THE RIGHTEOUS KING WHO FEARS GOD

Passage: 2 Samuel 23:1-7

Key verse: 4

NIV

David’s Last Words

23 These are the last words of David:

“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,
    the utterance of the man exalted(A) by the Most High,
the man anointed(B) by the God of Jacob,
    the hero of Israel’s songs:

2 “The Spirit(C) of the Lord spoke through me;
    his word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke,
    the Rock(D) of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,(E)
    when he rules in the fear(F) of God,(G)
4 he is like the light(H) of morning(I) at sunrise(J)
    on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain(K)
    that brings grass from the earth.’

5 “If my house were not right with God,
    surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,(L)
    arranged and secured in every part;
surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation
    and grant me my every desire.
6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,(M)
    which are not gathered with the hand.
7 Whoever touches thorns
    uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
    they are burned up where they lie.”

Read full chapter
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Last Words of David

23 Now these are the last words of David:

The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,
    the oracle of (A)the man who was raised on high,
(B)the anointed of the God of Jacob,
    the sweet psalmist of Israel:[a]

2 (C)“The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me;
    his word is on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
    (D)the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men,
    ruling (E)in the fear of God,
4 he (F)dawns on them like the morning light,
    like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,
    like rain[b] that makes grass to sprout from the earth.

5 “For does not my house stand so with God?
    (G)For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
    ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
    all my help and my desire?
6 But worthless men[c] are all like thorns that are thrown away,
    for they cannot be taken with the hand;
7 but the man who touches them
    arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,
    and they are utterly consumed with fire.”[d]

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. 2 Samuel 23:1 Or the favorite of the songs of Israel
  2. 2 Samuel 23:4 Hebrew from rain
  3. 2 Samuel 23:6 Hebrew worthlessness
  4. 2 Samuel 23:7 Hebrew consumed with fire in the sitting
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. A righteous king (1-4) The perfect king has come! How can we describe the reign of Jesus Christ? David's last words are words of tremendous importance. He speaks with the authority of one who was exalted by God from being a shepherd boy to being God's anointed king of Israel. He was the hero the Psalms spoke about. Furthermore, David states that what he is about to say is the Spirit of God speaking through him. The Lord says that when a king rules over the people in righteousness and in the fear of God, he is like the brilliant sun of morning that gives birth to a new day. He is like the warmth of the sun that gives new life after a rain. This is what the reign of Jesus is like. 2. The covenant that provides hope (5-7) David fell short of the king that has been described. But God established his eternal covenant with David and from his house the Messiah would come. Every part of the covenant was arranged and secured, including the promise that David's throne would be established forever. This gave David the hope of salvation and it was the desire of his heart. On the other hand, there is no hope for those who are evil like thorns. Their destiny is the fire of God's judgment and they must be handled carefully.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the righteous king.

One Word: Jesus shines like the morning sun