Wisdom Wednesday: Wisdom of David -Part 6
David’s Last Words
Submitted by Debbie’s Dad
“The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.”
(2 Sam 23:2) NASB 95
The 23rd chapter of the second Book of Samuel records the final written words of David. Verse 1 claims “Now these are the last words of David”.
The final words are written in the form of a poem in three sections or stanzas. These are not his death-bed last words, but his last written formal statement about his life and relation to God. (Remember that the last formal words of Jacob were recorded as an oracle, predicting the destinies of his sons and their families. In that oracle, the tribe of Judah – David’s tribal ancestor, would dominate its enemies.) We look here at the three stanzas of David’s poem, from the perspective of the wisdom of his life.
- Stanza 1 (23:1) David’s Credentials – David first identifies himself in a progression of his life: he was the son of Jesse (a humble shepherd boy) who was then raised by God to a high position, then anointed the king of Israel, who became the writer of Psalms. It seems he is recalling what God spoke to him in 2 Sam. 7:8-16.
- Stanza 2 (23:2-4) Being Used by God – He then describes how God used him in his leadership role as king, acknowledging God’s direction:
- He spoke and wrote as directed by God’s Spirit (v. 2).
- He acknowledged God as the “Rock of Israel” (v.3), the same metaphor he used in his Psalm 18 and in the prior chapter (2 Sam 22:2,3, and 32).
- He ruled over God’s people righteously in the reverent fear of God (v.3)
- And as king, became a beautiful representative of God – like a beautiful morning “… the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, When the tender grass springs out of the earth, Through sunshine after rain.”
- Stanza 3 (23:5-7) God’s Covenant with David – Finally, David, certifies his statement by recounting God’s covenant promise to him (See 2 Sam. 7:12-16) to establish and secure his Kingdom (my house) forever. In contrast, David concludes with the doom of the wicked, who will be thrown away like thorns (v. 6) and completely burned with fire (v. 7). The imagery here reminds us of the stern warning given by Jesus in the Parable of the Harvest, where Jesus explained how the Gospel will be spread as a wheat seed, and in the harvest, the wheat crop (believers who receive the Gospel) will enter His kingdom, and the weeds (the wicked that reject the Gospel) will be removed and destroyed by fire. (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-42)
This is David’s final testimony and declaration of his Deliverer in life, the Rock of his salvation and the hope of God’s covenant with him. Like David, we should all consider placing a statement of our faith in our last will and testament to show our faith and hope in our Savior, Jesus Christ.