Here in 2 Samuel 23 we have the last official oracle of David. David is referred to as ‘Israel’s singer of songs’. The only official writings we have of David are songs, mostly contained in the book of Psalms. David communicated in songs and for very practical reasons. Songs could be then taken up, used, memorised and passed on from generation to generation. The message contained in these last words of David is a typical theme in the Psalms. It works like this: those who trust in God and walk in his ways are secure and will live fruitful and fulfilled lives. But those who trust in themselves, though they may indeed grow and flourish for a while, will not be able to bear the kind of enduring fruit that God desires. Like the wheat and weeds in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 13:24ff), both grow and consider themselves to be flourishing but, in the end, it is only the wheat that is gathered into the barn whilst the weeds are bundled up and burned. The first Psalm in the book of Psalms makes this distinction and David’s life story is recorded in the books of Samuel to demonstrate what this distinction looks like. We are being called here to choose which way we will live and encouraged to make that choice consciously every day.
Commit yourself to God’s ways today.
Read 2 Samuel 23:1-7
