David’s song
2 Samuel Chapter 22
It’s tempting to skip over the “songs” in the Bible.
Like in a Broadway musical, they crop up every time the story hits a high point and, like in a musical, they can feel like sugar coating that does little to advance the story.
But they serve another function similar to what the songs in a well written musical do: they provide a window into the mind of the person singing or speaking the song—and David’s mind is one we want a window into.
So as you read the words of David’s song—and I hope you do read them—there are three things I find particularly striking, and all involve his utter confidence in God.
First is his utter confidence that he is working as God’s instrument. “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.”
David believes with no doubt whatsoever that God called him to be king and chose him to do God’s work. This can help explain his lack of hostility toward both Saul and Absalom. He never considered either to be a credible threat, because God had chosen him to be king; and if God had chosen him to be king, he would be king. Saul and Absalom were problems to be overcome, not threats to be feared.
Second, David had utter confidence that God would, could and did protect him. “In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.”
And finally, and most challenging for us to understand, David had utter confidence in his own righteousness.
We immediately think of the “But what about…” objections. Those objections, though, discount the wholeness and holiness of God’s forgiving grace. When God forgives, the guilt is gone. Totally.
Notice the final three words in verse 25: “The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.” What God has made clean, he sees as clean.