David’s Captains

Meditation Points:

• 1 Samuel 22:2 tells us that these men represented the distressed, indebted, and discontented.
• All volunteers. Were they dissatisfied with Saul, or had they heard that David was God’s choice?
• Some fierce fighters (vss. 8-10, 11-12, 18, 20-21).
• Brave and dedicated men (vss. 15-17).
• Brothers (Joab’s brothers, sons of Hothan, sons of Shimri, sons of Elnaam).
• Brother and son of Nathan (the prophet?).
• Foreigners (Ammonite, Hittite, Moabite).
• Men with notable fathers; and men with unremembered fathers.
• Men from notable towns and regions; and men from places unknown.
• Men remembered by their deeds; and men remembered only as being part of the brave men who gathered around David.
• Men of remarkable actions who are not chosen to be top leaders.
• Joab is mentioned in the notes, but he is not listed among the captains.
• Uriah would later be killed to cover up David’s sin with Uriah’s wife Bathsheeba.
• Men whose names are spelled differently by different writers.
• But all of them men whom God remembers and whom God would have us remember.

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Hypocrisy, deceit and falsehood can never be right in the sight of God, whatever men may ingeniously say to excuse them. (Adam Clarke)

Psalm 34

Meditation Points:

• An alphabetic psalm, each of the 22 verses begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Note: it has been suggested that verse 22 actually belongs between our verses 5 and 6, for then the alphabet would be represented consecutively.)
• In some editions of the scriptures, the title is placed apart from verse 1; in others the title actually begins verse 1; and in yet others, the title is omitted entirely.
• Whether David wrote of this experience while it was happening or some years later, makes little difference to the psalm’s message.
• Achish was the king’s proper name (1 Samuel 21:14), and Abimelech was his title (Psalm 34:1), like Pharaoh or Caesar.
• Certainly fear led David to pretend madness before the Philistine king; but God delivers His people from all of their fears (Psalm 34:4; 2 Timothy 1:7). What are you afraid of?
• Better to fear the Lord than men (Psalm 34:4, 7, 9, 11)
• The fear of the Lord cannot be taught by someone who doesn’t know God; David, in spite of his human weakness, knew God (Psalm 34:11)?
• How do you know you don’t like it when you’ve never tried it? (Psalm 34:8)
• “Shall not lack any good” (Psalm 34:10; Matthew 6:33).
• Do you want to live long and prosper? Guard your tongue and your actions (Psalm 34:12-14).
• Man is born to trouble (Job 5:7; 14:1); but the Lord delivers His people from all of their troubles and afflictions (Psalm 34:6, 17, 19).
• “Nearer, my God, to Thee” is a beautiful hymn. But God isn’t close to everyone (Psalm 34:18).
• No broken bones. Compare Psalm 34:20 with John 19:36.
• The LORD redeems the soul (Psalm 34:22). We expect too little when all we ask of God is good health.

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