2 Samuel 22:35

“He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”

As the sun begins to set on David’s life, he begins to recall how faithful the Lord has been. As king of a nation surrounded by hostile adversaries, he was faced with constant battles. With the poetic expression he became known for, he attributes his success to the Lord.  It was never his strength that led to victory, but the enabling work of God.

Our situation is quite different than David’s. Few of us are facing armed adversaries attempting to take our kingdom and our life. That does not mean we are not engaged in continual warfare. Each of us faces constant attacks from within that attempt to keep us from growing in Christ, or serving Him. It is important that we allow God to “teach our hands to make war.”

It…

2 Samuel 21:22

“These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.”

In middle school, I could always be found hanging around with my friend Sean. We spent so much time together, we soon walked and talked the same. Truly, we had a walk; it was more like a strut. If you can imagine two 12 year old kids, 4’10″ tall, weighing in at 80lbs, strutting their way from class to class on the middle school campus, then you have a good idea of what that looked like. My point is, hanging together, we soon became like one another. This principle was true of those who hung around David, and is true of us today.

When we are first introduced to David, he is stepping into a valley to fight a foe that can only be…

Psalm 50:16-17

“But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?’”

One of the strangest phenomenon that I have experienced over the years, is to hear the unbeliever quote the Bible. It fascinates me how those who have read so little of it seem, at times, to consider themselves the authority on what it says. Those who are living a lifestyle which the Bible does not condone, and quite frankly, they know to be wrong, are so quick to pull words from the Bible to justify their behavior.

“Do not judge me” seems to be the anthem of the sinner. We have all heard the Hollywood rhetoric, or political speeches with the token Scripture reference, from a person whose lifestyle is contrary to the teaching of the Word of…

2 Samuel 19:4

“But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, ‘O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!’”

I recently watched a news segment which focused on two teenagers who decided to rob a local business. One of the boys was reluctant to get involved, while the other boasted confidently that “no one would get hurt.” Sadly, as the story unfolded, one man lay dead and two young men were sent to prison for life. Sin is just like that. It promises to bring us happiness, while ensuring us that no one will get hurt. Regrettably, David found this out the hard way. One night, while allowing his passion to be distracted from the Lord, David made the choice to pursue his lust and begin a relationship with another woman. What he thought would bring him pleasure, continued to cost…

Psalms 48:9

“We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple.”

We learn two very important things about following Jesus from this one verse.

First, the Psalmist talks about his location. We find him in the midst of the Temple. The Temple was the center of worship for the Old Testament saint; as the church is the center of worship for us. The children of Israel were required to travel three times every year for seven different feasts that took place at the temple. No matter how far away they lived, this pilgrimage was necessary, for it was at the Temple that they would hear the Word of God, be involved in corporate worship, and enjoy fellowship with the other believers. Our personal growth in Christ has a lot to do with our location. When we choose to frequently fellowship on a regular basis, we…

2 Samuel 18:9

“Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.”

2 Samuel 18:14

“Then Joab said, ‘I cannot linger with you.’ And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.”

When I was younger, we used a wide variety of slang terms to describe a proud person. We considered them to be smug, snooty, puffed up, or stuck up. But the term that I remember most, when referring to pride, is “big headed.” We would say “that guy has such a big head.”

That is a phrase which aptly describes Absalom. He…

2 Samuel 17:23
“Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.”

It is remarkable how many Biblical phrases have become part of our everyday lives. When a person is diagnosed with a disease that advanced medicine has no hope of curing, it is common for this passage to be quoted. They are told to “put their house in order.” Sadly, Ahithophel made preparations to die, without giving the proper consideration to what he would face after death. Too many still approach life that way. It might be, you have purchased life insurance, set aside a nice little nest egg for your family, and even reconciled with all who were at odds with you…

Psalm 45:11b

“Because He is your Lord, worship Him.”

This is a Messianic Psalm, meaning that it is speaking prophetically of Israel’s coming Messiah. In it, the Psalmist is describing the glory of Jesus, our king, and the beauty of His bride, the church. After describing Jesus as the King of Glory girded with a sword, overthrowing wickedness, ruling in righteousness and reigning in glory, he speaks of the proper response from His people.
“Because He is your Lord, worship Him.”
The word “worship” is a translation of the Hebrew word “shachah”, which means to “bow down before and to give homage to”. It is a word that would be used of a person who was entering the presence of royalty and giving the proper honor. The Psalmist is declaring that the child of God is expected to enter the presence of King Jesus bowing and expressing worship.
Sometimes…

2 Samuel 15:14

“So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, ‘Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.’”

Perhaps you have heard someone speak of having their whole life pass before their eyes. In a moment’s time, while facing imminent danger, all they had done, whether good or bad, seems to flash into their mind. David is having a similar experience. His son Absalom has stolen the hearts of the people, mounted a large army to overthrow the king, and steal the kingdom. Instead of remaining in Jerusalem and turning the holy city into a battle ground, David chooses to flee to the wilderness and trust his life and future into the hands of God. As…

Psalms 44:3

“For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them.”

Even a casual reading of the Old Testament will lead to the conclusion that Israel did not win their battles on their own. When armies are overthrown by the rushing waters of the Red Sea, walls toppled with rams horns, and a shepherd defeats a warrior with a sling and stone, it is clear that the hand of God is behind the victories. There are times when Israel went to battle in their strength, but those are the times of failure, not of triumph. It is hard to forget the Battle of Ai. Joshua sent the troops into battle without first seeking guidance from the Lord, only to…