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Patiently, Expectantly Waiting

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To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will all of you attack a man
    to batter him,
    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
    They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse. Selah

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah

9 Those of low estate are but a breath;
    those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;
    set no vain hopes on robbery;
    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11 Once God has spoken;
    twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12     and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
    according to his work. – Psalm 62:1-12 ESV

In this psalm, David repeatedly refers to God as his fortress, rock, refuge, and salvation. As a man well acquainted with the fugitive lifestyle, David uses terms that evoke his days on the run from King Saul. During those difficult years of his life, David sought safety by hiding in caves located in the difficult-to-access terrain of the rugged Judean wilderness. Those inaccessible geographic locales had provided him with a sense of security and rest from Saul’s relentless campaign to have him killed.

But in this psalm, David describes God as his ultimate source of solitude, solace, and security. The short descriptor that opens Psalm 62 provides no context to explain what happened in David’s life that caused him to pen its words. Some have speculated that it was written after David abandoned Jerusalem after his son Absalom conducted a successful coup to replace him as king.

A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”

“Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”

“We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”

So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house to let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard. – 2 Samuel 15:13-18 NLT

When Absalom entered Jerusalem and established himself as the new king, one of the first things he did was sexually violate the ten concubines David had left behind. He committed this heinous act under the advisement of Ahithophel, David’s former counselor, who had taken part in the coup.

Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines. – 2 Samuel 15:21-22 NLT

It is unclear whether this event prompted David to write Psalm 62, but it illustrates the perfect-storm conditions that would have led David to turn to God for help and hope. Even as David abandoned his capital, he was confronted by a relative of King Saul who decided to kick him while he was down. Shimei was still angry that David had supplanted Saul as the king of Israel and stolen the crown from the tribe of Benjamin.

“Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. “The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!” – 2 Samuel 16:7-8 NLT

When one of David’s men offered to silence Shimei by cutting off his head, David expressed his consternation and confusion over the situation. Still, he refused to take matters into his own hands.

“My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.” So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones and dirt at David.

The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River. – 2 Samuel 16:11-14 NLT

That last line is important because it states that David “rested” when he reached the Jordan. He and his entourage had walked the 21 miles from Jerusalem to the eastern border of Israel. But when they arrived, they found rest. The opening lines of this psalm reflect that this was likely far more than a physical form of restoration.

I wait quietly before God,
    for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress where I will never be shaken. – Psalm 62:1-2 NLT

David had time to reflect on his circumstances and remind himself that God had seen him through far worse conditions in the past, and He could do so again. David was not underestimating the severity of his problem. He knew he was in trouble and refused to downplay the dire nature of his circumstance.

So many enemies against one man—
    all of them trying to kill me.
To them I’m just a broken-down wall
    or a tottering fence.
They plan to topple me from my high position.
    They delight in telling lies about me.
They praise me to my face
    but curse me in their hearts. – Psalm 62:3-4 NLT

Yet, despite his doubts and fears, David decided to trust God for the outcome.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
    for my hope is in him. – Psalm 62:5 NLT

He placed his confidence in God and encouraged his discouraged followers to do the same.

O my people, trust in him at all times.
    Pour out your heart to him,
    for God is our refuge. – Psalm 62:6 NLT

This psalm was written in the heat of the moment, when all felt lost and the future was uncertain. David had no way of knowing the outcome of his circumstances, but he was willing to trust in God’s sovereignty and wait for God to do what only He could do.

For most of us, waiting on God is viewed as some kind of punishment or penance we must pay for our bad behavior. We view it as if God is somehow holding out on us, making us sweat and suffer as He delays in giving us what we want to teach us a lesson. But that perspective is based on a faulty view of God. He is not some petty deity using His power maliciously or malevolently to force us to do His bidding. He is a loving, patient, and merciful God whose actions are always driven by His care and concern for us.

If God were withholding what we needed to punish us or teach us a lesson, what kind of God would He be? Jesus pointed this out when He said, “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:9-11 NLT).

Does that mean we always get what we ask for, and does it come exactly when we expect it? Of course not. God is still God. He is all-knowing and aware of things that are beyond our ability to comprehend. He has a “big picture view” of things we don’t possess. He is not bound by space and time and knows the past, present, and future equally well. He is not limited by our decisions or bad choices but is in control at all times. At no point is God up in heaven wringing His hands in disbelief because He was somehow caught off guard by the events or circumstances surrounding our lives.

So David says, “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from Him” (Psalm 62:1 NLT). I love how The Message paraphrases that verse: “God, the one and only – I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I need comes from him, so why not?”

I’ll wait as long as he says. Why? Because He knows best and He has my best in mind. He is my hope and salvation. He is my help and source of healing. He has a plan for my life that is perfect and complete. So David reminds us, “O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8 NLT). Trust in him at all times. Not just in the good times, but at all times. Even when things seem to be going poorly. Even when it appears as if He is nowhere to be found. Even when everything goes against you and everyone seems to be deserting you.

Wait quietly and trust Him. It is in those moments of waiting and trusting that we truly come to know who He really is. As we quietly, patiently wait, He reminds us of His love and then rewards us with His perfect answer at the ideal time. What we need is NOT the answer we’re hoping for, but the God who provides the answer. We need to know Him better. We need to trust Him more. We need to patiently wait and eagerly anticipate an answer because we understand the character of our God. His love never fails.

Father, thank You for the moments of waiting that come into my life on a regular basis. Thank You for teaching me to rely on You and not the world around me. May I continue to learn to wait patiently and expectantly on You because I believe You have my best in mind, in spite of what I see happening around me. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Is For Me

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To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;
    all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they injure my cause;
    all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They stir up strife, they lurk;
    they watch my steps,
    as they have waited for my life.
7 For their crime will they escape?
    In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You have kept count of my tossings;
    put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
    in the day when I call.
    This I know, that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?

12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;
    I will render thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered my soul from death,
    yes, my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life. – Psalm 56:1-13 ESV

It would be safe to say that David was well acquainted with suffering, sorrow, and setbacks. For 13 years, he lived as a fugitive, relentlessly pursued by King Saul. During those difficult days, he was forced to seek refuge in the wilderness and depend upon God for his safety and security. After seeking aid from Ahimelech, the priest at Nob, David and his men sought refuge in the Philistine city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath. This fateful decision and its less-than-flattering outcome are recorded in 1 Samuel chapter 21.

David left Nob carrying the bread of the presence to feed his men and the sword of Goliath that he used to cut off the giant’s head after killing him in battle. Bearing the holy bread dedicated to God and the sword belonging to the deceased Philistine champion, David led his men to Gath, the headquarters of Achish, the Philistine king. Everything about this decision seems poorly thought through. What was David thinking? How could he expect anything good to come from seeking refuge among the enemies of Israel, and why would they offer asylum to the man responsible for their champion’s death?

As soon as David showed up in Gath, the glaring stupidity of his decision became apparent.

So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,

‘Saul has killed his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?” – 1 Samuel 21:10-11 NLT

David immediately regretted his decision and was forced to devise Plan B. As his loyal men looked on in shock, David “pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard” (1 Samuel 21:13 NLT). Surrounded by hostile forces and desperate to preserve the lives of himself and his men, David feigned insanity. It must have been an Academy Award-winning performance because King Achish was convinced that David had lost his mind.

Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?” – 1 Samuel 15:14-15 NLT

Amazingly, David left Gath alive but with his dignity destroyed. He was a humbled and humiliated man without a home and a bounty on his head. He was persona non grata in Judah and now had a growing reputation as a wild-eyed lunatic. But through it all, David continued to place his trust in God. That is what Psalm 56 is all about. He opens this psalm of lament by seeking God’s assistance in his time of need.

O God, have mercy on me,
    for people are hounding me.
    My foes attack me all day long.
I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
    and many are boldly attacking me. – Psalm 56:1-2 NLT

Despite all life’s difficulties, David refuses to turn his back on God. Instead, he declares his unwavering trust in the goodness of his ever-present, always faithful God.

But when I am afraid,
    I will put my trust in you.
I praise God for what he has promised.
    I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me? – Psalm 56:3-4 NLT

David’s words remind me of a song made famous by Louis Armstrong.

Sometimes I’m up
And sometimes I’m down
Yes, Lord, you know sometimes I’m almost to the ground
Oh, yes, Lord, still
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Nobody knows but Jesus
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Glory, Hallelujah

These familiar lyrics could be the anthem of every believer who has ever lived. We all face troubles in life. Some are physical, others are financial. Some of our problems are self-induced, while others come at us unexpectedly and undeservedly. Some are short-term, while others hang around for years, even a lifetime. But as the lyrics state so well, even when everybody else is oblivious to our troubles, Jesus knows. He is well aware of every circumstance going on in our lives.

David found comfort in his troubles because he knew that God was aware. He boldly declared, “God is on my side” (Psalm 56:9 NLT). Amid trouble, David put his hope and trust in the Lord. But before we place David on a pedestal and elevate him to sainthood, let’s remind ourselves that this psalm was written after he ran away from King Saul and fled to his arch enemies, the Philistines, for protection. That’s not exactly trusting in God, is it? He didn’t run to God; he ran to King Achish.

At every level, this does not appear to be a bright move on David’s part. Early in his career, David had made a name for himself by killing the Philistine champion, Goliath, in a one-on-one battle. The Philistines had never forgotten or forgiven David. On top of that, David had built his reputation on being a mighty warrior. In fact, there was already a song about David with lyrics that said, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” (1 Samuel 18:7 NLT). And many of those David had slain were Philistines. So why on earth did David run to the Philistines for protection? We’re not told, but we can guess that David hoped they would see him as some kind of secret weapon, and when they discovered he and King Saul were at odds, they would assume they could use him against the Israelites. But when David arrived in the Philistine territory, the reception he received was less than welcoming. They immediately recognized him and were ready to kill him. So David was forced to feign insanity, and had to act like he had completely lost his mind. Not willing to kill a lunatic, they allow him to leave.

It is after David got out of this sticky situation that he wrote, “You have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping” (Psalm 56:13 NLT). David realized after the fact that God had protected him even when he had refused to turn to God for protection. It wasn’t his incredible acting ability that saved his life; it was God. David had learned a valuable lesson: “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3 NLT).

Troubles were going to come. Trials were just around the next corner. David was always going to have people like Saul in his life. The Philistines would always be his enemy. But he had learned that he could trust God. God knew his troubles, and God had a solution. David didn’t have to fear Saul, Achish, the Philistines, Doeg the Edomite, the Ziphites,  or any other man. He simply had to trust the promises of God.

His enemies could twist his words, seek to betray him, constantly spy on him, and even plot his demise, but God was on his side. He envisioned God as caring and compassionate, carefully monitoring his suffering and sorrows.

You keep track of all my sorrows.
    You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
    You have recorded each one in your book. – Psalm 56:8 NLT

What makes this psalm so powerful is the timing of its content. David wrote it in the heat of the battle, not after having been delivered from it. He was still a fugitive. The Philistines were still his enemy. He was living in caves and running for his life, but he knew he could rely on God.

This I know: God is on my side!
I praise God for what he has promised;
    yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me? – Psalm 56:9-11 NLT

David’s troubles were far from over, but he continued to rest in God’s goodness, grace, mercy, and deliverance. He found strength in God’s promises. David didn’t fully understand what was happening in his life, but he knew that God had anointed him for a reason, and he was willing to trust God with the outcome. He was confident in God’s deliverance and determined to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving one day.

I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,
    and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
For you have rescued me from death;
    you have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in your presence, O God,
    in your life-giving light. – Psalm 56:12-13 NLT

Father, sometimes I’m up and sometimes I’m down, but You are always right there with me, fully aware of my situation and ready to take care of me in the midst of them. You know what is going on. You are aware and I can trust You to help me at all times. Help me to trust in Your faithfulness and rest in Your unwavering goodness. I want to walk in Your life-giving light and find hope in Your powerful promises. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Fools and the Faithless

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To the choirmaster. Of David.

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
    there is none who does good.

2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
    to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
    there is none who does good,
    not even one.

4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
    who eat up my people as they eat bread
    and do not call upon the Lord?

5 There they are in great terror,
    for God is with the generation of the righteous.
6 You would shame the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is his refuge.

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. – Psalm 14:1-7 ESV

This Psalm is virtually a mirror copy of Psalm 53. Both are attributed to David and their slight variations may indicate that they were penned at different times in David’s life. They reflect David’s somewhat pessimistic yet thoroughly accurate outlook on humanity. From his unique vantage point as king, he views the world through the eyes of a God-appointed authority figure who must deal with people from all walks of life. He has the citizens over which he rules and the nations with whom he must broker peace agreements or do battle. In his role as king, David was admired by some and hated by others. He was looked up to and depended upon by his people, but there were always those who conspired to take him down. Every day, he witnessed the best and worst of humanity and his assessment was less than flattering.

The Lord looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
    not a single one! – Psalm 14:2-3 NLT

For David, there were two types of people in the world: Fools and the faithless. According to David, the fool was marked by a rejection of God.

Only fools say in their hearts,
    “There is no God.” – Psalm 14:1 NLT

David used the Hebrew word, nāḇāl, which refers to someone who is senseless and has no perception of ethical and religious claims. Their lack of common sense and moral awareness of divine authority causes them to live depraved and self-consumed lives. David describes them as corrupt and prone to committing acts of evil all the time. Nothing they do is good or godly.

This is the most dangerous type of fool because they are stubborn and unteachable. A stubborn fool rejects God and His ways. He is self-confident and closed-minded and serves as his own god, freely gratifying his sinful nature. His goal is to entice others into following his ways. Only God can reprove a stubborn fool.

But while David doesn’t classify all men as fools, he does suggest that they all act foolishly. According to him, no one is wise or seeks after God. The Almighty scans humanity for any sign of wisdom or insight, to see if anybody really wants to worship and obey Him. And His conclusion? Every single person has rebelled against Him. As a race, they are morally filthy. Nobody does what God wants them to do. Not a single soul!

That’s a bleak assessment by any standard. But David was an avid student of humanity, and he had seen the best and worst that men have to offer. His conclusion was that fools and the faithless were everywhere. There were some who lived as if God didn’t exist and others who claimed belief in God but whose behavior didn’t measure up. Either way, they harmed God’s people and damaged His reputation. For David, that was unacceptable and worthy of God’s judgment.

Despite his pessimistic outlook, David maintained his faith in God. He knew that God was aware of the conditions on earth and would deal with the fools and the faithless in a just and timely manner. While these individuals chose to reject God’s existence or presence, David believed that God would not allow them to get away with their behavior indefinitely.

Terror will grip them,
    for God is with those who obey him.
The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
    but the Lord will protect his people. – Psalm 14:5-6 NLT

The world is full of fools – those individuals who act and live as if there is no God. Even those who claim to know Him act as if He doesn’t care about what they do or is too powerless to do anything about it. Then some just refuse to believe in Him altogether. These people “are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (Psalm 14:1 NLT). From God’s perspective, man is inherently wicked and in open rebellion against Him. Yet God is still reaching out to man, offering His mercy and forgiveness. He will ultimately be forced to punish all those who refuse to accept His offer of new life through His Son, but until then, He keeps providing opportunities for them to repent and return to Him.

While the world is a less-than-ideal place, full of people obsessed with their own agendas, consumed by their own importance, and controlled by their sinful natures, David gives us a glimpse of God’s goodness as he reminds us that God is always there, even amid all the evil that surrounds us. David put it this way in Psalm 54:

But God is my helper.
    The Lord keeps me alive! – Psalm 54:4 NLT

David appealed to God’s power and placed himself at God’s mercy to rescue him from his enemies. Those who care nothing for God were making David’s life miserable, but he knew he could call out to God, and not only would his prayer be heard, but it would be answered.

David had seen the goodness of God time and time again in his life, delivering him from troubles and trials, and rescuing him from every conceivable kind of predicament. While he firmly believes that “no one does good, not a single one,” David knows that God can and does do good for those who love Him. That is why he boldly states, “the Lord will protect his people” (Psalm 14:6 NLT). Despite his negative view of humanity, David had a deep and abiding trust in God’s divinity. He knew that God was the one true King who ruled over the universe. Nothing escaped God’s notice. The fools and the faithless all have to answer to the sovereign God who reigns in justice and truth.

So David ends his Psalm with a prayer of hopeful anticipation.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. – Psalm 14:7 NLT

All that God does is good, even when He has to deal with those who are bad. God is just and righteous, and can be trusted to do the right thing at the right time – each and every time. He never does wrong. He is just in all His actions towards men. He never punishes unjustly or unfairly. because He is good and gracious. It doesn’t matter whether men reject Him, ignore Him, or attempt to deny His existence. God remains good even when things appear bad.

Father, we live in a world that is sick and dying. It is filled with people who refuse to love and serve You. Many refuse to even believe in You. And yet, You remain good. You continue to make the sun shine on all men, showering them with Your common grace. You make the crops grow, the rain to fall, and the air breathable. You constantly offer the free gift of grace available through Your Son. And You care for Your own, providing them with a listening ear and a powerful hand to rescue and restore them. You are indeed a good God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Just Judge

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A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.

1 O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge;
    save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
2 lest like a lion they tear my soul apart,
    rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
    if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my friend with evil
    or plundered my enemy without cause,
5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,
    and let him trample my life to the ground
    and lay my glory in the dust. Selah

6 Arise, O Lord, in your anger;
    lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
    awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
    over it return on high.

8 The Lord judges the peoples;
    judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
    and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
    and may you establish the righteous—
you who test the minds and hearts,
    O righteous God!
10 My shield is with God,
    who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
    and a God who feels indignation every day.

12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
    he has bent and readied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
    making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil
    and is pregnant with mischief
    and gives birth to lies.
15 He makes a pit, digging it out,
    and falls into the hole that he has made.
16 His mischief returns upon his own head,
    and on his own skull his violence descends.

17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
    and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. – Psalm 7:1-17 ESV

The introduction to this Psalm uses an obscure Hebrew word (shiggayon) of unknown origin with an equally illusive meaning. Some speculate that it refers to the song’s musical style or tempo, while others claim it is a word that conveys intensity of emotion. The introduction also introduces David’s adversary, Cush the Benjamite, but provides no details concerning their relationship. This individual is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture so it is impossible to discern the nature of their conflict.

David had a strained relationship with the tribe of Benjamin because they were the kinsmen of Saul, whom David replaced as king of Israel. David’s ascension to the throne after the deaths of Saul and his son Jonathan, was met with opposition from the 11 other tribes of Israel. Saul’s military commander, Abner, took it upon himself to crown Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, as the king of Israel. This led to an intense and lengthy division of the nation.

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. – 2 Samuel 2:8-11 ESV

There was ongoing war between the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Judah that left David with a fractured kingdom.

While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. – 2 Samuel 3:6 ESV

The kingdom remained divided for seven years until Ishbosheth was assassinated. His death prompted the elders of the 11 tribes to seek reconciliation with David and the tribe of Judah.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. – 2 Samuel 5:3-5 ESV

While the nation was finally unified and under the leadership of a single king, it did not mean that the old wounds were healed. When David later faced a coup attempt by his own son and was fleeing the city of Jerusalem, a Benjamite named Shimei took out his pent-up anger on the deposed king.

When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.” – 2 Samuel 16:5-8 ESV

It is impossible to know when this psalm was written, but it appears that Cush the Benjamite had a bone to pick with David. In this Psalm, David claims to have been falsely accused and slandered by those who hate him. The wording of this Psalm has led some to speculate that David wrote it before he became king. They believe David’s reference to his pursuers and his request for refuge and deliverance indicate his flight from King Saul.

Even though God had anointed David to be the next king of Israel, Saul remained on the throne. David even served in Saul’s court until the king became jealous of his growing popularity among the people. On two different occasions, Saul attempted to kill David, forcing the young man to seek refuge in the Judean wilderness. Saul hired a team of 3,000 trained mercenaries to seek and destroy David. Yet David chose not to seek revenge or attempt to expedite the end of Saul’s reign. During those difficult days, David called out to God. He appealed to the one who could do something about his situation. As David suffered, he sought justice. He asked God, as judge, to rule on his behalf. If he was guilty, he was willing to suffer the consequences.

O Lord my God, if I have done wrong
    or am guilty of injustice,
if I have betrayed a friend
    or plundered my enemy without cause,
then let my enemies capture me.
    Let them trample me into the ground
    and drag my honor in the dust. – Psalm 7:3-5 NLT

But David remained confident in his innocence. He knew that God was all-knowing and aware of what was happening inside his heart.

For you look deep within the mind and heart,
    O righteous God. – Psalm 7:9b NLT

So he begs God, “Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High!” (Psalm 7:8b NLT). David had a firm grasp of God’s role as judge of all mankind. He also knew that God was a righteous judge who ruled rightly in all cases. He also knew that God was fully capable of bringing down the hammer on those who were guilty and unrepentant.

If a person does not repent,
    God will sharpen his sword;
    he will bend and string his bow.
He will prepare his deadly weapons
    and shoot his flaming arrows. – Psalm 7:12-13 NLT

God was not only capable of judging rightly and justly but also of imposing the appropriate punishment when guilt was established.

David had no confidence in men’s justice and fairness. He knew men well because he had been burned by them before. David was well aware of the deceitfulness of the human heart, and he wrote about it often.

The wicked are stringing their bows
    and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
    at those whose hearts are right. – Psalm 11:2 NLT

Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners.
    Don’t condemn me along with murderers.
Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
    and they constantly take bribes. – Psalm 26:9-10 NLT

David put his trust and confidence in the justice of God. He knew he could trust God to judge fairly, impartially, righteously and accurately. He knew God would defend him, protect him, and ultimately save him – because he was innocent. So David declared, “I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the Lord Most High” (Psalm 7:17 NLT).

David expresses gratitude and offers praise to the sovereign ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. He knew God to be a just and honest judge who is always right and never wrong. He knew God was fully aware of all the facts and would never accuse wrongly or punish undeservedly. The wicked would receive what they deserved. The innocent—those whose hearts are true and right—would receive justice because God is just.

Father, You are just and right in all You do. You never punish inappropriately or decide a case wrongly. You are the honest Judge. You are the righteous Judge. You are the holy Judge. I can trust You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Take My Yoke

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28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

These three verses are highly familiar to most of us. But do we know the context in which they were spoken? As is always the case when studying Scripture, context plays a huge role in helping us understand and apply what the Word is trying to communicate to us. Here in Matthew, Jesus addresses a question from John the Baptist regarding His Messiahship.

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” – Matthew 11:2-3 ESV

John the Baptist had decided to confront King Herod for marrying the ex-wife of his brother, Philip. This bold decision to confront the Roman-appointed king of Israel resulted in his confinement in prison. While there, John had time to consider whether his cousin Jesus was truly the long-expected Messiah. John had been proclaiming the arrival of the kingdom of heaven and had declared Jesus to be the Son of God.

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.…And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” – John 1:29-31, 34 ESV

But now he was having second thoughts. Like any faithful Jew, John the Baptist had been raised to believe in God’s promise of a Messiah. The prophets had declared that a future descendant of David would one day appear on the scene and rule as the rightful King of Israel. Even Jesus’ 12 disciples followed Him because they believed Him to be the fulfillment of that promise. So, when Jesus received word that His own cousin was expressing doubts about His Messianic identity, He responded in a surprising way, launching into a stinging attack against the cities of Capernaum, Korazin and Bethsaida. These three small cities sat on the north side of the Sea of Galilee and would have been regular stops for Jesus during His earthly ministry. Capernaum had become His adopted hometown and base of ministry while He was in the region of Galilee. So the people living in these cities would have had regular glimpses of Jesus and heard His messages repeatedly. Yet Jesus condemns them for their unbelief. Despite all the miracles He had done right before their eyes, they remained non-repentent and unbelieving. Jesus shocks His disciples by comparing these Jewish cities to the infamous cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom. These three cities had a well-known reputation for wickedness and godlessness. Yet, Jesus indicates that if He had done miracles in these cities, they would have been convicted of their sins, repented, and believed in Him. But the hearts of the people living in Galilee were hardened, stubborn, and representative of the rest of the nation of Israel. They had witnessed Jesus, the Son of God, perform miracles and call them to repent and return to God, but they had refused. They continued to disbelieve despite the evidence proving His Messiahship.

In the middle of His stinging discourse, Jesus offers up a seemingly out-of-context prayer.

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” – Matthew 11:25-26 ESV

He abruptly turned to His Father and thanked Him for hiding the truth of His message from the wise and clever but for making it plain to the childlike. Jesus recognized that the doubt expressed by John the Baptist’s question was part of God’s plan. Regardless of how many miracles Jesus performed, those who relied on their own wisdom and knowledge would fail to see Him for who He was. The Pharisees and religious leadership of Jesus’ day were perfect examples of this kind of arrogant ignorance. They were self-righteous and unwilling to recognize their own sinfulness and repent of it. They saw no need for a Savior for their sins; they simply wanted a Messiah to set them free from Roman rule. But Jesus knew that God reveals His truth to the childlike, those who are innocent, humble, and trusting. God chooses to reveal His Son to those whose lives are marred by sin, sorrow, and a recognition of their own helplessness and hopelessness. They are drawn to Jesus and have no trouble believing in Him. The blind, the lame, the diseased, the outcasts, and the chronic sinners are the ones who see and believe.

Jesus follows His prayer with an invitation with two parts. First, He addressed all those who were weary and weighed down to come to Him. His offer was to all who were burdened by sin and weighed down by the requirements of trying to live up to the requirements of the Mosaic Law.  They were worn out by trying to carry the heavy yoke of obedience to God’s exacting commands. They failed to recognize that the law was never meant to save them but to reveal their sinfulness and incapacity to satisfy the holy demands of a righteous God.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. – Romans 3:20 NLT

To all those who respond to His invitation, Jesus offers rest. But this offer of rest comes with a command to take up His yoke. They must exchange the yoke they are carrying for the one He offers. He describes His yoke as easy because they will find themselves partnered with Him. The yoke he described was a typical farm implement in which two oxen were harnessed for plowing purposes. Jesus offers to come alongside them to teach, train, and assist them. They will still have to work but they will find their burden lightened because of His presence. Unlike the arrogant and demanding religious leadership of the day, Jesus describes Himself as humble, gentle, caring, and compassionate. His yoke is easy to bear, and the burden He gives is light. Yes, there is work to do, and effort is required, but rather than weariness and heartache, Jesus offers rest, peace, and joy.

It seems that those who come to Jesus are the ones who are weary and worn out from trying to live life in their own power. They are beaten down by their own sinfulness and inability to do anything about it. Like a blind man, they know they have a problem but cannot fix it. Like a man who has a demon and is powerless to get rid of it, they must run to Jesus and beg Him for help. Jesus invites the weary to find rest in Him. But He also invites those same people to get in the yoke with Him, to begin focusing their efforts on accomplishing His will and living for His kingdom causes. He offers to replace their self-effort with His own power. He invited them to exchange their heavy burden for His light one. But it all begins with childlike, innocent, trusting faith in Him.

When Jesus’ disciples heard Him say, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,” His words must have brought to mind their oppressed status under Roman rule. His offer of rest conjured up images of rest from oppression, freedom from Roman rule, and a change in their current status as enslaved people. Like John the Baptist, the disciples were wondering if Jesus truly was the Messiah. They were waiting for Him to reveal Himself and set up His earthly kingdom but little did they know that their Messiah was to die. Their hope for relief from Roman oppression could end on a cruel Roman cross. The one for whom they had long waited would be crucified right before their eyes. The Son was going to be sacrificed.

Jesus had told them that He would die and He had warned them that His death was a necessary part of God’s plan for their future redemption. His death would secure their eternal life by satisfying God’s just punishment for their sins. Their promised Messiah would have to die so that their faith would be in God, the ultimate fulfiller of all promises. Their faith had become ill-placed. They had made a god out of their concept of the Messiah. They were looking for Jesus to be their political Savior and earthly king who would rule from a physical throne in Jerusalem. They wanted to be set free from physical oppression but God had more in store for them. He wanted them to trust His plan for them, not their perverted version of it. Their dreams would have to die. The promise they held to so tightly would have to be wrenched from their hands.

Jesus came to offer them a different kind of rest that provided release from a different kind of burden. But they would have to trust God. And the same is true for us today. We can still twist the promises of God and try to make them about our comfort, pleasure, and fulfillment in this life. We can make our walk with Him all about our happiness instead of our holiness. So, we must continually place our version of the promise on the altar and worship the one who made the promise in the first place. We must trust God and worship Him because His plan and timing are perfect.

Father, I find that the degree to which I find rest in Jesus is directly related to my willingness to recognize just how weary I am from trying to live the Christian life in my own strength. I can get too wise and clever for my own good, and begin to believe that I can somehow pull this off in my own strength. But it is when I run out of steam that I tend to run to Him. Keep me childlike and dependent. Don’t allow me to become arrogant and self-righteous. Keep me in the yoke with Christ, living in dependence on Him and resting in His love, strength and grace. Amen.

 

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Abide In Me

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1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:1-5 ESV

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” – John 15:8-10 ESV

The context of this command is essential for understanding its meaning. Jesus and His disciples have departed the upper room where they shared the Passover meal together. He is resolute in His determination to keep His providentially preordained rendezvous with the cross and death prepared for Him by His Heavenly Father. But the 11 remaining disciples are still trying to get their heads around all that Jesus has revealed to them. Even as they make their way into the night, He continues to expand their understanding and prepare them for what lies ahead.

This passage is part of Jesus’ ongoing farewell discourse and provides one of the most powerful descriptions of what it means to experience eternal life with God through the Son. Jesus borrows from the familiar imagery of the vineyard to create an extended metaphor designed to convey the non-negotiable dependency His followers must have on Him. As a result of His death, burial, and resurrection, these men will no longer be independently minded followers; they will be totally reliant reflections of God’s glory as expressed through His Son.

Over three years, these men had expressed their allegiance to Jesus by choosing to follow Him and sacrifice all else on behalf of Him. They had given up their careers, left their families, exposed themselves to ridicule, gone hungry, suffered life-threatening storms at sea, traveled countless miles, and listened to more lessons than they could even remember. They were dedicated men who loved Jesus greatly. On several occasions, they had even expressed their willingness to lay down their lives for Him. But Jesus knew that the key to their continued faithfulness and fruitfulness would be through His death and resurrection. The very thing they feared the most would be the one thing that would transform their lives and transcend all their expectations of greatness and glory.

So much of what Jesus has taught His disciples has escaped them, and His continued discussions regarding His death frightened and frustrated them. They couldn’t understand why He had to die. They couldn’t bear the thought that He was going to leave them. But Jesus had told them that His death would prove to be life-giving and fruit-bearing.

“Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.” – John 12:23-26 NLT

Extending this earlier discussion of death, life, and fruitfulness, Jesus declares, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1 ESV). This will be the last of His “I am” statements and, with it, Jesus conveys to His disciples that everything is about to change, including their relationship with Him.

The imagery of the vine would have been very familiar to the disciples, not just because they lived in an agrarian culture where vines were ubiquitous, but because the vine was a symbol of Israel’s relationship with God. Every time they passed by the temple in Jerusalem, they would have seen the golden vines that adorned its walls. But according to the prophets, the nation of Israel, planted by God to produce abundant fruit, ended up producing wild grapes.

Let me sing for my beloved
    my love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
    on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
    and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
    and hewed out a wine vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
    but it yielded wild grapes. – Isaiah 5:1-2 ESV

And Isaiah made it painfully clear that this lovingly cultivated vine that produced less-than-quality fruit represented the people of God.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
    is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
    are his pleasant planting;
and he looked for justice,
    but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness,
    but behold, an outcry! – Isaiah 5:7 ESV

Now, Jesus was declaring Himself to be the vine. In doing so, He let His disciples know that He had replaced Israel as the sole source of fruitfulness. He would be the fulfillment of all that Israel should have been. His life would yield abundant fruit and bring glory to God.

Israel had failed to remain faithful and refused to keep their preferred status as God’s chosen people, choosing instead to worship false gods. The prophet Jeremiah declared to them God’s displeasure.

“But I was the one who planted you,
    choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best.
    How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?” – Jeremiah 2:21 NLT

With this final “I am” statement, Jesus lets His disciples know that He is the true vine. He has been faithful and fully obedient to the will of God, the vinedresser. He had been “planted” by God with a purpose in mind: to bear much fruit. And by sacrificing His life, He would fulfill that purpose by producing a “plentiful harvest of new lives” (John 12:24 NLT).

The most amazing aspect of Jesus’ fruit-bearing ministry is the vital role His disciples would play. They would become the branches through which His life-giving, fruit-bearing ministry would flow. But it would require constant abiding on their part. The key to their role in producing fruit would be their ongoing dependence upon the vine.

The Greek word for “abide” is menō and it means “to remain, tarry, not to depart, to be held, kept, continually.”It is the same word the apostle John used in describing a true disciple’s relationship with Jesus.

Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. – 1 John 2:4-6 ESV

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. – 1 John 2:28-29 ESV

John associates abiding with actions. There is a symbiotic relationship between the vine and the branch characterized by closeness and interdependence. Notice his emphasis on walking as Jesus walked and practicing righteousness just as Jesus did. Abiding can sometimes be confused with resting. But while rest can be a byproduct of abiding, it is not the primary goal. A branch “rests” in the vine in that it relies on the vine to produce the grapes it bears. It doesn’t strain to be fruitful. It doesn’t grow weary in the process of bearing fruit.

Jesus extended an invitation to follow Him that promised rest for the weary but in the context of work.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

He extends His invitation to those who are worn out from bearing the weight of trying to produce the fruit of righteousness on their own. They have exhausted themselves with their futile attempts to earn favor with God through self-effort. But notice that Jesus invites them into a shared work relationship characterized by the yoke. Jesus’ offer of salvation is not the promise of an extended vacation or a trouble-free life. The life of a disciple is characterized by effort and demonstrated by action. Jesus told His disciples to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19 NLT). They had work to do and effort would be required. But He promised to be with them.

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20 NLT

Jesus utilizes the imagery of the vine and the branch to convey this shared work relationship between Him and the disciple. The goal is fruitfulness. But fruitfulness cannot take place without fruit-bearing. In other words, the vine is dependent upon the branches to make the fruit possible. Abiding is the process by which the branch becomes productive and beneficial.

It is important to remember that Jesus is addressing the 11 disciples who have chosen to remain with Him. They are walking with Him as He makes His way across the Kidron Valley from the city of Jerusalem to the Garden of Gethsemane. These men represent all those who have placed their faith and hope in Jesus. But Jesus is revealing that the real key to their future fruitfulness and faithfulness will be the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. As a result of His coming death, resurrection, and ascension, they will find themselves the recipients of the gift of the Holy Spirit. He will permanently attach them to the vine, allowing them to play a vital role in the fruit-bearing plans of God.

The emphasis in this passage is on fruitfulness, not fruitlessness. It is on the vinedresser’s purpose to reap a harvest of fruit through the vine and its branches. Jesus was not threatening His disciples with a loss of salvation. He was simply conveying that their future relationship with Him would be all about fruit-bearing. To not bear fruit would be illogical and unacceptable. The very fact that He describes God as the vinedresser who “prunes” the branches so they can bear even more fruit reinforces His point.

He calls His disciples to remain or abide in Him.

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” – John 15:4 NLT

This had immediate application, as the disciples faced the uncertainty of the circumstances surrounding them. Jesus knew that the next few hours were going to be trying and He was calling them to remain faithful and to continue believing in who He was. In a sense, they were about to be pruned, as God cut away all their preconceived notions regarding the Messiah. In just a matter of hours, all their lofty hopes and aspirations that Jesus would establish His Kingdom on earth would be shattered. But Jesus pleads with them to remain.

From the other gospel accounts, we know that the disciples would end up deserting Jesus. When the authorities came to arrest Jesus, they fled into the night. But there is a sense in which they remained. They stayed nearby. They stayed together. They maintained a faint flicker of hope as they faced an unknown and uncertain future.

But Jesus was assuring them that their days of fruitfulness were not over. He would still use them to do great things. But the primary lesson they were going to learn from it all was their total reliance upon Jesus for all things. Without Him, they could do nothing. They could produce no fruit apart from Him, and their lives after His return to heaven would be marked by complete dependence upon Him.

Even today, the disciple’s life is one of waiting, working, resting, cooperating, and relying on the “Vine” to produce the fruit that the “Vinedresser” longs to see.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Jehovah-Selah

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1 I love you, Lord;
    you are my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.
3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and he saved me from my enemies. – Psalm 18:1-3 ESV

YHWH–Selaʿ – “The LORD My Rock.” In this Psalm, David provides several descriptions of Yahweh, each of which could be used in conjunction with His name to provide further details concerning His character. First, he describes Yahweh, the LORD, as his strength (ḥēzeq). In Hebrew, this masculine noun conveys the idea of power to provide help in times of need. For David, this hope in God’s capacity to deliver him from difficulty was not a case of wishful thinking but a proven reality. In fact, the descriptor for this Psalm states, “He sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.”

David wasn’t speculating about Yahweh’s strength; he spoke from first-hand experience and added a string of nouns to further describe the extent of God’s power: rock, fortress, savior. shield, power, and place of safety. For David, these words served as literary instruments to support his “song” of praise to Yahweh. They blended together to form a musical tribute to his all-powerful, ever-present-in-times-of-need God.

In the early part of his life, David spent years living as a fugitive, constantly on the run to escape the wrath of King Saul. The prophet Samuel had anointed him to be Saul’s replacement, but Saul was not going to vacate the throne willingly or easily. Jealous of David’s military successes and growing popularity among the people, Saul viewed him as a threat and repeatedly tried to eliminate him. But God continually protected and preserved David.

Even after becoming king, David experienced the presence and power of God in his life as he successfully led the armies of Israel to victory over their enemies. He recognized Yahweh’s hand in it all and couldn’t help but sing His praises.

This song comes from a thankful heart. David could remember the dark days of hiding in caves to escape the mercenaries Saul had sent to kill him. In those moments, he felt all alone and defenseless. The presence of his “mighty men” did nothing to bolster his confidence. The anointing of Samuel failed to provide him with hope. So, in his anxiety and fear, he turned to Yahweh.

The ropes of death entangled me;
    floods of destruction swept over me.
The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
    death laid a trap in my path.
But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
    my cry to him reached his ears. – Psalm 18:4-6 NLT

In David’s moment of need, God responded.

He heard me from his sanctuary – vs 6

He opened the heavens and came down – vs 9

The Lord thundered from heaven – vs 13

He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies – vs 14

He reached down from heaven and rescued me – vs 16

…the LORD supported me – vs 18

He led me to a place of safety – vs 19

…he rescued me – vs 19

The Lord rewarded me – vs 20

…he restored me – vs 20

God had regularly shown up in David’s life; it wasn’t sporadic or a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This pattern of deliverance was a common occurrence and David learned to rely upon it during his darkest and most difficult days. That’s why he was able to describe Yahweh as his rock.

The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
    May the God of my salvation be exalted! – Psalm 18:46 NLT

The term “rock” conjures up images of stability and strength. A rock is immovable and unshakeable. Jesus used this imagery to illustrate a life “built” on the “rock” of His message of salvation.

“I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.” – Luke 7:47-48 NLT

The Hebrew word carries the image of a rocky crag or cliff under which a weary traveler might find safety from a storm. It was in such a spot that David found a cave in which to hide and seek refuge from the bounty hunters who sought his life. The imagery of the rock was one of David’s favorite metaphors for referring to Yahweh.

O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
    don’t let me be disgraced.
    Save me, for you do what is right.
Turn your ear to listen to me;
    rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a fortress where I will be safe.
You are my rock and my fortress. – Psalm 31:1-3 NLT

David used “rock” and “fortress” as virtual synonyms. The Hebrew word for “fortress” is mᵉtsudâh and can also be translated as “house of defense.” The word “Masada” is a Hebrew word that means “strong foundation or support.” It is also the name of an ancient fortress in Israel that was built on a natural rock plateau thousands of feet above the Dead Sea. This stronghold became a symbol of Israel’s resistance to the Romans during the later part of the 1st Century A.D.

This seemingly impenetrable mountain fortress housed a small contingent of Jewish rebels who held out against the Romans for months, finally ending their occupation by taking their own lives. For David, these images of fortresses, houses of defense, rocky crags, and well-hidden caves served as perfect metaphors for Yahweh. They are tangible yet, obviously, insufficient symbols of God’s ability to care for His own in any and all circumstances. Unlike the mountaintop fortress of Masada, God never succumbs to the enemy’s attacks. David found God to have a perfect track record when it came to His role as rock, fortress, savior. shield, power, and place of safety.

He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
    from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
    but the Lord supported me.
He led me to a place of safety;
    he rescued me because he delights in me. – Psalm 18:17-19 NLT

This imagery of the rock also appears in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians, Paul provides insight into an Old Testament event that involved a miraculous “rock” through which God met the needs of the Israelites.

I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. – 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 NLT

This is a reference to the story found in Exodus 17. Under the leadership of Moses, the people of Israel are making their way to the land of Canaan. On their journey, they arrived at a place called Rephidim where they discovered no water to drink. As was their habit, the people grumbled at Moses and he took their complaint to God. Yahweh’s response was simple and direct.

“I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.” – Exodus 17:6 NLT

Fast-forward 40 years and the scene shifts from Rephidim to Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. Once again, the people complained to Moses because there was no water to drink and, as before, he took the problem to God, who responded:

“You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.” – Numbers 20:8 NLT

Notice that, this time, God instructed Moses to “speak” to the rock, not to strike it. But at the story unfolds, Moses, in his anger decided to do things his way. Gathered the people together

“Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?” Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. – Numbers 20:10-11 NLT

Attempting to elevate his stock among the disgruntled Israelites, Moses gave the impression that this miracle was his doing and, in doing so, robbed God of glory. This mistake would cost him dearly. God informed Moses and his brother Aaron, that their actions would prevent them from entering the land of Canaan.

“Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” – Numbers 20:12 NLT

But Paul ignores this part of the story and focuses on the rock. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he reveals that this was not just any rock. In fact, he infers that this was a “spiritual rock that traveled with them” (1 Corinthians 10:4 NLT). But is Paul suggesting that this physical rock somehow accompanied the Israelites as they made their way from Rephidim to Kadesh. There is a rabbinic tradition that takes just such an interpretation, but it is unlikely that this was Paul’s meaning.

Paul was using the story of the physical rock to remind his readers of Jehovah-Selah, Yahweh My Rock. He likely had in mind Moses’ statement from Deuteronomy 32.

“I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
    how glorious is our God!
He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
    Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
    how just and upright he is!” – Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT

Paul wanted the believers in Corinth to understand that Jesus was God. As the Son of God, He took on human flesh and made God visible to mankind. John points out the amazing nature of the incarnation.

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. – John 1:18 NLT

Paul told the believers in Colossae the very same thing.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. – 1:15 NLT

For Paul, Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of the rock that provided for the Israelites’ physical thirst. But Paul points out that Jesus is a “spiritual rock,” and, as such, He provides spiritual sustenance. Jesus Himself supported this claim.

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” – John 7:37-38 NLT

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14 ESV).

Fast-forward to the Book of Revelation, where John records the words of Jesus as He sits on the throne of David and rules over His kingdom on earth.

 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.” – Revelation 22:5-6 NLT

Jesus as Jehovah-Selah (Yahweh My Rock), will ultimately provide for all the needs of His people. He will satisfy their spiritual thirst. He will meet their every need. He will rule over a kingdom of perfect righteousness where sin, suffering, pain, and death are no longer a threat or even a possibility.

But even before that day arrives, HIs followers can rejoice in the reality of His protection and provision as the rock on which they stand.

Christ is my firm foundationThe rock on which I standWhen everything around me is shakenI’ve never been more gladThat I put my faith in Jesus‘Cause He’s never let me downHe’s faithful through generationsSo why would He fail now?He won’t, He won’t

I’ve still got joy in chaosI’ve got peace that makes no senseSo I won’t be going underI’m not held by my own strength‘Cause I’ve built my life on JesusHe’s never let me downHe’s faithful in every seasonSo why would He fail now?

He won’t, He won’t

Firm Foundation lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing

 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Mourning Comes Before Morning

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30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 31 And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

32 While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem. – 2 Samuel 15:30-37 ESV

As David made his way out of the city of David, he did so in a state of mourning. He headed east toward the Mount of Olives, barefoot and with his head covered. He led a sizeable retinue of household servants, personal bodyguards, members of his royal administration, and armed soldiers. This scene stands in stark contrast to the one in which David led the Ark of the Covenant in its triumphal entry through the gates of Jerusalem. On that occasion, David was headed in the opposite direction and displayed a markedly different mood. He danced and lept for joy as he led the Ark of God into his capital city. His public display was so over the top that his first wife, Michal, was embarrassed by his unceremonious and unkingly behavior.

Now, years later, the Ark resided in Jerusalem, but David was on his way out. There was no music, dancing, or joy on this occasion. The king was abandoning his capital and abdicating his throne and his kingdom to his son, Absalom. Tears flowed and hearts broke as David and his entourage vacated the palace and passed through the gates of the city that had come to be known as “The City of David.”

To make matters worse, David received the disappointing news that Ahithophel, one of his own counselors had chosen to remain behind and serve Absalom. Not only that, it ends up that Ahithophel had been a co-conspirator with Absalom in the whole affair. He was not just switching sides at the end; he had played a role in the entire enterprise, providing Absalom with counsel and advice along the way.

David’s response was simple and came in the form of a prayer: “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!” (2 Samuel 15:31 NLT). He didn’t rant, rave, or hurl invectives against Ahithophel. He simply asked God to thwart the plans of Absalom by divinely disrupting the counsel of Ahithophel. Then, David took steps to counter the betrayal of Ahithophel. He asked his good friend, Hushai, to return to the city and act as his eyes and ears, serving as an inside source and providing Absalom with advice that directly opposed that of Ahithophel.
“Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice.” – 2 Samuel 15:34 NLT

David was down, but not out. He may have been in mourning, but he was not giving up. His exit from the capital appears to be an attempt to avoid a potential bloodbath. The last thing David wanted was a protracted war within the gates of Jerusalem that could destroy the lives of innocent people. By willingly relinquishing control of the capital to his son, David was protecting its citizens and providing himself with time to plan his response to Absalom’s coup.

He set up his own network of spies to provide him with inside information regarding Absalom’s plans. He had evidently prearranged with his priests, Abiathar and Zadok, to use their sons as messengers, providing him with much-needed intel about all that transpired in the kingdom while he was in exile. As bleak and bad as things looked, David still had friends. Even in one of the darkest moments of his life, there were still those who were willing to stand beside him and assist him as he fought to preserve his kingdom and crown.

While David’s actions and demeanor portray a man who has all but given up, it would appear that he was just being realistic. He knew that, for the time being, he had lost his kingdom to his son. There was much he didn’t know, including whether this was going to be a permanent situation or simply another detour in God’s plan for his life. Rather than risk a pitched battle with Absalom and subject the city of Jerusalem to destruction and its inhabitants to death, David left of his own free will. He was sad, but still expectant. He was heartbroken but remained hopeful. Even as he exited the city, he put measures in place that would provide him with vital intelligence and allow him to influence the actions of Absalom from the inside.

The days ahead were going to be difficult and, at times, very dark. The worst had not yet come. There was going to be more devastating news and difficult circumstances in David’s future. He would be ridiculed, reviled, and rejected as king. He would find himself living in exile from his own kingdom. During this devastating change of fortunes, David would have to wrestle with the seeming incongruity of his meteoric fall from grace. He had been anointed by God to be the king of Israel and now he was on the outside looking in. For years, he had been forced to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promise. He lived in exile, trying to stay one step ahead of the fearful and vengeance-filled Saul. He had survived repeated attempts on his life. He had been forced to seek refuge among the enemies of Israel. But then, one day, God orchestrated his ascent to the throne of Israel. In short order, David was able to consolidate the 12 tribes of Israel. His kingdom thrived, his fame spread, his power increased, his family grew, and with that, his problems began.

Over the next days, weeks, and months, David would have plenty of time to ponder the dramatic reversal of his fortunes. He would have ample opportunity to question what was God doing. He likely spent countless hours revisiting his past actions and regretting his failure to deal with Absalom’s murder of Amnon. David must have wondered whether his fall was a form of punishment for past sins. Was God disciplining him? Did all of this tie back to his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah? One can only guess what went through David’s mind during those difficult days.

There will be days in the life of every God-follower that seem to make no sense. Every child of God will inevitably battle the dark nights of the soul that make us question what we have done to offend God. Sometimes, God will be slow in giving us answers to our questions or explanations for the seemingly confusing events surrounding our lives. At times, we will find ourselves suffering the ramifications of our own poor decision-making. At other times, the consequences of past sins will catch up with us, leaving us confused and conflicted as to what God may be doing and why.

For David, the days ahead would be dark and difficult. Things would get worse before they got better. He would have more questions than answers. And all along the way he would be tempted to either give up in despair or lash out in anger. He would find himself struggling to balance waiting on God with working things out on his own. His flesh would attempt to take control and he considered the injustice of his plight. His mind would race as he schemed his next steps. Should he fight or flee? Should he give up or faithfully wait for God to show up? Would he allow anger to control his actions or would he choose to rest in the sovereign will of God?

It is in the trials of life that we find our faith in God tested. Difficulties tend to expose the insufficiency of our knowledge of God. Unexpected and unwanted trials can reveal that our view of God is flawed and one-dimensional. David’s circumstances had changed dramatically, but he would soon discover that God remained consistently the same. David’s power had greatly diminished, but God remained omnipotent and fully capable of accomplishing His will. David was no longer on his throne, but God was. From David’s limited, earth-bound perspective, his circumstances appeared bleak and hopeless, but God had a different view on things. Not only could God see the future but He held it in His hands. He was not done with David. While Absalom loomed large in David’s life, he was insignificant to God. David was about to learn that his darkest days could provide the perfect backdrop for the light of God’s goodness, love, power, and deliverance to shine.

This moment in David’s life reminds me of the old hymn, “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less” by Robert Critchley. Its words provide a powerful reminder of the hope we have in Christ. Despite all that may happen to us in this life, we can rest confidently in the finished work of Christ.

My hope is built on nothing lessThan Jesus’ blood and righteousnessI dare not trust the sweetest frameBut wholly lean on Jesus’ name

When darkness veils his lovely faceI rest on His unchanging graceIn every high and stormy galeMy anchor holds within the veil

His oath, his covenant, his bloodSupports me in the ‘whelming floodWhen all around my soul gives wayHe then is all my hope and stay

On Christ the solid rock I standAll other ground is sinking sandAll other ground is sinking sand

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Crippling Effect of Self-Sufficiency

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1 When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (for Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3 the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron. – 2 Samuel 4:1-12 ESV

The transition of the kingdom from Saul to David has been anything but smooth up to this point. With Saul’s death, one would think that the path for David’s God-ordained ascension to the throne would have been cleared of all roadblocks. But then Abner showed up and convinced Saul’s son, Ish-bostheth to claim the crown for himself. This set up a long, drawn-out conflict between the tribe of Judah and the remaining tribes of Israel. Then, when David’s men routed the army of Ish-bosheth, it seemed obvious that Abner, the commander of Ish-bosheth’s troops, would have recommended surrender. But instead, he returned home and committed the cardinal sin of sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines. When Ish-bosheth questioned Abner’s motives, he the general showed his true colors, turning his back on the house of Saul and offering his services and the allegiance of the remaining tribes of Israel to David.

To solidify his claim to the crown, David took Abner up on his offer and made a peace treaty with him, with a special addendum, that Ish-bosheth agree to return David’s wife, Michal, to him. The only problem with David’s deal with Abner is that he never informed Joab, his own military commander. This oversight proved to be a major mistake on David’s part because he failed to take into account that Abner had murdered Joab’s brother, Ahasel. Joab took David’s treaty with Abner as a personal affront and decided to take matters into his own hands by murdering Abner. This forced David into damage control, prompting him to throw a huge state funeral for Abner and pronounce a devastating generational curse on his own military commander.

Things were spinning out of control and would only get worse. Upon hearing of Abner’s death, Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul and the king of the remaining tribes of Israel lost his nerve. Up until that point, he had been little more than a puppet king, relying heavily on Abner’s charisma and leadership to survive. Now that Abner was dead, he was on his own, a thought that scared him to death. Not only that, the people of Israel had no confidence in his ability to lead the nation without Abner’s assistance. This fact would become painfully clear for the young king.

Suspecting that Ish-bosheth’s fledgling reign was coming to an end, two Israelites came up with a plan to assassinate him. Rechab and Baanah believed that with Ish-bosheth out of the way they could hand over the kingdom to David, and receive a reward for their act of allegiance.

But the one thing missing from this twisted tale is any semblance of a word from God. Everyone is acting on their own initiative and for their own good, with no regard for what God would have them do. The assassination of Ish-bosheth was the brainchild of Rechab and Baanah, who were attempting to facilitate the outcome that best suited their own personal interests. Just like Abner, Rechab and Baanah were not fans of David; they were in it for what they could get out of it. Ish-bosheth was nothing more than a means to an end. He was their ticket to notoriety and reward.

What’s important to note is that all of this began with David’s decision to make an alliance with Abner, a plan concocted by Abner without the approval of God. At no point in the story does David seek or receive God’s permission to sign a deal with Abner. Yet, in doing so, David created a highly unstable and potentially dangerous atmosphere.

God didn’t need David’s help in uniting the kingdom and He had not sanctioned a treaty with Abner. But because David chose to act without God’s approval, Abner was murdered by Joab, who was cursed by David. and Ish-bosheth ended up assassinated by Rechab and Baanah. In the end, those two men would be executed by David’s order, with their heads and hands cut off and their bodies hung up for public display. What a great way to start a kingdom!

There is one subtle ray of light that illuminates the darkness of these events but it’s easy to miss. Verse four mentions Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. This verse is like a parenthetical statement that comes out of the blue. It doesn’t seem to fit the context, but it sets up something that happens later in the story and is recorded in chapter nine. Mephibosheth was the grandson of Saul, and as such, he would have been a potential heir to the throne of Saul. But as a child, he suffered from a tragic accident that left him a permanent physical disability.

He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to get away, he fell and was injured. Mephibosheth was his name. – 2 Samuel 4:4 NLT

In the middle of all the death, deceit, self-centered promotional efforts, jockeying for position, seeking of rewards, and looking out for number one, Mephibosheth’s name appears as a subtle hint that it is the helpless and hopeless, the overlooked and the down-and-out who God protects. Abner could make deals, but he would eventually have to deal with God. Rechab and Baanah could come up with plans to line their pockets and improve their futures, but ultimately, their futures were in God’s hands. Joab could seek to mete out revenge on his own terms but would learn that vengeance, when not left up to God, can end up as a curse rather than a blessing. David could attempt to speed up his ascension to the throne of all Israel but he would learn that trying to accomplish God’s will his own way rarely ends well.

We’re told that Mephibosheth “was crippled in his feet.” Could it be that this little description was meant to provide a not-so-subtle insight into how David, in an attempt to help God out, was actually crippling his own kingship? The helplessness of Mephibosheth provides a dramatic reminder of David’s need for God. This young boy, who could not walk on his own, would find himself at the mercy of the king. He would have no other choice but to entrust his life to the sovereign will of his grandfather’s successor. And David was still learning that his life, kingdom, and future reign over the house of Israel were completely at the mercy of God Almighty. Waiting on and resting in Him would be the best course of action.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

An Unexpected Response

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17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:

19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
    How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath,
    publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

21 “You mountains of Gilboa,
    let there be no dew or rain upon you,
    nor fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
    the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

22 “From the blood of the slain,
    from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan turned not back,
    and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
    In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
    they were stronger than lions.

24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
    who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
    who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen
    in the midst of the battle!

“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26     I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
    your love to me was extraordinary,
    surpassing the love of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen,
    and the weapons of war perished!” – 2 Samuel 1:17-27  ESV

What is someone’s normal reaction to the failure or fall of an enemy? It probably isn’t to compose a beautiful poem or song lauding their accomplishments. Most people wouldn’t go out of their way to praise someone who purposefully opposed them and caused great pain and suffering. No, the most likely response would be a sense of relief mixed with a somewhat veiled form of self-satisfaction. Any demonstrations of sorrow and remorse would be little more than outward displays of proper etiquette. For most people, their true response would remain hidden from view. Inside, they would be celebrating what could only be seen as a case of the wicked getting their just desserts.

But it’s amazing to see how David reacted to the death of Saul, a man who had made it his sole mission in life to eradicate David. With single-focused persistence, Saul hunted David like helpless prey, making his life a living hell. On two separate occasions, David spared Saul’s, receiving the king’s guarantee that he would call off his manhunt. But Saul’s words proved empty and his promises unreliable as he continued to treat David with contempt and sought every opportunity to kill him.

But when David heard that Saul was dead, he didn’t rejoice. There were no expressions of relief or prayers of thanksgiving to God for having delivered him from his enemy. No, David mourned. It would be easy to assume that most of David’s sorrow was directed at his friend Jonathan, the son of Saul, who was also killed on the field of battle that day. But this lament won’t allow us to draw that conclusion. David goes out of his way to express his sorrow over the death of Saul, the very one who, on two different occasions, tried to kill him with his own hands. David even praises the life of the one who had sought his death.

For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;
    the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil. – 2 Samuel 1:21 NLT

The bow of Jonathan was powerful,
    and the sword of Saul did its mighty work.
They shed the blood of their enemies
    and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes. – 2 Samuel 1:22 NLT

How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! – 2 Samuel 1:23 NLT

O women of Israel, weep for Saul… – 2 Samuel 1:24 NLT

This lament reveals a great deal about David. It was not that David was above seeking vengeance or wishing ill will on his sworn enemies. Psalm 28 reveals that David was capable of calling down the wrath of God on his enemies.

Do not drag me away with the wicked—
    with those who do evil—
those who speak friendly words to their neighbors
    while planning evil in their hearts.
Give them the punishment they so richly deserve!
    Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness.
Pay them back for all their evil deeds!
    Give them a taste of what they have done to others.
They care nothing for what the Lord has done
    or for what his hands have made.
So he will tear them down,
    and they will never be rebuilt! – Psalm 28:3-5 NLT

But throughout his ongoing conflict with Saul, David viewed the king as the Lord’s anointed. In David’s mind, Saul was the God-appointed king of Israel and therefore, worthy of honor and respect. To attack Saul would have been to attack God. To dishonor the king would be to disrespect the One who had placed him on the throne in the first place. But there is more here than just respect for a position; David legitimately loved Saul. He viewed him as a father figure.

When David had his first opportunity to take Saul’s life, he referred to him as “father,” assuring him, “May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you” (1 Samuel 24:12 ESV). Later on, in chapter 26, David has a second chance to take Saul’s life, but declines, referring to himself as Saul’s servant and telling him, “Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation” (1 Samuel 26:24 ESV).

David served in Saul’s court and at one time he was the personal armor bearer to the king. He had been at Saul’s side in battle and even in the throne room when Saul did battle with an evil spirit. David would play his lyre to calm Saul’s troubled mind and, as a result, Saul treated David like a son. He even allowed David to marry his daughter. So, despite all that happened between the two men, David experienced no joy at Saul’s death; his heart was broken.

The king was dead. His best friend was gone. The armies of Israel had been defeated. The kingdom was demoralized. And the pagan Philistines were celebrating their victory over the God of Israel. David had no cause for joy. He had no reason to gloat or celebrate the demise of his former adversary. David had learned to see things from God’s perspective and there was no joyful celebration in heaven. God was not reveling in Saul’s death or Israel’s defeat at the hands of the Philistines. He takes no joy in the fall or failure of His people. So, why should we? In fact, the Scriptures make it clear that God doesn’t even rejoice in the death of the wicked.

“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.” – Ezekiel 18:23 NLT

“For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” – Ezekiel 18:32 ESV

“As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?” – Ezekiel 33:11 NLT

David was a man after God’s own heart. If that phrase means anything, it means that David shared God’s compassion and concern for His people. David may not have liked what Saul had done to him. He may not have enjoyed the suffering he was forced to endure. But he still viewed Saul as the king of Israel and as a son of God. Saul’s death brought David no pleasure because he knew it brought no joy to God. So he mourned, wept, lamented, and celebrated. But David didn’t celebrate his victory over Saul, instead, he celebrated the life and legacy of Saul. He honored the man who had dishonored him. David offered praise for the life of the man who had offered a reward to anyone who would take David’s life. That isn’t exactly a normal response but it is a godly one.

Jesus Himself provided us with a godly response to the presence of wickedness in our lives. And even now, His words go against the grain and press against our normal predisposition. But it gives us the godly reaction to ungodliness and the righteous response to unrighteousness.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:42-48 NLT

Through his actions, David revealed the true character of his heart. He was far from perfect, but he was a man who shared God’s heart and was learning to see things from God’s perspective. Despite Saul’s harsh treatment, David refused to view him as an enemy who got what he deserved but instead, he regarded him as a dear friend who suffered a humiliating death and was worthy of honor. By respecting Saul rather than reviling him, David displayed his faith in God and his reliance upon God’s sovereignty.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.