David’s last words: The triumph of God’s grace
2 Sam 23:1-7
People sometimes say, ‘I’ll forgive him (or her), but I’ll never forget’. Even if we are not as obvious with our grudge against others, true forgiveness and treating someone as if they had never done anything wrong to us is a hard process. Often, we think we have forgiven a person and wiped the slate clean only to find the memories and the anger surge back again at unexpected moments. Likewise, accepting forgiveness when we know we have done wrong and caused harm can be equally hard. We wish we could undo or unsay what we have done or said. Long after the other person has assured us of their forgiveness, we may cautiously tiptoe around them as if we were still in their debt.
Two ways to rule
Considering the above and David’s earlier sin, his confidence in God’s favour is surprising. His last words (probably his last public statement rather than uttered literally on his deathbed) contain a surprise element. In the tradition of wisdom literature’s ‘two ways to live’, he describes the two paths that rulers and leaders can walk.[1] A righteous rule (2 Sam 23:3) means judging people without bias and without abusing one’s power. Such rule is motivated by ‘the fear of God’ (v.3), a respect and awe of Him and awareness that He sees abuses even when human beings do not (cf. Lev 19:14) and will hold the ruler to account even when others cannot stop him from seizing what he pleases. A just rule then is as life-giving as sunshine after rain (2 Sam 23:3-4 cf. Ps 72:1-7), while the worthless will be like thorns burnt up in judgment (2 Sam 23:6-7). Here, we are reminded of the priest Eli’s sons, who were called worthless men (same Hebrew word belial; 1 Sam 2:12). They had the power to take and satisfy themselves (2 Sam 2:13-17, 22) and produced worthless and harmful leadership.
David’s surprising assessment
The surprise comes between the description of these two ways, in David’s inserted reflection where he identifies his own dynasty and reign with God’s favour (2 Sam 23:5). Given his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Sam 12:9) and his inability to deal with the abuses in his own family as well as the seeming lack of justice that contributed to Absalom’s popularity (2 Sam 15:3-4), David’s estimate seems astonishing. Yet a closer look reveals that David does not claim anything about his own right and just rule (though it was true before his downfall; 2 Sam 8:2). Rather, he marvels at God’s amazing grace that He has made a secure covenant with him—a reference to 2 Sam 7:8-16—where flourishing is possible.[2] He can confidently speak of the worthless as someone other than himself because he is a forgiven sinner, and the Lord has wiped the slate clean. Once again, David’s statement is a testimony to God’s grace and faithfulness from start to finish. We may hold grudges but when God forgives, He will not dredge up our sin anymore (Isa 43:25).
Prophecy about the future ‘anointed’
David’s words, however, go even further because they are shaped as prophecy. Note the repeated ‘declares’ (Hebrew neʾum, 2 Sam 23:1) that is used in prophecies to utter an oracle (e.g. Num 24:3-4), as well as the insistence that David spoke by God’s Spirit (2 Sam 23:2; 2 Pet 1:21). The mention of ‘anointed’ (v.1; the word is messiah) also evokes for later readers a look into the future beyond David’s own generation. Indeed, what could not be said of David as a sinful man will be true of his latter-day son (i.e. descendant), Jesus Christ. He is the one who will truly rule with justice (v.3), who will be humbled and persecuted like David but ultimately raised on high (v.1). David’s words point us to the Son of David who fulfilled all righteousness, who does not abuse His power over us but relinquished it and became a vulnerable human being to save and bring us life. David’s story also challenges us to remember the Lord’s amazing grace and to live by it as forgiven sinners whom God is endlessly committed to.
[1] Wisdom literature is a type of writing that focuses on how to live wisely and uses everyday observations, often from the natural world (‘go to the ant, you sluggard…’; Prov 6:6-11), to present principles for right living. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job may be classified as wisdom literature and there are some psalms and prophetic material that also fall into this category. Psalm 1:1-6 is a good example of the two ways to live – the way of the righteous and the wicked.
[2] The reference to God ‘growing’ David’s salvation and desires (2 Sam 23:5) carries the imagery of the sprouting grass in sunshine after rain (2 Sam 23:4) forward to say that the Lord brings about the king’s deliverance (the meaning of ‘salvation’ here). Desires do not mean that David can have whatever he wants but that God will fulfil his deepest longings that are in accordance with His ways. It is similar to Jesus saying to his disciples near His death to ask for anything and it will be given to them (John 14:13-14; 16:24).
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