David Sweet Psalmist

II Samuel 23
:1 [in part] . . . David the son of Jesse . . .
    . . . the man who was raised up on high,
    the anointed of the God of Jacob,
    and the sweet psalmist of Israel,

Psalm 1
:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
    nor standeth in the way of sinners,
    nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
    and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
        that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
    his leaf also shall not wither; 
    and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

David delighted in God.

David was not free from adversity nor did he always do the right thing but he was humble before God. We learn in II Samuel 13-19 that Ammon and Absalom were David's sons by different mothers. Ammon forced Tamar, Absalom's sister to lie with him and Absalom kills him. Absalom escaped and after some time gained the respect and adoration of the people, he was quite good looking. Absalom then conspired to overthrow David and become king. He had gained support from the people. David left the palace and was living on the run again for a while. Absalom was eventually killed and David mourns. Joab (David's top military man) reproved David for the men of Israel felt ashamed instead of victorious because of David's mourning. David then spoke to the people but it took a bit of time for Israel to get back around to accepting David as king.

II Samuel 22
:1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song
    in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies,
    and out of the hand of Saul:    [See also Psalm 18]
:2 And he said,
        The LORD is my rock,
        and my fortress,
        and my deliverer;
:3     The God of my rock;
            in him will I trust:
        he is my shield,
            and the horn of my salvation,
        my high tower,
            and my refuge,
        my saviour;
            thou savest me from violence.
:4      I will call on the LORD,
            who is worthy to be praised:
        so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
:5     When the waves of death compassed me,
        the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
:6     The sorrows of hell compassed me about;
        the snares of death prevented me; [prevented-came before]
:7     In my distress I called upon the LORD,
        and cried to my God:
        and he did hear my voice out of his temple,
        and my cry did enter into his ears.

:29   For thou art my lamp, O LORD:
        and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
:30   For by thee I have run through a troop:
        by my God have I leaped over a wall.
:31   As for God, his way is perfect;
        the word of the LORD is tried:
        he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
:32   For who is God,
            save the LORD?
        and who is a rock,
            save our God?
:33   God is my strength and power:
        and he maketh my way perfect.
:34   He maketh my feet like hinds' feet:
        and setteth me upon my high places.  
            [a very sure footed beast that sets it's hind feet exactly where  it's front feet 
            have tested the rock--let our front feet be on the Word of God]

:47   The LORD liveth;
        and blessed be my rock;
        and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
:48   It is God that avengeth me,
        and that bringeth down the people under me,
:49   And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies:
        thou also hast lifted me up on high
            above them that rose up against me:
        thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
:50   Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD,
            among the heathen,
        and I will sing praises unto thy name.
:51   He is the tower of salvation for his king:
        and sheweth mercy to his anointed,
            unto David,
        and to his seed for evermore.

David's troubles are not over: There was another man, Sheba, that tried to lead Israel away and be their king, (II Samuel 20) he was also defeated. Following that there was a three year famine in the land because of Saul's transgressions against the Gibeonites which Israel had a covenant with (ch. 21). The sons of the Philistine Goliath also came against Israel but was defeated by the servants of David (ch. 21).

Psalm 25
:1 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
:2 O my God, I trust in thee:
    let me not be ashamed,
    let not mine enemies triumph over me.
:3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed:
    let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
:4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD;
    teach me thy paths.
:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me:
        for thou art the God of my salvation;
        on thee do I wait all the day.
:6 Remember, O LORD,
    thy tender mercies
    and thy lovingkindnesses;
        for they have been ever of old.
:7 Remember not the sins of my youth,
        nor my transgressions:
    according to thy mercy
    remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

David also insisted on counting the people. This was not God's will and Joab tried to talk him out it. David needed to rely on God not the strength of his mighty army. Because David acted against God's will there was serious consequences. There was a pestilence and 70,000 died. (II Samuel 24, I Chronicles 21). David is the leader, he stood in the gap between God and the acts of the adversary for Israel. His stand for God protected the people. When he blew it the people received consequences for the own sins. Jesus Christ stands in the gap today-he didn't blow it.

For all the trouble that David experienced from the record of Bathsheba until his death the only thing that is mentioned in I Chronicles is Goliath's sons and brother being killed and David numbering the people. In addition to these accounts in Chronicles God tells us of David's conquests of clearing the land of Philistines, Moabites, Edomites and Syrians. David took the gold and jewels from them and dedicated them to the Lord. God did not dwell the troubles that David had but his victories.

I Chronicles 18
:13b . . . Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
:14 So David reigned over all Israel,
    and executed judgment and justice among all his people.

The Psalms of David are full of praise and thanksgiving. David magnifies God and gives Him the glory for all of his victories. He relied on God and God took care of him and Israel. God shows us David's mistakes so that we can see forgiveness, mercy and grace. David is a great example of one who loved God, made mistakes and got back up and on track.

Psalms 145
:1 I will extol thee, my God, O king;
    and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
:2 Every day will I bless thee;
    and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
:3 Great is the LORD,
    and greatly to be praised;
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

I Chronicles 29
:26 Thus David
        the son of Jesse
    reigned over all Israel.
:27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years;
        seven years reigned he in Hebron,
        and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
:28 And he died in a good old age,
        full of days,
        riches,
        and honour:
    and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

Help us Lord delight ourselves in You and Your Word so that our lives will be full of days, riches and honor.