Text: 2 Samuel 22.1-11
By: Whiskey, Joshua
Download Lesson
INTRODUCTION
There are so many things to learn from the life of King David because of his experiences. Growing up, David was a shepherd.
With that he was familiar with animal life. There are times he has to deliver his flock from the attacks of snakes, bears and other predators.
There was also harsh weather. Sometimes heavy rain has to meet him in the field. Other times, snow and haze fell on him and the animals.
As he grew up, he became a warrior. With this, he has to fight one enemy or the other. Because he seems successful as a warrior, he attracts enemies to himself.
One of his major enemies was King Saul, a man David fought to defend. When Goliath threatened to destroy Israel at the time Saul was king, it was David who gave himself to fight against Goliath. The victory of David over Goliath brought a great enmity between Saul and David.
Saul decided to hunt David as a man does a game. For that reason, David had no rest. Further, he could not sleep at home.
And so he was disturbed. Even though he has people that go along with him and serve as his army, there were things David could not speak out to them.
First, they would not understand. Second, there was nothing they could do to help.
Further it was even difficult for him to express his joy over his victories. In the face of all these, there were some things David was convinced about.
Considered the fact that David says, “I will look up to the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the LORD the creator of heaven and earth” (Psa. 121.1).
The LORD was his help and his protective defender.
Second, David understood that the LORD is mindful of him and that God will hear him out.
Third, David knew that all of his successes are to be attributed to the LORD God.
These give him the confidence.
He knows that even though his army may not understand what his situation was, God does.
Even though they do not understand why he has to celebrate his victory the way he was doing, God does.
And so to that God, he will talk.
And to that God he will praise.
Listen to what was recorded about him in second Samuel 22.1-11:
Then David spoke to the LORD the words of this song, on the day when the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 And he said: “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; 3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.
4 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. 5 `When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears.
8 “Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry. 9 Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet. 11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew; And He was seen upon the wings of the wind.
David wanted to speak to the LORD but decided to put it in a song.
This is the only way he can express himself better.
Songs can speak the depth of one’s heart and feelings. With the song, the people hearing him will understand what he was going through. This is because it is easier for songs to stick to one’s head than a long hour of lecture.
Our author says, David spoke this word to the Lord in a song in the day that the Lord delivered him from his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
In his song David acknowledged that the LORD is his rock, his fortress (a place that is protected against attack, a fortified place) and his deliverer.
He declares that the LORD is the God of his strength. God is his shield (a broad piece of defensive armor) and the horn of his salvation, God is his stronghold (a protected place) and his refuge (shelter or protection from danger or trouble).
The LORD God is his Savior. In all, the words David used were to show that in God he was secured.
Nothing can happen to him by accident. “No weapon fashioned against him shall prosper.”
That was the reason, he was delivered from the enemies. That was the reason, he was protected from the hand of Saul.
That was the reason he will not fear. But though, David has been delivered from the enemies, he still anticipated more enemies.
Life in the world is an existence with enemies. It is either you focus on the enemies and fall or you focus on God and continue your journey.
When the focus on the enemy is too much, the enemy is then viewed to be greater than God. That is the reason, the person will fall. On the other hand, when focus is more on God, then He will be viewed as greater than the enemies, and so one can continue his journey.
David decided that since there was no way he could do away with the enemies in the world, all he could do is to look up to God.
And so he says, “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies” (2 Sam. 22.4).
Even though enemies will never end, but there is One that is above them all. God is above all the enemies of life. So David says, I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised.
The LORD who has delivered him is worthy to be praised. And that LORD will continue to save him.
David acknowledged the greatness of the LORD. Some questions for consideration are:
When you are delivered from a problem, to whom do you turn first?
Who do you call?
When you succeed in your business, to whom do you turn first? Who do you call?
When you get the blessings of life, to whom do you turn first? Who do you call?
When David got deliverance from his enemies, he called upon the LORD. But it was not only in his deliverance, even in difficult times, David first called on the LORD. In verses 5-7 David sang,
“When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears.”
- David did not deny that evil exist. He did not deny that evil will not come close.
- He did not deny that there are times he was afraid.
- He did not deny distress in his life.
- But in all situations, he says, “I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice and my cry entered His ears.”
- In difficult times, David says he called upon the LORD.
- When you are down with sickness, to whom do you turn first? Who do you call?
- When life seems turn upside down? Whom do you turn to first? Who do you call?
- David in his song says, he will call upon the LORD who is worthy to be praised.”
Conclusion
Like David, may we learn to call upon the LORD in good times and difficult time. This is because the LORD is worthy to be praised. The LORD is always faithful to his words. Our good times will be more than the difficult time. The LORD will protect his people and will continue to protect them. May God be with us all in Jesus name. Amen.
Download Lesson
