The Bible spends a lot of time on David's story, more than on any other person besides Jesus. Large sections of 1 Samuel tell how David was chosen as a child, how he became a warrior and then a general and then a bandit chieftain. All 24 chapters of 2 Samuel tell of King David's reign, his battles and mistakes, his worship and his sins, his family and his grief, his old age and his death.
David was a musician, and the worship songs of Israel--the book of Psalms--stems from his songwriting. I like to think of David sitting back, reflecting on all he had been through, and turning it into a "story of my life." (Yes, the One Direction song is going through my head.)
Psalms 3, 34, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, and 142 all have to do with David's memories of being chased by various enemies, including his own family. Psalms 18 and 60 celebrate moments of deliverance, of victory that put an end to conflict--at least for a time. Psalm 51 explores David's guilt over his greatest sin. Psalm 63 reflects his memory of spending time in the desert, and how it makes him think of his thirst for God. And Psalm 30 is a song David wrote for a dedication ceremony--for a temple that he never actually got to see dedicated, but had to leave for his son to build.
Most of us aren't the King of Israel, but we read these Psalms as the story of our lives, too. We've felt afraid and threatened. We've experienced salvation and victory. We've struggled with guilt. We've thirsted after God. We've had dreams that may never be accomplished in our lifetime.
we read these Psalms as the story of our lives, too
Spend some time with your Bible this week. It isn't just the story of people long ago; it's our story, our struggles, our hope in the promises of God.
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." (Romans 15:4)
--Jonathan
Comments