Unit: History of Israel (2 Samuel; 1 & 2 Chronicles)
Theme: A King’s House
Lesson Text: 2 Samuel 22:17-25; 23:1-5
Supplemental Text: 2 Samuel 22:26-51; 2 Corinthians 5:21
Aim: Make your house right with God.
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By Mark Scott
We move from sin (last week’s lesson) to song (this week’s lesson). While forgiveness is always possible when God is in the equation, the consequences of sin often lingers. Second Samuel 13–21 trace some ugly consequences of David’s sin. David’s house and reign were filled with immorality, rebellion, death, grief, and war (particularly with the Gibeonites and Philistines).
David was an old king by now. His soldiers urged him not to go to battle lest “the lamp of Israel . . . be extinguished” (2 Samuel 21:17). Earlier, when he stayed home from battle, he sinned (2 Samuel 11:1-2). This time he turned to song. The songs from which our texts are drawn for this lesson are reflective of deliverance and righteousness, as David poetically revisited his life.
Song of Deliverance
2 Samuel 22:17-25
Some of the lyrics of this song were composed earlier in David’s life. But as he reviewed his life, he remembered God’s faithfulness during his reign. David sang about who God was (rock, fortress, refuge, shield, and horn—2 Samuel 22:2-3) and what power he had displayed (bowed the heavens and came down—22:5-16). Then he began to sing about God’s rescue (vv. 17-20) and rewards (vv. 21-25).
David spoke about God’s “rescue” twice, but he used two different words to do so. The first means “to save or pluck out.” The second means “to loose or deliver.” God reached down (a reminder of his transcendence) and took hold of David on more than one occasion. David used the metaphor of being in deep waters to symbolize God’s rescue. Powerful enemies and foes proved too much for David’s human strength. These enemies even confronted (came out to meet) David when he was in disaster (bending down in calamity). But the Lord was David’s support and brought him to a spacious place (broad or wide place; a symbol of freedom and deliverance in contrast to hiding). The only reason for this rescue was that God delighted (took pleasure) in David.
David not only sang about God’s rescue, but also about how God would reward David. David was far from perfect, but he had moments of great faithfulness. He attempted to live in righteousness. He tried to live with clean hands. He worked at keeping the laws of God, strived not to turn from God, desired to be blameless (innocent) before God, and kept himself from sin as much as possible. David was conscious that God’s mercy met him at the point of his efforts.
Song of Righteousness
2 Samuel 23:1-5
The rest of David’s song in chapter 22 continued to celebrate who God was and what he had done. In chapter 23, the last stanza of the song is labeled, the last words of David. In terms of his last words of “poetry” that may well be true. The record of David’s death is only chapters away. The hero of Israel’s songs (“sweet psalmist of Israel,” English Standard Version) sang his final song. The song was about God’s righteousness (the third great quality of God following his love and holiness).
The word righteousness occurs only once in this section (while occurring twice in the previous section), but it appears in the middle (v. 3). David said some things leading up to this and some things leading away from this (the technical word for this is chiasm). The text leads to this idea/point, so it is the central idea. It means a sense of justice and things being made right by God. It contains wrath and mercy.
God gave David (who is identified three ways: son of Jesse, man exalted by the Most High, and the man anointed by the God of Jacob) this lyric (inspired utterance) about righteousness. God spoke to David so that he could speak through David to the people of Israel.
This message concerned one who rules over people in righteousness. When kings rule in the fear of God it is like sunshine and rain. The sun makes it bright, and the rain brings grass from the earth. David confessed that had his house not been right with God (i.e., a state of righteousness) three things would not have been accomplished: the everlasting covenant that God had made with him would have been compromised, salvation from God would not have been brought to fruition (to bear or spring up or cause to prosper), and David’s desires would not have been granted (helped). Our houses too should sing songs of deliverance and righteousness.
Dr. Mark Scott serves as minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. He retired in May after more than 30 years as professor of New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
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