2 Samuel - Chapters 21-22 with Psalm 15 and 18

In this transcription, Julie Callio discusses Chapter 21 of 2 Samuel, which highlights some events from David's reign. She explains that the chapter is written in a chiasm structure, with certain events mirroring each other. David ends a famine by making amends for Saul's actions against the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites demand the deaths of seven descendants of Saul, and David fulfills their request. The famine then ceases. Julie also reads Psalm 15, which speaks about those who fear the Lord. She goes on to discuss battles between David and the Philistines, and how David's relationship with the Lord is reflected in his song of praise in Chapter 22. The chapter is set up as a chiasm and emphasizes David's acknowledgement of the Lord's protection and deliverance. The transcription concludes with a comparison between David as the lamp of Israel and Jesus' teachings about being the light of the world. I am 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 vab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Chapter 21 of 2 Samuel begins, During the reign of David. These last four chapters are some highlights of David's reign. Some people call them an appendix or an epilogue. Robert D. Burgin, in his commentary, pointed out that it is written as a chiasm, with the pattern being ABCCBA. He explained, Chapter 21 verses 1-14, David ends a divinely sent famine, and at the end, in Chapter 24 verses 1-25, David stops a divinely sent plague. Then, in Chapter 21 verses 15-22, and in Chapter 23 verses 8-39, we learn of, quote, loyal and heroic soldiers of David. Finally in the middle, Chapter 22, David utters a hymn of praise to the Lord, and Chapter 23 starts with verses 1-7, when David utters his last oracle. Today we will cover the first ABC with chapters 21 and 22, as well as Psalm 15 and 18. Chapter 21 verses 1-14 cover, David ends a divinely sent famine. We do not know when this happened, but it was over three successive years, and verse 1 has David seeking the face of the Lord because of it. As I have said before, David never was perfect, but he almost always sought the Lord for direction. The one time we know he did not, with Bathsheba and Uriah, when confronted with his sin, he immediately repented, and did right by Bathsheba afterwards, by bringing her into his home and taking care of her. So David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord said, It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house. It is because he put the Gibeonites to death. The thing is, we do not have a record of when Saul did this, but this passage tells us why in verse 2, the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel, but were survivors of the Amorites. The Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul, in his zeal for Israel and Judah, had tried to annihilate them. We do know back in Joshua chapter 9, when the Israelites were taking the promised land through Joshua, the Gibeonites dressed up as if they were travelers from afar, and made a treaty with Joshua that they would serve Israel for sparing their lives. Later Joshua found out they were really neighbors, and verses 26 and 27a say, So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the Lord. It seems that Saul did not honor that treaty. The Gibeonites asked what their demands were, and they asked for seven male descendants of Saul to be brought so they could be killed and exposed. David did not include Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, because of a pact he made with him, but he found seven other males, and the Gibeonites killed them, exposed their bodies. Now Rizpah, who was Saul's concubine and the mother of some of these men, stayed day and night so the birds nor the wild beasts would eat their flesh. Word got to David about her, and he went, took the bones of Saul and Jonathan, which were buried at Jabesh Gilead under a tree, and then came and gathered the bones of these seven descendants of Saul and buried them all in the tomb of Saul's father Kish in Benjamin. After that the famine ceased. Now I'd like to read Psalm 15, which is a Psalm of David. One of the commentators mentioned this psalm because in this story Saul did not keep the oath of Joshua. Psalm 15, Lord who may dwell in your sanctuary, who may live on your holy hill, he whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from the heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man, who despises a vile man, but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent, he who does these things will never be shaken. In many of David's Psalms we see a comparison between those who fear the Lord and those who go the other way. It is those who fear the Lord that the Lord fights for and that is what verses 15-22 show us. One of the enemies of Israel was the Philistines on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. David fought Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 who was a giant of a man and in these verses in 2 Samuel there were more battles during the reign of David as king. These may have been later in his reign because verse 15 tells us that David went with his men to fight and he became exhausted but Abishai came to the rescue and killed the Philistines. His men swore to David that he would never again go to battle with them, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished which is verse 17b. Three other Philistines from Rapha in Gath were mentioned and the men that triumphed in these battles were Sebekai the Hushethite, Elhanan the Bethlehemite and Jonathan David's nephew. This was the first section B in the Chiasm. Now the first section C is chapter 22 David's song of praise. This one says David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said now Psalm 18 is almost identical to chapter 22 with a few word changes throughout. The only difference in the introduction is that quote for the director of music of David the servant of the Lord is added before the explanation. So one difference is that when David wrote it he sang it to the Lord, it's personal, but then it was made to be sung as a congregation for all to worship the Lord and placed it in the Psalter. Verse 1 of Psalm 18 is also added and it says I love you O Lord my strength. This chapter is the longest quotation attributed to David and the longest psalm that is also attributed to him. Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and chapter in the whole Bible but David is not said to have written it. I will not read all of chapter 22 like I have the other psalms but I will read portions of it. This psalm is also set up as a chiasm. Bergen described it like this A Praise the Lord in verses 1-4 B The Lord's Deliverance of David in verses 5-20 C Reasons for David's Deliverance in verses 21-29 B The Lord's Deliverance of David in verses 30-46 A Praise the Lord in verses 47-50 and then a postscript D The Lord's Enduring Support for the House of David verse 51 verses 2-4 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge, and my savior. From violent men you save me. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. It is David's acknowledgment of the Lord and who he is that made David great and he declares that he is only great because it was the Lord that fought for him and protected him. David has a personal relationship with the Lord. In verses 5-20 with the Lord's Deliverance of David he describes the Lord using many forms of nature to bring success such as the earth trembles, heaven shook, dark clouds, and bolts of lightning. Verse 20 reads He brought me out into a spacious place. He rescued me because he delighted in me. This leads to the reasons that the Lord delivered David and it is because David claims to be righteous and blameless with clean hands. He has kept the ways of the Lord. The Lord's laws were always before him. In other words, as Bergen said, obedience to the Lord results in life and blessing. Verse 29 says You are my lamp, O Lord. The Lord turns my darkness into light. Then verses 30-46 goes back to the Lord's Deliverance. Let me read verses 30-37 With your help I can advance against a troop. With my God I can scale a wall. As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle. My arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory. You stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not turn. The psalm then goes back to praise in verses 47-50. The Lord lives, praise me to my rock, exalted be God, the rock, my savior. He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me, who sets me free from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes, from violent men you rescued me. Therefore I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations. I will sing praises to your name. Then the postscript, verse 51, the Lord's enduring support for the house of David. He gives his king great victories. He shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore. Bergen also said, a notable similarity exists between the final verse of Hannah's song, found in 1 Samuel 2, verse 10, and the final verse of David's song. Both speak of the Lord assisting, quote, his king and, quote, his anointed, and mentions these two nouns in the same order. At the same time, there is a notable difference. David names himself and his descendants as being the Lord's kings, whereas Hannah made no such mention. One other thing that I found interesting is that David said of the Lord, you are my lamp, O Lord. The Lord turns my darkness into light. And David's soldiers described David as the lamp of Israel, verse 17b. This makes me think of the Sermon on the Mount. And Jesus said in Matthew, chapter 5, verses 14 through 16, you are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden, neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. When the Lord shines his light into our hearts, ladies, when we align ourselves with the ways of the Lord, we also are a light to our dark world. Do people see your good deeds and praise the Lord? The Lord never intended to bless us, for us to keep it to ourselves. We are blessed to be a blessing to others. If you have heard his voice today, please don't harden your heart. Instead, let's be women who hear and obey, so our light will shine, so others will be blessed too. Until next time, and thanks so very much for listening.