And in the end the Lord conquered David I presume, as He conquers all of our hearts.
Before the canticle, chapter 21 addresses retribution apparently within the grace and wishes of God:
And there was a famine in the days of David for three years successively: and David consulted the oracle of the Lord.
And the Lord said: It is for Saul, and his bloody house, because he slew the Gabaonites.
King David to the Gabaonites: What shall I do for you? And what shall be the atonement for you, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?
Gabaonites: The man that crushed us (Saul) and oppressed us unjustly, we must destroy in such a manner that there be not so much as one left of his stock in all the coasts of Israel. Let seven men of his children be delivered unto us, that we may crucify then to the Lord in Gabaa of Saul, once the chosen of the Lord.
King David: I will give them.
And the king spared Miphiboseth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the Lord, that had been between David and Jonathan the son of Saul… and (King David) gave them into the hands of the Gabaonites: and they crucified them on a hill before the Lord… and God showed mercy again to the land after these things.
Here in its entirety is the Canticle of Thanksgiving to the Lord by King David with words and phrases in bold that struck a chord with me:
And David spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, and he said:
“For the pangs of death have surrounded me” the floods of Belai have made me afraid. The cords of hell compassed me: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I will call upon the Lord and I will cry to my God: and he will hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry shall come to his ears.”
“The earth shook and trembled, the foundations of the mountains were moved, and shaken, because he was angry with them. A smoke went up from his nostrils, and a devouring fire out of his mouth: coals were kindled in it. He bowed the heavens, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon the cherubims, and flew: and slid upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness a covering round about him: dropping waters out of the clouds of the heavens. By the brightness before him, the coals of fire were kindled. The Lord shall thunder from heaven: and the most high shall give forth his voice. He shot arrows and scattered them: lighting, and consumed them. And the overflowings of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid open at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of spirit of his wrath.”
“He sent from on high, and took me, and drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my most mighty enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. He prevented me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my stay. And he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, because I pleased him.”
“The Lord will reward me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands he will render me. Because I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments are in my sight: and his precepts I have not removed from me. And I shall be perfect with him: and shall keep myself from iniquity. And the Lord will recompense me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands in the sight of his eyes. With the holy one thou will be holy: and with the valiant perfect. With the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted. And the poor people thou wilt save: and with thy eyes thou wilt humble the haughty. For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and thou, O Lord, wilt enlighten my darkness. For in thee I will run girded: in my God I will leap over the wall.”
“God, his way is immaculate, the word of the Lord is tried by fire: he is the shield of all that trust in him. Who is God but the Lord: and who is strong but our God? God who hath girded me with strength, and made my way perfect. Making my feet like the feet of harts, and setting me upon high places. He teacheth my hands to war: and maketh my arms like a bow of brass. Thou hast given me the shield of my salvation: and thy mildness hath multiplied me. Thou shalt enlarge my steps under me: and my ankles shall not fail. I will pursue after my enemies, and crush them: and will not return again till I consume them. I will consume them and break them into pieces, so that they shall not rise: they shall fall under my feet. Thou hast girded me with strength to battle: thou hast made them that resisted me to bow under me. My enemies thou hast made to turn their back to me: them, that hated me, and I shall destroy them. They shall cry, and there shall be none to save: to the Lord, and he shall not hear them. I shall beat them as small as the dust of the earth: I shall crush them and spread them abroad like the mire of the streets.”
“Thou will save me from the contradictions of my people: thou wilt keep me to be the head of the Gentiles: the people which I know not, shall serve me, the sons of the stranger will resist me, at the hearing of the ear they will obey me. The strangers are melted away, and shall be straitened in their distresses. The Lord liveth, and my God is blessed: and the strong God of my salvation shall be exalted. God who giveth me revenge, and bringest down people under me, who bringest me forth from my enemies, and liftest me up from them that resist me: from the wicked man thou shalt deliver me. Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. Giving great salvation to his king, and showing mercy to David his anointed, and to his seed forever.
WOW, written in biblical times over two thousand years ago! Seems like to could have been written in these modern times… and darkness was under his feet… we think of darkness as alternating in day and night. We know the sun is always shining and the earth always revolving and orbiting around the sun. But to be God and have darkness under his feet? Wow, and lightness too?
“He sent from on high, and took me, and drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my most mighty enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. He prevented me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my stay. And he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, because I pleased him.”
David was not an angel. His sins were many and made public, same as, but more numerous than Moses. So what can I learn from their examples? Stay in relationship with God, have Jesus and love in my heart, and keep communicating with my Lord and Savior for He never wanders far from me and my life’s journey; it is I that wander from Him. Be honest, be truthful to self and others; make amends when needed and keep moving forward, higher towards the light; every day is a new day and live only that day, that moment as much as I can in peace, joy, unity, and freedom! TROML Baby!
Now these were David’s last words except they weren’t and those that impacted me again in bold and italicized type:
“The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said: The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue. The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God. As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain. Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is my salvation, and all my will: neither is he there aught thereof that springeth not up. But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands. And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.”
Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. None of us get a free pass, not me or you; no matter how mighty and powerful nor how weak and humble. I, like you, have to be as strong as possible and work as hard as possible via the spirit of the Lord!
And the anger of the Lord was again kindled against Israel, and stirred up David among them, saying: Go, number Israel and Juda… and having gone through the whole land, after nine months and twenty days they came to Jerusalem…there was found of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword: and of Juda five hundred thousand fighting men.
But David’s heart struck him, after the people were numbered: and David said to the Lord:
I have sinned very much in what I have done: but I pray thee, O Lord, to take away the iniquity of thy servant, because I have done exceedingly foolishly.
The word of the Lord came to Gad the prophet and the seer of David, saying:
I give thee thy choice of three things, choose one of them which thou wilt, that I may do it to thee… Either seven years of famine… or thou shall flee three months before thy adversaries, and they will pursue thee… or for three days there will be a pestilence in thy land.
David to God: I am in a great strait: but it is better that I should fall into the hands of the Lord (for his mercies are many) than into the hands of men.
Thinking David did not want to flee three months before thy adversaries and the Lord chose between the remaining two options:
And the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel… and there died… seventy thousand men…
David to the Lord: It is I: I am he that have sinned, I have done wickedly: these are thy sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I beseech thee, be turned against me, and against my father’s house.
(The Lord to) Gad to David: Go up, and build an altar to the Lord… and build an altar to the Lord, that the plague, which rageth among the people, may cease… and David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered holocausts and peace offerings: and the Lord became merciful to the land, and the plagues was stayed from Israel.
There was an ebb and flow to David’s sinning, humble repentance, and the Lord’s forgiveness; hence King David’s Canticle of Thanksgiving to the Lord as an example to be used in prayer and meditation by all…
Day 111: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; King David’s Canticle of Thanksgiving to the Lord but Not his Last Words…
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Second Book of Kings Chapters 21-24 (END)
Bible Notes:
This Book tells of King David’s reign. By many successful wars he consolidated his kingdom and made Jerusalem his capital. His serious sins endangered the kingdom; but after he had repented, he conquered his enemies.
2 Kings Chapter 21: Famine; The Gabaonites seek revenge; Seven sons of Saul crucified; Respha’s kindness to the dead; Burial of Saul, Jonathan, and seven sons; Four Philistine giants slain.
And there was a famine in the days of David for three years successively: and David consulted the oracle of the Lord.
And the Lord said: It is for Saul, and his bloody house, because he slew the Gabaonites.
King David to the Gabaonites: What shall I do for you? And what shall be the atonement for you, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?
Gabaonites: The man that crushed us (Saul) and oppressed us unjustly, we must destroy in such a manner that there be not so much as one left of his stock in all the coasts of Israel. Let seven men of his children be delivered unto us, that we may crucify then to the Lord in Gabaa of Saul, once the chosen of the Lord.
King David: I will give them.
And the king spared Miphiboseth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the Lord, that had been between David and Jonathan the son of Saul… and (King David) gave them into the hands of the Gabaonites: and they crucified them on a hill before the Lord… and God showed mercy again to the land after these things.
And the Philistines made war again with Israel… and David growing faint… Abisai… rescued him…
David’s men swore to David: Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, lest thou put out the lamp of Israel.
2 Kings Chapter 22: David’s canticle of thanksgiving; Introduction; David’s distress; The power of God; David freed from his enemies; The justice of God; God’s goodness to David; Protection against David’s enemies.
And David spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, and he said:
“The Lord is my rock, and my strength, and my savior. God is my strong one, in him I will trust: my shield, and the horn of my salvation: he lifeth me up, and is my refuge: my savior, thou wilt deliver me from Iniquity. I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised: and I shall be saved from my enemies.”
“For the pangs of death have surrounded me” the floods of Belai have made me afraid. The cords of hell compassed me: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I will call upon the Lord and I will cry to my God: and he will hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry shall come to his ears.”
“The earth shook and trembled, the foundations of the mountains were moved, and shaken, because he was angry with them. A smoke went up from his nostrils, and a devouring fire out of his mouth: coals were kindled in it. He bowed the heavens, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon the cherubims, and flew: and slid upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness a covering round about him: dropping waters out of the clouds of the heavens. By the brightness before him, the coals of fire were kindled. The Lord shall thunder from heaven: and the most high shall give forth his voice. He shot arrows and scattered them: lighting, and consumed them. And the overflowings of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid open at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of spirit of his wrath.”
“He sent from on high, and took me, and drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my most mighty enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. He prevented me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my stay. And he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, because I pleased him.”
“The Lord will reward me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands he will render me. Because I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments are in my sight: and his precepts I have not removed from me. And I shall be perfect with him: and shall keep myself from iniquity. And the Lord will recompense me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands in the sight of his eyes. With the holy one thou will be holy: and with the valiant perfect. With the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted. And the poor people thou wilt save: and with thy eyes thou wilt humble the haughty. For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and thou, O Lord, wilt enlighten my darkness. For in thee I will run girded: in my God I will leap over the wall.”
“God, his way is immaculate, the word of the Lord is tried by fire: he is the shield of all that trust in him. Who is God but the Lord: and who is strong but our God? God who hath girded me with strength, and made my way perfect. Making my feet like the feet of harts, and setting me upon high places. He teacheth my hands to war: and maketh my arms like a bow of brass. Thou hast given me the shield of my salvation: and thy mildness hath multiplied me. Thou shalt enlarge my steps under me: and my ankles shall not fail. I will pursue after my enemies, and crush them: and will not return again till I consume them. I will consume them and break them into pieces, so that they shall not rise: they shall fall under my feet. Thou hast girded me with strength to battle: thou hast made them that resisted me to bow under me. My enemies thou hast made to turn their back to me: them, that hated me, and I shall destroy them. They shall cry, and there shall be none to save: to the Lord, and he shall not hear them. I shall beat them as small as the dust of the earth: I shall crush them and spread them abroad like the mire of the streets.”
“Thou will save me from the contradictions of my people: thou wilt keep me to be the head of the Gentiles: the people which I know not, shall serve me, the sons of the stranger will resist me, at the hearing of the ear they will obey me. The strangers are melted away, and shall be straitened in their distresses. The Lord liveth, and my God is blessed: and the strong God of my salvation shall be exalted. God who giveth me revenge, and bringest down people under me, who bringest me forth from my enemies, and liftest me up from them that resist me: from the wicked man thou shalt deliver me. Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. Giving great salvation to his king, and showing mercy to David hi anointed, and to his seed forever.
2 Kings Chapter 23: The last words of David; David’s valiant men; Endurance of Eleazar; Bravery of Semma; The three who got water for David; Valor of Abisai; Deeds of Banaias; Other valiant men.
Now these were David’s last words:
“The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said: The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue. The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God. As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain. Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is my salvation, and all my will: neither is he there aught thereof that springeth not up. But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands. And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.”
These are the names of the valiant men of David…Jesbaham sitting in the chair was the wisest chief among the three… After his was Eleazar… and after him was Semma…
Moreover also before this the three who were princes among the thirty…And David was then in a hold: and there was a garrison of the Philistines then in Bethlehem… And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate… And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it up to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord, saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? Therefore he would not drink. These things do these three mighty men… Abisai… was chief among three… but to the three first he attained not…Banaias… and he was removed among the three valiant men, who were the most honorable among the thirty: but he attained not to the first three: and David made him of his privy council… Asael… was one of the thirty…
2 Kings Chapter 24: David commands Joab to take a census; The number of fighting men; David asked to choose his punishment; Pestilence sent upon Israel; End of the Pestilence.
And the anger of the Lord was again kindled against Israel, and stirred up David among them, saying: Go, number Israel and Juda… and having gone through the whole land, after nine months and twenty days they came to Jerusalem…there was found of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword: and of Juda five hundred thousand fighting men.
But David’s heart struck him, after the people were numbered: and David said to the Lord:
I have sinned very much in what I have done: but I pray thee, O Lord, to take away the iniquity of thy servant, because I have done exceedingly foolishly.
The word of the Lord came to Gad the prophet and the seer of David, saying:
I give thee thy choice of three things, choose one of them which thou wilt, that I may do it to thee… Either seven years of famine… or thou shall flee three months before thy adversaries, and they will pursue thee… or for three days there will be a pestilence in thy land.
David to God: I am in a great strait: but it is better that I should fall into the hands of the Lord (for his mercies are many) than into the hands of men.
And the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel… and there died… seventy thousand men…
David to the Lord: It is I: I am he that have sinned, I have done wickedly: these are thy sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I beseech thee, be turned against me, and against my father’s house.
(The Lord to) Gad to David: Go up, and build an altar to the Lord… and build an altar to the Lord, that the plague, which rageth among the people, may cease… and David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered holocausts and peace offerings: and the Lord became merciful to the land, and the plagues was stayed from Israel.
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