Thursday, August 25, 2005
2 Samuel 23:1-2 Thus says the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel: "The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue."
GOD'S OWN HYMNAL
The Bible tells us that when David had sacred oil poured over his head, "the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward." The Bible says also that "the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him." From this time on King Saul became subject to severe moments of distress and depression, allowed by God because of Saul's disobedience.
Saul's servants believed that music might cheer up their master. So they suggested that he look for a skillful musician. The right musician for the job was found very soon, and guess who it was? None other than Jesse's youngest son, the shepherd boy David, who was not only a handsome young man and a mighty warrior but a skilled poet and musician as well.
Saul made David his armor bearer and his musician, and the Bible says Saul "loved him greatly." Whenever Saul got in one of his foul moods, David would play music for him, and Saul would be comforted.
The effect of the Spirit of the Lord coming upon David was this, that God made David His prophet, so that what David said and sang was actually God's Holy Spirit speaking through him. The words were David's, but at the same time the words were God's words, because the Spirit of the Lord spoke through him. God's Word was on David's tongue.
What this means for us is that every one of those songs or psalms of David in the Bible comes from the God the Holy Spirit. The book of Psalms is God's own hymnal and book of praise. When we take up these songs and read them or sing them, it is the Holy Spirit speaking through these words and very often comforting us, even as King Saul was comforted by the playing of David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
