2Sa 23:3 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter David speaks as a prophet about Christ. This is the difference with 2 Samuel 22, because there he speaks as king and in the picture we hear the Lord Jesus Himself speak. We have two topics in this chapter. First we listen to the farewell words of king David ( ). Then follows a list of David’s heroes and their deeds, deeds that gave them an honorable position in his kingdom ( ). Here we have the last words of David as a poet, as a singer. He talks about the future as someone who is particularly privileged. Even more so, he speaks of a Ruler Who differs so much from what he has been as ruler. The last words of someone always have a special value for the descendants and friends. Last words are permanent words. They are often words that arise from a rich experience of the past, while that past is seen in the light of the future, one’s final destination ( ). David first speaks about himself as a person in . He begins by naming his name, “David,” which means “beloved”. He knows himself the object of God’s love; he is the man after God’s heart. At the same time he calls himself “the son of Jesse”. By doing so, he indicates that he is aware of his origins. He knows its humility, and doesn’t forget that. He is also aware of the high position he has been given and as such he speaks ( ). With this he refers to the fact that he was taken by the LORD from behind the sheep of his father to become the shepherd of His people. Grace has brought him to that high place. He knows that he is “the anointed” ( ). This indicates that he cannot act in his own power in the position he has received, but that this can only be done by the power of the Holy Spirit, to which the anointing reminds ( ). At the same time, here again he points to his own weakness by attributing the anointing to “the God of Jacob”, that is the God Who has always supported and helped the weak Jacob. In the last line of he places himself in connection with the whole people which he calls “Israel”, that is the people as God sees them according to His purpose. God sees His people as a people of praise. David took care of the songs of praise, that is to say, that the LORD brought him into so many circumstances that these psalms originated in his heart. David knows himself as the instrument of the Holy Spirit through Whom he speaks God’s words ( ). This verse is one of the most beautiful verses in the Old Testament that teaches us something about inspiration. It is a speaking of the Spirit through someone. “His word was on my tongue” does not mean that David displays a general thought, but that the words are inspired by the Spirit. These are the words in which thoughts are expressed. It emphasizes the word-for-word inspiration of the Word of God. In we see that God Himself speaks. David can say: “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me” ( ) because, as it says in , the God of Israel first “spoke to” him. We can only speak words of God through the Spirit when those words have come to us first, when we have first absorbed them into our hearts. The words God speaks have His Messiah as their subject. With God it is always about His Son. In this verse the Messiah is clearly distinguished from God. The Messiah is the Man Who reigns in the fear of God. He rules for God, although He Himself is God. God speaks as “the God of Israel”, the God of His people. He also speaks as “the rock of Israel”, the Unshakable. The unshakable God puts Someone in the foreground Who will be a righteous Ruler of men. This Ruler will not rule according to human standards, but “in the fear of God”, that is, all His actions will be governed by respect for God. “The fear of God” will be His personal feature. The Ruler of is not his son Solomon. Under the reign of Solomon there is partial fulfillment, but the full fulfillment only occurs at the reign of the Lord Jesus. Then Christ rises as “the light of the morning” ( ). He is “the sun of righteousness” Who rises ( ). That is the beginning of the realm of peace. With His government will come the “times of refreshing” and the “period of restoration of all things” ( ). Then the “morning without clouds” begins. The dark clouds of the great tribulation, the period in which it was night for the faithful remnant, have disappeared forever. Everything will be light and characterized by young and fresh life under the mighty working of the Spirit. Salvation and joy come from the house of David as the fulfillment of what God has promised. It is the ultimate salvation for the whole people. David realizes that he does not speak about himself and his own house ( ). In this second book of Samuel, the failure of David has all too clearly come to the fore. At the same time it is wonderful to see David clinging to the eternal covenant of God. As God has proposed, so it will happen. The time has not yet come, but salvation and joy will come. David expresses his unshakeable confidence that he will personally, “my”, participate in it. Under the reign of the Messiah the wicked will be judged ( ). For all those who have not bowed before God, there is no place in the counsels of God about which David has spoken in the preceding verses.

‏ 2 Samuel 23:3

Introduction

In this chapter David speaks as a prophet about Christ. This is the difference with 2 Samuel 22, because there he speaks as king and in the picture we hear the Lord Jesus Himself speak.

We have two topics in this chapter. First we listen to the farewell words of king David (2Sam 23:1-7). Then follows a list of David’s heroes and their deeds, deeds that gave them an honorable position in his kingdom (2Sam 23:8-39).

The Last Words of David

Here we have the last words of David as a poet, as a singer. He talks about the future as someone who is particularly privileged. Even more so, he speaks of a Ruler Who differs so much from what he has been as ruler.

The last words of someone always have a special value for the descendants and friends. Last words are permanent words. They are often words that arise from a rich experience of the past, while that past is seen in the light of the future, one’s final destination (2Sam 23:1a).

David first speaks about himself as a person in 2Sam 23:1b. He begins by naming his name, “David,” which means “beloved”. He knows himself the object of God’s love; he is the man after God’s heart. At the same time he calls himself “the son of Jesse”. By doing so, he indicates that he is aware of his origins. He knows its humility, and doesn’t forget that.

He is also aware of the high position he has been given and as such he speaks (2Sam 23:1c). With this he refers to the fact that he was taken by the LORD from behind the sheep of his father to become the shepherd of His people. Grace has brought him to that high place.

He knows that he is “the anointed” (2Sam 23:1d). This indicates that he cannot act in his own power in the position he has received, but that this can only be done by the power of the Holy Spirit, to which the anointing reminds (1Jn 2:20 ; 27). At the same time, here again he points to his own weakness by attributing the anointing to “the God of Jacob”, that is the God Who has always supported and helped the weak Jacob.

In the last line of 2Sam 23:1 he places himself in connection with the whole people which he calls “Israel”, that is the people as God sees them according to His purpose. God sees His people as a people of praise. David took care of the songs of praise, that is to say, that the LORD brought him into so many circumstances that these psalms originated in his heart.

David knows himself as the instrument of the Holy Spirit through Whom he speaks God’s words (2Sam 23:2). This verse is one of the most beautiful verses in the Old Testament that teaches us something about inspiration. It is a speaking of the Spirit through someone. “His word was on my tongue” does not mean that David displays a general thought, but that the words are inspired by the Spirit. These are the words in which thoughts are expressed. It emphasizes the word-for-word inspiration of the Word of God.

In 2Sam 23:3 we see that God Himself speaks. David can say: “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me” (2Sam 23:2) because, as it says in 2Sam 23:3, the God of Israel first “spoke to” him. We can only speak words of God through the Spirit when those words have come to us first, when we have first absorbed them into our hearts. The words God speaks have His Messiah as their subject. With God it is always about His Son. In this verse the Messiah is clearly distinguished from God. The Messiah is the Man Who reigns in the fear of God. He rules for God, although He Himself is God.

God speaks as “the God of Israel”, the God of His people. He also speaks as “the rock of Israel”, the Unshakable. The unshakable God puts Someone in the foreground Who will be a righteous Ruler of men. This Ruler will not rule according to human standards, but “in the fear of God”, that is, all His actions will be governed by respect for God. “The fear of God” will be His personal feature.

The Ruler of 2Sam 23:3 is not his son Solomon. Under the reign of Solomon there is partial fulfillment, but the full fulfillment only occurs at the reign of the Lord Jesus. Then Christ rises as “the light of the morning” (2Sam 23:4). He is “the sun of righteousness” Who rises (Mal 4:2). That is the beginning of the realm of peace. With His government will come the “times of refreshing” and the “period of restoration of all things” (Acts 3:19-21).

Then the “morning without clouds” begins. The dark clouds of the great tribulation, the period in which it was night for the faithful remnant, have disappeared forever. Everything will be light and characterized by young and fresh life under the mighty working of the Spirit.

Salvation and joy come from the house of David as the fulfillment of what God has promised. It is the ultimate salvation for the whole people. David realizes that he does not speak about himself and his own house (2Sam 23:5). In this second book of Samuel, the failure of David has all too clearly come to the fore. At the same time it is wonderful to see David clinging to the eternal covenant of God. As God has proposed, so it will happen. The time has not yet come, but salvation and joy will come. David expresses his unshakeable confidence that he will personally, “my”, participate in it.

Under the reign of the Messiah the wicked will be judged (2Sam 23:6-7). For all those who have not bowed before God, there is no place in the counsels of God about which David has spoken in the preceding verses.