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Transcription
I'm Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at bab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are covering chapters 20 and 21 of 1 Samuel with Psalm 34 and 56. So far in this story of King Saul, his son Jonathan, and his son-in-law David, Saul was the first king of Israel, but due to sin the Lord was in the process of taking the kingdom from him. The prophet Samuel, who anointed Saul, has now anointed David to be the next king of Israel. The Lord kept raising up David, starting with defeating the giant Philistine Goliath. 1 Samuel chapter 17 verse 50 reads, So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone. Without a sword in his hand, he struck down the Philistine and killed him. Woo-hoo! Then every battle David won. One of those battles was when David and his men killed 2,000 Philistines and brought their foreskins to Saul in order to marry his daughter Michael. Chapter 18, the women of Israel sang, Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands. And this began Saul's bitter jealousy toward David to the point that he tried to kill him many times. Yet David escaped. Chapter 19 ends with Saul's warriors watching David and Michael's home one evening and were going to enter in the morning and kill David. But Michael, his wife, learned about it and David escaped out a window to Samuel the prophet. Saul's men pursued twice and then Saul came. But each time the Spirit of God interceded. This leads us to chapter 20 where David went to Jonathan, his best friend, his brother-in-law, and King Saul's son. And he asked, What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father that he's trying to take my life? In yesterday's lesson we also looked at Psalm 59, which was a song about that fearful night when Saul's men watched his house. In his song he wrote in verse 4, I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me, look on my plight. Yet the Lord rescued David and the psalm ends with praise that the Lord is his fortress, refuge in times of trouble, his strength because the Lord is his loving God. Now Jonathan didn't believe David and so they made a plan to prove to Jonathan if David was correct. It was the new moon festival. Keep in mind that the Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar. And Saul was having a meal. David was expected to attend. Jonathan would then see how Saul responded to David's absence. The two men made a pact. In chapter 20, verse 13b through 14, Jonathan said, May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father, but show me unfailing kindness like that of the Lord as long as I live, so that I may not be killed and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family. Not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David's enemies from the face of the earth. So the first night of the new moon festival, Saul said nothing about David's absence, but he thought something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean. Surely he is unclean. Verse 26. It happened on day two when David did not show up again. Saul asked Jonathan where David was and he said he had to be at a family event and asked to be released. Verses 30 and 31. Saul's anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, You son of a perverse and rebellious woman. Don't I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you. As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me for he must die. Jonathan asked why and Saul allowed his rage and jealousy to control him and he hurled a spear at his own son. That was all Jonathan needed to realize that David was correct. Jonathan got up angry and left because he was ashamed of his father's treatment of David. The next morning, Jonathan went to the field where David was. Jonathan gave a sign that if he shot his arrow beyond him, then David needed to go away. Jonathan shot his arrow and had a boy go and fetch it beyond him. Once the boy was dismissed, David came out and they said their goodbyes. Both of them wept, but David wept most. Verse 41. They confirmed their friendship and their covenant between their descendants forever and David left and Jonathan went back to town. Chapter 21 begins with David being on the run from Saul. David did not even run home because it was not safe. So the first place he went was to Nob, which is where the tabernacle seemed to have been placed. Ahimelech, the priest, was there and David's presence frightened him. David lied and said he was on an urgent errand for the king and he asked for bread. The only bread there was the consecrated bread, the bread of the presence, which had been removed from the Lord. David was given the bread and Goliath the Philistine's sword, which was also there. Verse 7 tells us, Now one of Saul's servants was there that day, detained before the Lord. He was Doeg the Edomite, Saul's head shepherd. In tomorrow's lesson we will learn that he reported David's whereabouts to King Saul. David's first plan was to run into Philistine country to the city of Gath, figuring Saul wouldn't go there. Some people think that since a kish is used a lot with the Philistines that it may mean something similar to the word Pharaoh in Egypt. The problem was, when David entered, the men recognized him as the one whom the ladies sang and danced about. Saul had slain his thousands and David his ten thousands. This scared David, so he pretended to be insane when he was in their hands. He acted like a madman. He mocked up doors and drooled down his beard. Since he appeared crazy, the Akish of Gath dismissed him, saying, Do I need more madmen? Chapter 22 verse 1a says, David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Now there are two Psalms that addresses this time in David's life, number 56 and number 34. Psalm 56 is located in book 2. So here is Psalm 56 verses 1 and 2. Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me all day long. They press their attack. My slanderers pursue me all day long. Many are attacking me in their pride. Here David's crying out to the Lord for mercy. His enemies are lying about him, slander, and they are doing it out of their own pride. Verses 3 through 6. When I am afraid, I will trust in you, in God whose word I praise. In God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? All day long they twist my words. They are always plotting to harm me. They conspire. They lurk. They watch my steps, eager to take my life. Here David has a reason to be afraid. But he also knows that the Lord has fought for him over and over again. And because of his experience with the Lord, he knows that he can trust him, which leads to praise. Verse 7. On no account let them escape. In your anger, O God, bring down the nations. Here David cries out for justice. Verse 8. Record my lament. List my tears on your scroll. Are they not in your record? My ESV study Bible says these verses fill out the picture of trust. God keeps account of the tears of his faithful ones. He does not ignore their concerns. Verses 9 through 11. Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me. In God whose word I praise. In the Lord whose word I praise. In God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Did you notice the repeated themes here? When the Lord once again fights for David, that builds confidence that God is for him. David also acknowledges the importance of God's word, which he praises. Then verses 12 through 13. I am under vows to you, O God. I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling. That I may walk before God in the light of life. One thing I love about the Psalms is there are various emotions in just one song. They remind me of how normal I am. It starts off with lament. Then goes into a declaration of praise and trust. Then goes back to lament. But this time with a bit of imprecatory. Which means, God get them, get my enemies. Then more lament. With a reminder that the Lord cares. With a view of the future. That God will make everything alright. Because he is trustworthy. Psalm 34 is in book 1 of the Psalms. And it is written in an acrostic style. Meaning each verse begins with the letter of the alphabet. This psalm was written after David acted insane in Gath. This psalm is like number 56. But that one was more of a lament. And this is more of a praise. With a psalm of wisdom. Because he is trying to teach the children to listen to, quote, the testimony of experience which remains God's best invitation. Says John I. Durham in his commentary. Psalm 34. Let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he answered me. He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant. Their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called and the Lord heard him. He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him. And he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his saints. For those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry. But those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me. I will teach you to fear the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and our lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. And his ears are attentive to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil. To cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry out. And the Lord hears them. He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. And saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles. But the Lord delivers him from them all. He protects all his bones. Not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked. The foes of the righteous will be condemned. The Lord redeems his servants. No one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. Do you take refuge in him? Ladies, he is the best place to take refuge. Have you tasted by experience that the Lord is good? The apostle Peter quoted from this psalm in his first letter. Chapter 3 verses 10 through 12. About reminding believers in Jesus how we are to live. One of my professors said. When we align ourselves up to the ways of the Lord. We become more like him. When we do that ladies. We are blessed. If you have heard his voice today. Please don't harden your heart like King Saul did. That takes you down a road of no protection. But when we hear and obey the Lord. We are blessed and protected in his arms. Until next time and thank you so very much for listening.
