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<h2><a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,'1-');">2Sa 23</a> - David's Last Psalm</h2>
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<p>A. David's last psalm.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,'1-4');">1-4</a>) The character of God's perfect king.</p>
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<p class="c2">Now these <i>are </i>the last words of David.<br><i>Thus </i>says David the son of Jesse;<br><i>Thus </i>says the man raised up on high,<br>The anointed of the God of Jacob,<br>And the sweet psalmist of Israel:<br>"The Spirit of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> spoke by me,<br>And His word <i>was </i>on my tongue.<br>The God of Israel said,<br>The Rock of Israel spoke to me:<br>'He who rules over men <i>must be </i>just,<br>Ruling in the fear of God.<br>And <i>he shall be </i>like the light of the morning <i>when </i>the sun rises,<br>A morning without clouds,<br><i>Like </i>the tender grass <i>springing </i>out of the earth,<br>By clear shining after rain.'</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">These are the last words of David</span></b>: It isn't that these were the words David spoke from his deathbed, but they to express his heart and longing at the end of his life. </p>
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<p class="c5">i. "I suppose the <i>last poetical composition</i> is here intended. He might have spoken many words after these in <i>prose</i>, but none in <i>verse</i>." (Clarke)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. This short psalm is a beautiful song of wisdom from David at the end of his life. "Wherein he doth, in few words but full of matter, acknowledge God's benefits, confess his sins, profess his faith, comfort himself in the covenant, and denounce destruction to unbelievers...How much in a little!" (Trapp)</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. What a life his was - we have a capsule of David's life in the titles and descriptions of <a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,1);">2Sa 23:1</a>:</p><ul class="c6"><li><b><span class="c3">The son of Jesse</span></b>: Jesse was a humble farmer and this title reminds us of David's humble beginning</li><li><b><span class="c3">The man raised up on high</span></b>: David allowed <i>God</i> to raise him up, so he could confidently rest in this title</li><li><b><span class="c3">The anointed of the God of Jacob</span></b>: David was <b><span class="c3">anointed</span></b> by God, not by himself or merely by man. He had a unique empowering and enabling from God</li><li><b><span class="c3">The sweet psalmist of Israel</span></b>: David had a beautiful gift of eloquence and expression before God. This title reminds of David's deep inner life with God</li></ul>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The Spirit of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> spoke by me</span></b>: This indicates that at least at times, David was aware of the work of divine inspiration through him and expressed in his words.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">He who rules over men must be just</span></b>: As David looks back over his life and reign, he is struck by the great need for rulers to exercise <i>justice</i>. He knew this by seeing the goodness of justice provided and the curse of justice denied.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">Ruling in the fear of God</span></b>: This is the key to <i>justice</i> in the work of a leader. When leaders rule <b><span class="c3">in the fear of God</span></b> they recognize that a God of justice reviews their work and will require an accounting of how the ruler has led.</p>
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<p class="c4">e. <b><span class="c3">He shall be like the light of the morning</span></b>: David reflects on how a wise ruler is blessed when he rules with justice. Though David's reign was not perfect it was blessed - and his reign is the most identified with the reign of the Messiah.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. From one perspective David's reign was a disaster. He suffered from a dark scandal during his reign, he suffered under repeated family crisis, under an attempted insurrection from his own son, under another civil war, and from three years of famine.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. In contrast to David, his son Solomon's reign seemed perfect. Solomon enjoyed a reign of peace, great prosperity, prominence, and glory.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. Yet the Bible has nothing but praise for David and his reign, reflected in passages like <a onclick="return mV('Psa',89,20);">Psa 89:20</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',55,'3-4');">Isa 55:3-4</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rom',1,3);">Rom 1:3</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rev',22,16);">Rev 22:16</a>. In contrast, Solomon is barely mentioned in the rest of the Scriptures and when he is, it is almost in a backhanded way (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',5,'28-29');">Mat 5:28-29</a> and <a onclick="return mV('Mat',12,42);">Mat 12:42</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">iv. The difference between David and Solomon was found in their different relationships with God. David's passion in life was simply to be with God (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',84,10);">Psa 84:10</a>), while Solomon's passion was personal improvement (<a onclick="return mV('1Ki',3,'4-15');">1Ki 3:4-15</a>). We can also say that David endured to the end, loving and serving God in the final chapters of his life (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,'1-7');">2Sa 23:1-7</a>), while Solomon forsook God in his later years (<a onclick="return mV('1Ki',11,'4-8');">1Ki 11:4-8</a>).</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,'5-7');">5-7</a>) David's trust in God's covenant.</p>
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<p class="c2">"Although my house <i>is </i>not so with God,<br>Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,<br>Ordered in all <i>things </i>and secure.<br>For <i>this is </i>all my salvation and all <i>my </i>desire;<br>Will He not make <i>it </i>increase?<br>But <i>the sons </i>of rebellion <i>shall </i>all <i>be </i>as thorns thrust away,<br>Because they cannot be taken with hands.<br>But the man <i>who </i>touches them<br>Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,<br>And they shall be utterly burned with fire in <i>their </i>place."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Although my house is not so with God</span></b>: David looks at the complete blessedness of a just ruler's reign and he knows that his reign fell short of both perfect justice and complete blessedness.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant</span></b>: David knew that the <b><span class="c3">everlasting covenant</span></b> from God was not based on David's perfection as a ruler. It was based on God's gracious commitment to His <b><span class="c3">everlasting covenant</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">This is all my salvation and all my desire</span></b>: David can only say this because the covenant was based on God's faithfulness and not David's. David knew that his own obedience was not enough to be a foundation for all his <b><span class="c3">salvation</span></b> and all his <b><span class="c3">desire</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. We can say that because of his sin and its consequences, David's light dimmed towards the end of his life, but it was by no means extinguished. He shined until the end. "In the Divine dealing with us, there is no mistake, no lapse. Nothing has been permitted which has not been made to serve the highest purpose. This is so even of our failures, if, like David, in true penitence we have forsaken them and confessed them. It is certainly so of all our sorrows and trials." (Morgan)</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">The sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away</span></b>: The covenant was based on God's faithfulness, but David knew that obedience still mattered. God would still oppose <b><span class="c3">the sons of rebellion</span></b> and they would end in ruin. David knew he could trust the <span class="c6">Lord</span> to take care of his enemies and wicked men.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "This was the whole theme of David. The Lord is in control. Rest in Him. Don't fret yourself because of the evildoers that bring evil devices to pass. Rest in the Lord, trust also in Him. Delight thyself in the Lord! And all of the help, and the strength, the ministry of God's Spirit to our hearts, through the Psalms, the sweet psalmist of Israel. What a legacy he has left." (Smith)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. This remarkable relationship with God is the reason why David was Israel's greatest king, and the most prominent ancestor of Jesus Christ. The New Testament begins with these words: <i>The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',1,1);">Mat 1:1</a>).</p>
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<p>B. David's mighty men.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,'8-12');">8-12</a>) The names and exploits of David's top three soldiers.</p>
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<p class="c2">These <i>are </i>the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. And after him <i>was </i>Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, <i>one </i>of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines <i>who </i>were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The <span class="c6">Lord</span> brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. And after him <i>was </i>Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. Then the people fled from the Philistines. But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> brought about a great victory.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">These are the names of the mighty men</span></b>: David was nothing without his mighty men, and they were nothing without him. He was their leader, but a leader is nothing without followers - and David had <b><span class="c3">the mighty men</span></b> to follow him. These men didn't necessarily <i>start</i> as mighty men; many were some of the distressed, indebted, and discontent people who followed David at Adullam Cave (<a onclick="return mV('1Sa',22,'1-2');">1Sa 22:1-2</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "<span>These men came to David when his fortunes were at the lowest ebb, and he himself was regarded as a rebel and an outlaw, and they remained faithful to him throughout their lives. Happy are they who can follow a good cause in its worst estate, for theirs is true glory." (Spurgeon) </span></p>
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<p class="c5">ii. The day for mighty men and women - heroic men and women for God - has not ended. "The triumph of the church as a whole depends upon the personal victory of every Christian. In other words, your victory, your life, your personal testimony, are important to the cause of God today. What happens out in New Guinea, down in the Amazon jungle, over in disturbed Congo, is not unrelated to what happens in your own personal relationship with God and your personal battle against the forces of darkness. Victory for the church on the whole world-front depends upon victory in your life and in mine; 'home' and 'foreign' situations cannot be detached." (Redpath)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Adino the Eznite</span></b>: This leader among David's mighty men was noted for having <b><span class="c3">killed eight hundred men at one time</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "<span class="c6">Three</span> <i>hundred</i> is the reading in Chronicles, and seems to be the true one." (Clarke)</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Eleazar the son of Dodo</span></b>: This leader of David's mighty men was famous for hanging with David in a famous battle and when his <b><span class="c3">hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword</span></b>. Through his tenacity <b><span class="c3">the <span class="c6">Lord</span> brought about a great victory that day</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Spurgeon saw that Eleazar, in his solitary stand until victory, was a tremendous example for believers today. "<span>Solitary prowess is expected of believers. I hope we may breed in this place a race of men and women who know the truth, and know also what the Lord claims at their hands, and are resolved, by the help of the Holy Spirit, to war a good warfare for their Lord whether others will stand at their side or no."</span></p>
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<p class="c5"><span>ii. "Remember Mr. Sankey's hymn, - </span>'Dare to be a Daniel! Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!'<b><i><span class="c3"> </span></i></b><span>Dare to be an Eleazar, and go forth and smite the Philistines alone; you will soon find that there are others in the house who have concealed their sentiments, but when they see, you coming forward, they will be openly on the Lord's side. Many cowards are skulking about, try to shame them. Many are undecided, let them see a brave man, and he will be the standard-bearer around whom they will rally." (Spurgeon)</span></p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite</span></b>: This leader among David's mighty men <b><span class="c3">stationed himself in the middle of field</span></b> when others fled and he held the ground single-handedly until the <b><span class="cmscap">Lord</span><span class="c3"> brought about a great victory</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,'13-17');">13-17</a>) A daring exploit from David's days at Adullam.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David <i>was </i>then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines <i>was </i>then <i>in </i>Bethlehem. And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which <i>is </i>by the gate!" So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that <i>was </i>by the gate, and took it and brought <i>it </i>to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. And he said, "Far be it from me, O <span class="c6">Lord</span>, that I should do this! Is <i>this not </i>the blood of the men who went in <i>jeopardy of </i>their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Came to David at the cave of Adullam</span></b>: David spent time in this cave when those who would become his mighty men first came to him in <a onclick="return mV('1Sa',22,'1-2');">1Sa 22:1-2</a>. This passage describes something that happened either during that time or a later time of battle against the Philistines when David went back to <b><span class="c3">the cave of Adullam</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem"</span></b>: During this time David had a nostalgic longing for the taste of water from a well near his boyhood home.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">The three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem</span></b>: In response to David's longing - which wasn't a command or even a request, just a vocalized longing - these <b><span class="c3">three mighty men</span></b> immediately went to fulfill David's desire at great personal risk.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">He would not drink it, but poured it out to the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>: David was so honored by the self-sacrifice of these three mighty men he felt that the water was too good for him - and worthy to be <b><span class="c3">poured</span></b> out in sacrifice to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. He believed that the great sacrifice of these men could only be honored by giving the water to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "Accounting it too dear a draught for himself, he poured it out unto the Lord, out of a religious respect." (Trapp)</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,'18-23');">18-23</a>) Two more notable men among the mighty men.</p>
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<p class="c2">Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of <i>another </i>three. He lifted his spear against three hundred <i>men, </i>killed <i>them, </i>and won a name among <i>these </i>three. Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the <i>first </i>three. Benaiah <i>was </i>the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian <i>had </i>a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. These <i>things </i>Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the <i>first </i>three. And David appointed him over his guard.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Abishai the brother of Joab</span></b>: This leader among David's mighty men was famous for his battle against <b><span class="c3">three hundred men</span></b>. His leadership is also recorded in passages like <a onclick="return mV('1Sa',26,'6-9');">1Sa 26:6-9</a>; <a onclick="return mV('2Sa',3,30);">2Sa 3:30</a> and <a onclick="return mV('2Sa',10,'10-14');">2Sa 10:10-14</a>.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Benaiah the son of Jehoiada</span></b>: This leader among David's mighty men was famous for his battles against both men (<b><span class="c3">two lion-like heroes of Moab...an Egyptian, a spectacular man</span></b>) and beasts (<b><span class="c3">a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day</span></b>).</p>
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<p class="c1">4. (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',23,'24-39');">24-39</a>) A list of David's mighty men.</p>
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<p class="c2">Asahel the brother of Joab <i>was </i>one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, <i>and </i>Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Eliam the son of Ahithophel</span></b>: This man is notable among the mighty men because he was the father of Bathsheba (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',3,11);">2Sa 3:11</a>) and shows that Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Uriah the Hittite</span></b>: He is notable among the mighty men because he was the husband of Bathsheba. When David heard of Bathsheba's relation to <b><span class="c3">Uriah</span></b> and <b><span class="c3">Eliam</span></b> and <b><span class="c3">Ahithophel</span></b> (<a onclick="return mV('2Sa',3,11);">2Sa 3:11</a>) he should have put away every idea of adultery.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Thirty-seven in all</span></b>: These remarkable men were the foundation of the greatness of David's reign. They did not come to David as great men but God used his leadership to transform them from men who were <i>in distress</i>,<i> in debt </i>and <i>discontented</i>, who met David back at Adullam Cave (<a onclick="return mV('1Sa',22,'1-2');">1Sa 22:1-2</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "More than all his victories against outside foes, the influence of his life and character on the men nearest to him testify to his essential greatness." (Morgan)</p>
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