A Dedicated King

MEMORY VERSE: “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” —Psalm 16:8

II SAMUEL 5:1-7

SAUL was now dead, having killed himself when under attack by the Philistines. Representatives of all the twelve tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron. They said, “Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made ‘a league with them at Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel.”—vss. 1-3

Long before this, Samuel, acting under instructions from the Lord, had anointed David to be king of Israel, so this anointing by the elders of Israel seems to be in the nature of the acceptance and confirmation of the Lord’s choice. During, the time that Saul was seeking David’s life he had won the confidence of the people by his wise conduct, and it is understandable that now they would express their satisfaction in the fact that, he was at last free to serve them as their king.

David reigned a total of forty years. The first seven and a half years he reigned in Hebron over the tribe of Judah, and the remainder of his reign was in Jerusalem, or more specifically, in Mount Zion of Jerusalem. David’s throne was a prototype of Messiah’s throne. (Luke 1:31-33; Isa. 9:6,7) Mount Zion was typical of the messianic kingdom authority and power. Thus we read of Messiah’s kingdom, “The Law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”—Micah 4:1.4

In Revelation 14:1,2 the Lamb which had been slain is pictured as being on Mount Sion, and with him “an hundred forty and four thousand” who had followed the Lamb in sacrifice even unto death. These live and reign with Christ in symbolic Mount Zion. David’s reign was characterized by war, so the kingdom of Christ is presented to us as one in which the enemies of God and of men will be destroyed. Paul wrote that Christ will reign until all enemies are put under his feet, and that the last enemy to be destroyed is death.—I Cor. 15:25,26

David had weaknesses, but at heart he loved the Lord and was loyal to him. His depth of love for the Lord and his devotion to him are well portrayed in his many psalms. He wrote, “The law [margin, or, doctrine] of the Lord is perfect, converting [margin, or, restoring] the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in the keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from, secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.”—Ps. 19:7-14

David was one of the Lord’s inspired prophets, and therefore his writings were directed by the Holy Spirit. At the same time they reflected his own devotion to the Lord, and trust in him. How beautiful are the sentiments of our memory verse—“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Actually these words are prophetic of the attitude of Jesus, the antitypical David, as is this entire psalm. Nevertheless, they also reflect David’s own abiding trust in the Lord.

We Know that this Psalm is prophetic of Jesus, for verses 8 to 10 are quoted, by Peter in his Pentecostal sermon and applied to Jesus.—Acts 2:25-27

QUESTIONS

When, and under what circumstances was David first anointed King of Israel?

How long did David reign as king?

Of whom and what were David and his kingdom a type?

What sore of man do the writings of David reveal him to be?

To whom does Psalm 16:8-10 particularly apply?

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