or capstone.
The King’s description of Yahweh is full of terrifying and powerful words. He can do anything that He desires. Our safety and survival are dependent on Him. When David speaks of his righteousness and following God’s laws, we may be skeptical. He like all of us had his failures. The Lord’s forgiveness is what we all need.
His faithfulness lasts and David accredits all his success to Him. After a long life if trials, defeats, and victories his majesty knows who is majestic.
King David’s last words are given in 2 Samuel 23. He tells how Jehovah spoke through him and ruled the people by his hand. Was his house righteous and did God give him salvation because of his actions? No, like all of us it was his relationship with the Lord that that secured his eternal home.
The chapter ends with a list of the names of the mighty men that enabled the King to defeat his enemies and serve Israel as a mighty monarch. Note that Bathsheba’s first husband, Uriah is one of the thirty-seven men named. The exploits recounted here may be rerun from earlier in the books of Samuel. Reading the stories for the second time gives us the opportunity to reflect on the graciousness of Yahweh.
David is again Thanking Yahweh for saving him from Saul in Chapter 57. His praise is extended to his Lord for making the King appear as a fool. God is given the glory for his rescue. The young Psalmist sings praises to Jehovah after acknowledging the predicament he is in.
David calls Jehovah his King and God in Psalm 5. The Israeli Monarch shares his morning prayers with us. Arrogance, deceitfulness, and wickedness do not please Yahweh. He finds them guilty and punishes them for their sins. When we fall to these same weaknesses, we receive discipline as well.
The love of God allows us to have access to Him. We can take refuge in Him. He protects, and we rejoice in you. His favor surrounds us as a shield.
Have you encountered the discipline of Jehovah as David did in Psalm 38? Adultery with Bathsheba as he attempts to trick her husband and finally, murder him has caused the King to realize there are consequences for his actions.
Many of the Psalms are full of complaints about those who try to destroy the shepherd. He continues to hold onto Yahweh for strength and courage. Our sin drives a wedge between us and God. King David admits his guilt to grow in the grace of his Lord.
Those who have concern for the weak are blessed in Psalm 41. When we ask for mercy and admit our sinfulness, the Lord will hear us. Our enemies will have no power over us because Jehovah is merciful to us. He will heal us from disease and defend us against all our foes.
How deep is your desire for a relationship with Jehovah? In Psalm 42 the writer likens himself to a dear panting for water. Do you have a thirst for God? Often others criticize our faith. This is nothing new. Praise and prayer should never cease. His love is infinite. Our hope must remain in the Father and the Son, even when we are down and depressed.
David is a grieving father in 2 Samuel chapter 19. The soldiers know this and enter the city as if they are ashamed of being victorious. Joab goes into the King’s chamber and lets him know what he has done to the men who risk their lives for him. It is time to try to minimize the damage. He sits in the gate and all the men come to him as he praises their courage and gives his men the encouragement, we all need.
It is time to return to the throne that he fled when Absalom invaded. As they return, he is met by those that supported him during his flight. Those that had opposed him ask for forgiveness and it is given. David will have scores to settle someday. For today it is a day to celebrate life and not seek revenge.
Nathan had predicted that David’s rule would continue in bloodshed and in 2 Samuel 20 another Benjamite draws the rest of Israel from the King and only the tribe of Judah around Jerusalem remains faithful to their God-anointed leader. Bikri’s is pursued by Joab and the Judean army. Joab murders another of the King’s men for not being fast enough.
They chase Bikri’s son, Sheba, and follow him into a city. They are in the process of besieging it when one of the residents makes a deal with Joab to deliver Sheba in exchange for sparing the rest of the residents and their property.
David had attempted to put his hears of running from King Saul behind him but in 2 Samuel chapter 21, they are haunting him again. The land is suffering from a famine. God reveals that it is because of Saul trying to exterminate the Gibeonites.
To appease Jehovah, seven of his family are given to the descendants of Gibeon and they are murdered. The bodies are left out in the open. After a female relative protects them from being eaten by the birds and wild animals David takes pity on them and buries them with Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of their family.
Remember the five stones that David picked up when he went to face Goliath. Here we have a possible explanation. It is disguised in these verses that tell of continuing battles with the Philistines. Ishbi-Benob, Saph, Goliath’s brother, and another relative are casualties of these battles. That is four men that are described as being like Goliath in stature and with common relatives. Could this be the reason the shepherd needed four extra stones and it took thanks long to catch them when they ran?
David expressed his trust in the Lord in Psalm 25. He asked Jehovah to teach him how he should live. Yahweh is good, loving. and faithful and all his followers should be also. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways. Keep my paths straight. The Psalmist knows that the Lord will make a way for our salvation.
We continue with Asaph as our Psalmist in number fifty. The mighty one summons the Earth and the heavens. These same heavens proclaim His righteousness. Animal sacrifices mean nothing to our God. He does not eat and needs no food. Sacrifice does the wicked no good. Their disobedience enslaves them. In the church age, this means that our salvation is due to our acceptance of Christ through faith, not because of anything we can do.
In our society today, we often think that our government leaders promote injustice. David begins with this in Psalm 58. Jesus referred to the Pharisees as vipers and His ancestor David calls the wicked snakes. He had colorful ways of expressing his thoughts. That is what makes the Psalms interesting. The King always believed that God would reward those who followed him and punish anyone who disobeyed.
Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I, begins Psalm 61. David asks Jehovah to hear his prayer. God protected him, and he has hidden in Him as a baby bird hides under its mother’s wings. Because of this protection, he praises God daily.
Do you remember Obed-Edom that kept the Ark of The Covenant after the first try to move it to Jerusalem? Psalm 62 is dedicated to his father, Jeduthun. David declares that Jehovah is his rock and salvation. He asks his enemies how long they will assault him, but he still depends on Yahweh to make him successful.
The Psalmist tells us to trust in God and depend on Him as the King does. He lists things that may have our devotion, our station in life, wealth, and possessions. We finally hear that God tells us that He has the power, is unfailing love, and rewards us for our actions.
In Psalm 64, that we read today, it is the same group that is described, but in different words. They are called wicked, evildoers, and ambushers. They plot against others, encourage others to attack their enemies, and plan injustice. They will be defeated by Jehovah. Their own tongues will betray them. In the end, all people will know that God rules.
Do you remember Ziba, the servant of Saul that took charge of the land for Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son? In 2 Samuel 16, he meets the fleeing king of Israel with food, wine, and transportation. When asked where his master is, he tells that he is waiting in Jerusalem for the Kingdom of his grandfather to be returned to him. David lets this ride.
Another man from the clan of Benjamin, Shimei, meets them along the road, but he does not have provisions. He is cursing the King and his people as they pass. Some of the men want to teach him a lesson, but David will not allow it. He is running from a son who wants to kill him. This man’s words are not a threat.
One of David’s own advisers is with Absalom and David has left another to help defeat the plans that Ahithophel comes up with. Hushai must be careful at first to gain the confidence of the interloper. Later, he will be of much more use to David than to his son.
Ahithophel has an idea in 2 Samuel 17 that they should go after King David and attack him while he is unprepared. Hushai is called for and reminds Absalom of the kind of fighting that David perfected while running from Saul. How he hid in caves and popped out where he was not expected. He was used to running from other enemies and fighting for his life.
God blessed what Hushai said by having the young men around Absalom agree that it was good advice. Two people who were loyal to David were dispatched to warn the fleeing Monarch. They were forced to hide in a well to avoid the King’s son’s men. Their friends were where Ahithophel had predicted, but moved immediately, in case the other advisor got his way.
Ahithophel was so upset because his advice was ignored that he apparently knew they were doomed and went home and took his own life. Absalom sets out with the troops the next morning as advised and begins what turns out to be a fatal mistake.
In 2 Samuel 18, David is about to make one mistake and makes another one. The first error was going with one of the three groups which he intended to do. He was convinced not to be on the front lines with the soldiers. He stayed behind in the walled city. He then requests his men to not hurt Absalom.
As the battle ensues, the trees in the forest cause more casualties than the weapons. The King’s son is one of them. His long hair is caught in the branches of an oak tree. Joab violates David’s request and kills the young man. And now the King must be advised of his son’s death.
Two men run to tell the news to everyone in the city. David is waiting and has a watchman on the wall. They see the first one and then another messenger. The first one tells that they have won. When asked about Absalom he leads The King to believe that he does not know. The second runner repeats the news of the first and adds that the King’s son is dead. This leads to a huge mistake for David when he cries for his son and vocally wishes that he could have given his life for the boy.
David speaks to Jehovah about his problems in many of the Psalms. Psalm 3 is one of these. It was written at the time Absalom tried to over-through his Father. Although this is happening, he calls the Lord his shield around him. The sustaining power of his God allows him to slumber and awaken. David calls Him his deliverer.
Mercy and joy seem to be recurrent themes in the psalms and Psalm four is one of those. Are you a faithful servant of the Lord? If so, David is talking about you. He says that Jehovah has set you apart for Himself. He hears when you pray. This should encourage us to call on Him more.
One thing the Shepherd King says here I need to pay more attention to is, search your hearts and be silent. I have the searching part learned well. I need help with being quiet. No Amen, please. We often forget to thank Him for the safety He provides.
We all fall victim to depression and feel like everyone in the world is evil like David does in Psalm 12. The disloyalty, falsehoods, flattering, and deception have gotten to him. He asks Jehovah to silence those who speak against him. As in other songs, the Lord is praised for His care and faithfulness to those that seek to be holy as He is holy.
In Psalm 13 the Lord is asked how long will he continue to allow others to triumph over him? We all have thoughts that cause us sorrow. We think of the people that seem to want us dead. Our salvation is guaranteed if we have a personal relationship with Jesus. When that is true, we like David can praise the Lord.
Sometimes we think that God has stopped listening to us just as David does in Psalm 28. Despite this, he calls Jehovah his rock. What does he mean by this? A rock is solid. A big rock is often hard to move. They were used for foundations, projectiles in battle, and sometimes a hand to hand combat weapon. He also refers to Yahweh as his strength and shield, a fortress, and a shepherd. He declares he will praise Him with a song.
Another prayer is given by David in Psalm 55. As in other Psalms, he complains of his enemies. He asks to be able to fly away from his problems. We all have times when we want to escape.
Destructive forces are around him. He almost sounds paranoid, doesn’t he? In the King’s case, his enemy was a friend. This is not unusual. Those closest to us often become our foes. Our relationships change, but Jehovah does not. That is why we should trust Him as the Psalmist did.
As we begin, we need to define love and lust before moving on to 2 Samuel 13. Love is patient, kind and I can go through the rest of the list from 1 Corinthians 13 if you want me to. We need to understand that what Amnon felt for Tamar was lust. Looking at the way he treated her after he raped her, rules out love. Love is never self-seeking.
Jonadab is often overlooked as an enabler. He helped his cousin to seduce the girl. According to modern law, he was an accomplice. Would you accept his help as just one guy encouraging another to win a woman’s love? Once again, compare love and lust. Lust, when dead becomes hate.
Absalom learns of this attack and decides to bide his time and ultimately can murder his half-brother. His sympathy is with his sister and not her assailant. The violence Nathan predicted is starting.
David is confronted with a dilemma in 2 Samuel 14 about Absalom. Joab wants the King to bring his son back to Jerusalem. He devises a plan to get his boss to talk about the problem. It’s time to put these things behind them and move on. David agrees and the prince returns.
Once again, he is a favorite of the Israelites. He has three children, but his father continues to avoid seeing him. Eventually, Absalom destroys a field that belongs to Joab to get his attention and the soldier convinces David to reunite with his boy. They do not live happily ever after, though.
Absalom begins a plan to depose his father in 2 Samuel 15. He was as charismatic as the king was when he was younger. Almost everyone admires him. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Four years of preparation and the time is right.
When David is made aware of the young man’s intentions he flees with his most loyal men and most of his family. They travel lightly and move as fast as they can. Even as they run the former shepherd leaves strategic friends in the palace to provide intelligence he will need later. The displacement has just begun.
We are blessed because we are forgiven, our sins are covered, the Lord does not count sins against us, and there is no deceit in us, not because we earned it ourselves, but because Christ gave it to us, we are told in Psalm 32. Our salvation is dependent on admitting we are sinners.
The song ends with Jehovah talking to us. He teaches and instructs us but does not lead as an animal is led by a bit and bridle. It ends with a command to rejoice.
Another Davidic Psalm is 51. This is the song David wrote to Jehovah after the prophet Nathan confronts him about his one-night stand with Bathsheba. He admits his sin, asks for forgiveness, and praises his Lord in these verses. He views his transgressions as in violation of Yahweh alone. As King of Israel, adultery, and murder at his discretion is completely acceptable to most people. Sin begins at birth for all of us. Salvation can come only through God. David knew this. He was aware that King’s sin like everyone else. Spiritual renewal can cleanse your heart. Once this is accomplished, every follower of God must become a leader. They are to lead others back to a relationship with the living God and His Son, Jesus.
David asks Jehovah to do some things for him in Psalm 86. Listen to me and give me an answer is first. Have you ever felt that your prayers went no higher than the ceiling? King David was just like us. Guard me, save me, have mercy on me, bring me joy, teach me, and give me an undivided heart, are the others.
He calls Him forgiving and good and says there is no other god like Yahweh. He asks God to save him because he serves Him just as his mother did. We know Jesse, David’s father. Not much is known about his mother, except this. She was God’s servant just like her son. Do your children follow the same God you followed when they were being raised?
David’s love and commitment to Jehovah are apparent in Psalm 122. The shepherd King chose Jerusalem to be his seat of government. It was easier to protect after the Judeans conquered it. He was determined to take the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem despite a failed first attempt. The House of the Lord at that time was the Tabernacle that had been constructed by Moses. Everyone was invited to worship Yahweh in Jerusalem. The peace of Jerusalem was needed to allow for this worship.
Charles (Chuck) Kensinger 