Good morning everyone this morning. We're in second Samuel chapter 22. We're now Just about complete with the book of second Samuel. There's just two chapters left this chapter and one more and then early on in the books to come David is going to Pass on and Solomon's going to take over David has now Really set up the kingdom for Solomon. He has brought in a time of
Peace and prosperity. It hasn't been that way. David's life has been filled with turmoil, but now he is
able to pass the baton shortly on to Solomon and really has things in a great place and David's reflecting back on his life. Think of the incredible life that David has lived. Being one of the sons of Jesse, being chosen even though he was the youngest of the sons and he is told he's going to be king of Israel long before God actually made him king. He had to be on the run from
Saul, be on the run from the Philistines, be on the run from Absalom, from Sheba, so much turmoil in his life, yet God was anointing him and seeing him through all of that, and now
Through that entire journey, he's in Jerusalem. Things are under control. He's seen God's hand provided and he's reflecting back and saying, wow, God, you astonished me. It's incredible what you have done for me. Now, as we've discussed, if you've gone through David's life with us, I mean, David had a special anointing. David had a special promise that he would be the king of Israel and that from his line,
You know Jesus would come he has not promised that to me and yet God has been faithful to you and God has been faithful to me and God is going to be Faithful to those who are in faith in him to the end hallelujah But let's go ahead and take a look at how David marvels at and sees God as high and lifted up Because of how God has provided in his life
And David spoke to Yahweh. So this is like a Psalm, a song of praise. It's very similar to Psalm 18, by the way. And David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song and the day that Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all of his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And you know, I think this is one of the things that when God looked at David and said, he's a man after my own heart, I think
Some of that has to do with how David was able to well up in, give lavish praise to God and just proclaim the goodness of God. And he did it about as good as anybody has ever done it in history, as far as able to please and praise God. The other thing that David did that was remarkable is he knew true repentance. Oh, he knew sin.
He knew waywardness. Oh, yes, he did. But when he would come to the full measure, it reminds me of the prodigal. I was thinking about that, actually, as I laid in bed today. And, you know, that prodigal who was gone came to his senses. It says, when he came to his senses, he said, I'm going to go back to my father and say, I've sinned against heaven and against you. And I'm not worthy to be called your son and the God
You know in the story put the ring on his finger and shoes on his feet and killed the fat and calf and celebrated because his son had come home a son repented and you know the two parables before that were about how There is the angels celebrate when a sinner repents and David knew repentance David
David, he really knew how to identify with his sin and confess it to God. And he did a great job with that as well. So with that, let's take a look at David's song here. Yahweh is my rock.
and my fortress and my deliverer man is that good you know and praise God he is our rock he make him your rock make him the foundation it makes me think of the person who built their house upon the rock and the person who built their house in the sand and when the storms come the one who is built on the sand the house blown away their lives blown away but the one who built on the rock was able to overcome the storm
and ultimately our foundation needs to be in Jesus Christ, not in man, not in anything else other than God. Make Him your rock, make Him your identity. That needs to be where your identity is, is in Jesus Christ and in Him alone.
And he is your fortress and deliver. Hallelujah. My God, my rock and whom I take refuge, meaning the one that I run to, the one that I hide to, the one that I go to, to, to be restored and strengthened. He's my shield in the horn of my salvation. Hallelujah, my stronghold and my refuge. Can you see how God would think highly of David when he thinks so highly of God?
Think about that for a moment. Do you think highly of God? Do you see him as high and lifted up? Do you see his word is to be revered? Because God is pleased with that. And God is pleased here with David. My savior, you saved me from violence. And boy, did he ever. I mean, David had so much, so many people against him. I call upon Yahweh who was worthy to be praised. See, he believes God is worthy to be replaced. Hallelujah.
And I am saved from my enemies, and he has seen that in remarkable ways in his life. For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of vileness terrorized me, the cords of shield surrounded me, the snares of death confronted me. In my distress, I called upon Yahweh, and we have seen him do that over and over again. And I called the my God, and out of his temple, he heard my voice and my cry.
for help came to his ears
brought it in on a Philistine cart when it was supposed to be carried by Poles and someone lost their life and David like stopped bringing the Ark in because he didn't know what to do and he was kind of disappointed that you know God allowed someone to die because David thought he was doing a good thing but he never paused and stopped to seek the word of God on how to do it rightly.
but then David came to his own senses and he realized what he did wrong and he studied the word and he realized that he did not honor God and the way he was bringing the Ark of the Covenant in and then he did it correctly and everything worked well and he danced you might recall before the Ark of the Covenant but he carried it on poles and he used Levi's like he should so I just it's interesting reflecting upon his life the mistakes he made but then also how he learned from his mistakes hallelujah
The earth shook and quaked. The foundations of heaven were trembling and were shaken because he was angry. Smoke went up out of his nostrils and fire from his mouth devoured. Coles were kindled by it. And you know what? He has seen the devastation of God. He has seen the penalty of God. He has seen the punishment of God. I mean, even you might recall he lost
the son that he had through Bathsheba because of what he did and God took that son and he ended up having another one and that Solomon who's going to take over but at times he faced the punishment of God. He bowed the heavens and came down with darkness under his feet. He rode on a cherub and flew.
And he appeared upon the wings of the wind. And he came and he made darkness, canopies around him, a mass of water, thick clouds of the skies from the brightest before him. Coles of fire were kindled. Yahweh thundered from heaven and the most high gave forth his voice. He sent out arrows and scattered them, lightning and threw them into confusion.
Then the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were laid berries, reflecting on all that God's done throughout history here. By the rebuke of Yahweh, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils, he sent from on high, he took me, he drew me out of many waters, he delivered me from my strong enemy. From those who hated me, and David had a lot of those,
For they were too mighty for me, but they maybe for him they were, but not not for David plus God. They weren't too mighty. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but Yahweh was my support. Amen. God was his support. He brought me forth also into a broad place. He rescued me because he delighted in me.
Now this is a really interesting section and I do think in a lot of ways God delighted in David as we've talked about for his praise of God, for his learning from his stakes, for his repentance. But here's a question and you know what? I don't know that I can for sure answer it, but do you think David and his Psalm here goes too far? He may and I'll explain why, but again, I'm not making this a dogmatic thing, but is it possible that
You know, even this is the inspired word of God. David wrote it, but not everything that was written. I mean, if you look at the song of Solomon, not everything that was written by Solomon, even though it's inspired is necessarily correct, meaning the attitude or the way that Solomon thought at times may not always be God's perfect advice, but yet God allowed it to be in his word, just like when David committed adultery. I mean, that
That's not to show us to commit adultery, but it's still in the word. So listen to this.
He rescued me because he delighted me. Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. Now, what does David mean by that? They mean that he lived right living all the time. He's going to talk a lot about that here. Did he have an understanding of righteousness by faith like we have in the New Testament? I'm not necessarily sure. For I have kept the ways of Yahweh and have not wickedly departed from my God.
So that's saying something, right? He at times did, didn't he? For all his judgments were before me. As for his statutes, I did not depart from them. You never departed David from God's statutes. I was also blameless toward him. David, you were blameless and I kept myself from iniquity. You kept yourself from sin. I'm not so sure, David. Therefore, he says, Yahweh has recompensed me according to my righteousness.
according to my cleanness before his eyes. With the kind you show yourself kind with the blameless you show yourself blameless with the peer you show yourself here with the crooked you show yourself a steward and you save and afflicted people but your eyes are on the haughty whom you bring down now David has said a lot there and I believe he is
at this moment trusting too much in his righteousness and not understanding that God just promised him what he promised him and God fulfilled his promise despite David. And I think David probably should have recognized that.
Instead of acting as though David was perfect and that's why he was blessed. Sometimes God blesses us, despite us. And to back this up biblically, I want to take you to Deuteronomy, chapter nine. Listen to this. No, this was the second reminder of the law and it's what God promised Israel when they entered the promise land.
This is what God said to them. Take it out.
He says, do not say in your heart when Yahweh your God has driven them out before you, saying because of my righteousness Yahweh has brought me in to possess this land. But it is because of the wickedness of the nations that Yahweh is just possessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart.
that you are going to possess their land but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that Yahweh your God is dispossessing them before you in order to confirm the oath which Yahweh swore to your fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob so you shall know it is not because of your righteousness that Yahweh your God has given you this good man to possess for you are a stiff-necked people
Now, uh, do you see what I'm saying? God promised Israel was going to get this land. David's fulfilling that promise or that promise is being fulfilled in Israel through David. And David was also promised to be king and God is fulfilling that promise to David as well. So I think a better way to look at this would be for David to recognize, Oh God, your plans,
cannot be thwarted. You promised Abraham this land. You gave it to us. You promised me that you'd be king and I'm king. And even despite God, our waywardness, despite what we've done wrong, you have still blessed your people. Oh God, we are grateful to you. I am grateful to you, God, that even despite my sin and despite my waywardness, you have chosen to bless your people. Oh God, may your name be high and lifted up.
I think that may have been a better way for David to put it than acting like in this moment in time. He's done everything right now. David's done a lot right. He's worshiped God well. He's repented well. So praise God for that. Now listen, I'm just giving you a perspective. I've, I've shown you why scripturally, uh, you know, there's some things that, uh,
You know, I'm not going to be dogmatic on it, but I think it's, it's a worthwhile to consider. I don't think when, when our lives are blessed that we should look back and say it's because of our righteousness that God blessed us. I think sometimes it can be true, but that's not really words to come out of our mouth either. And, you know, let's always remember that we've done a lot wrong, haven't we in our lives and that when God blesses us, praise God, he has
You know, forgiven our sin and overlooked our waywardness and still chosen to bless us. All right, picking it up back in verse 29. For you are my lamp, O Yahweh. In Yahweh illumines my darkness. How about that? He brings light to darkness. Hallelujah God. For by you, I can run upon a troop.
By my God, I can leap over a wall. You know, this is a good perspective David's giving because that's how that's how he has been so successful is God's blessed him. As for you, as for God, his way is blameless. The word of Yahweh is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge and am take refuge in the Lord. Hallelujah.
For who is God but Yahweh there is none by the way. And who is a rock but our God. God is my fortress and he sets the blameless in his way. He makes my feet like Heinz feet and he sets me on high places and he's done that for David. He trains my hands for battle so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Hallelujah. He has promised us salvation.
And your answer to me makes me great. You enlarge my steps under me and my ankles have not given way. I pursued my enemies and destroyed them.
And I did not turn back and they were consumed. And I have consumed them and crushed them so that they did not rise. For they fell under my feet. God, you have blessed Israel. You have blessed David. For you have girded me with strength for battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. And that's a good perspective that David's having there that God has done it for him.
For you also made my enemies turn their backs to me, and I destroyed those who hated me. They looked, but there was none to save, even to Yahweh, but he did not answer them. Then I beat them fine as the dust of the earth. I pulverized and stamped them as the mire of the streets. You have also delivered me from the contentions of my people, and you have kept me as a head of the nations, a people whom I have not known to serve.
That's what Israel's supposed to do is welcome the nations, not become like the nations, worship Yahweh, but welcome the nations. That comes, that comes in here a little bit here. Foreigners, coward before me, as soon as they hear they obey me. Foreigners fade away and come trembling out of their fortresses. Yahweh lives and blessed be my rock and let God the rock of my salvation be lifted high.
This is something that David does really well as he sees God as the rock of his life and he praises him. The God who executes vengeance for me. Remember, vengeance is mine. And, you know, that's very true too. David did that well. I mean, a lot of times he did not take vengeance into his own hands and he awaited for God to, you know, take Absalom, to take Saul. He didn't do it personally. And he brings down people's under me and God sure did bring down people under David.
who also brings me out from my enemies. And he's done that. You even lift me above those who rise against me. You rescue me, rescue me from the violent men. You just did that with Sheba and Absalom and Saul. Therefore I will give thanks to you, O Yahweh among the nations. And that, that means among the nations, that means everywhere. Not just Jews, not just Israel, but among the nations I will give thanks.
And I will sing praises to your name. He gives great salvation to his king and shows loving kindness to his anointed. And David is the anointed and one is going to come from David who is going to be the Christ, which means the anointed one, the Messiah to David and his seed forever. And that ends with that eternal promise that there would be a king.
that would come from David's family line. It's going to begin with Solomon, but it's going to end with Jesus Christ, who is a king forever from the Davidic family of David. Hallelujah. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one. That's what those words mean by the way. And he comes from the family of David. What a, what a glorious Psalm really in 2 Samuel chapter 22.
May we learn to repent? May we learn from our mistakes? May we learn to praise God the way that David did? And may we also realize that when God blesses us, well, sometimes when your behavior is good, God does wanna bless that. But let's always remember that his grace has been a blessing to us because he's forgiven us of so much. Hallelujah, praise the Lord. God bless you all.
