(2 Sam. 22, 223: 1-7.)
There is a remarkable contrast between the two songs in these chapters. the song of David after he had done with all his enemies (that is, after his trials by Saul) and the song of David after he had done with himself; here brought together by the Spirit of God.
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At the end of his trials, when looking back at his enemies, he sings songs of triumph; all is exaltation. After his experience of the blessing, it is, “Although my house be not so with God.” (2 Sam. 23:55Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. (2 Samuel 23:5).) The end of all the sorrow and trial with Saul is rejoicing, exaltation and strength, while in the second, the result of the place of honor, blessing and triumph, is deep and bitter sorrow—the confession, “My house is not so with God.”
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This contrast makes trouble precious, and is a check to any desire to get out of it.
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So practically it is with us, we need to guard against the effects of success; the pressure of circumstances which keep me down produces nothing but joy and praise, in the experience of God’s goodness; the effect of circumstances which lift me up is sorrow.
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How often has a saint, when in trial and conscious weakness, cast therein upon the Lord, cried unto Him, and as a faithful servant been sustained, had blessing, and acquired influence, godly influence too; but how often, satisfied with blessing and the influence thus acquired and losing the sense of his weakness, has he stopped suddenly short in his course, been arrested in the point of influence obtained, and become comparatively useless in the church of God.
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There is perhaps nothing of deeper interest than to see how God takes up the history of David in the psalms, writing as it were upon David’s heart the history of the Lord Jesus. In chapter 23 we get “the last words of David.” (2 Sam. 23:11Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, (2 Samuel 23:1))
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Faith realizes the strength of God without reckoning on self, and so does that which comes in the way, without thinking about it.
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Whether it be the lion or the bear, or the uncircumcised Philistine, it is the same thing.
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And now we come to a sad picture; we see a different line of conduct in David.
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We find in him now the want of that direct reference to Jehovah which had so marked his previous course, he trusts in his own strength, lives in self-indulgence, and then falls into gross sin.
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The end of all this is the word of Jehovah by the prophet, that the sword should never depart from his house, David is chastened, repentance given, and the sin put away; but the sword departs not from his house.
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David was blessed as much when king, whilst humble, as when an outcast he was hunted by Saul, like a partridge in the mountains.
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In these “last words of David,” as we have seen, there is deep consciousness of failure and ruin. “My house is not so with God.” (2 Sam. 23:1, 51Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, (2 Samuel 23:1)
5Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. (2 Samuel 23:5).)
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If we are faithful in the singleness of eye in the camp of Saul, we shall soon find ourselves in the cave of Adullam, taking as the portion of our souls, fellowship in Christ’s sufferings. It is there we shall have all the unfoldings of those internal affections, those secret affections of heart, which were in David when humble.
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