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Week 19: The Pursuit of David
Weekly memory verse:
Psalm 27:1 – “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Weekly hymn:
“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” (free download)
Weekly catechism:
What kind of Redeemer must you seek?
I must seek a Redeemer who is a true and righteous human and who is at the same time true God.
Day 91: David Spares Saul
Reading: 1 Samuel 23:1–24:22; Psalm 57
Notes
1 Samuel 24, Verse 22. Swore. David fulfills this pledge in 2 Samuel 21:7 by sparing Mephibosheth’s life.
Psalm 57. This psalm by David was written with specific reference to the events of 1 Samuel 24.
Summary
Even though God chose David to be King, David recognized Saul’s legitimacy to be on the throne while he lived. Even Saul was deeply moved and impressed by David’s actions, and this caused him to recognize God’s hand of blessing upon David.
Discussion Questions
- Would David have been right to kill Saul?
- Was David right to cut off a portion of Saul’s robe?
- What did David’s oath to Saul reveal about him?
Day 92: David and Abigail
Reading: 1 Samuel 25:1–44; Psalm 54
Notes
1 Samuel 25, Verse 16. Wall. David and his men had taken it upon themselves to protect Nabal’s flocks while they were hiding in the wilderness, and now they expected due compensation.
Verse 28. Sure house. This indicates that Abigail recognized David as God’s choice to be king, and this is why she acted the way that she did.
Psalm 54. This psalm was written in the context of David’s time in the wilderness.
Summary
Abigail recognized God’s hand upon David, and this caused her to both protect him from her evil husband and to plead with David to not do anything that would jeopardize his life or future reign. God continues to keep his promise that he will protect and bless his chosen one.
Discussion Questions
- Did David have the right to be compensated for his protection of Nabal’s flocks?
- Why do you think Nabal refused to pay David?
- Would David have been right to kill Nabal and his men?
Day 93: David Lives Among the Philistines
Reading: 1 Samuel 26:1–27:12; Psalm 37
Notes
1 Samuel 26, Verse 19. Go, serve other gods. By exiling David, Saul was in effect forcing him to abandon Yahweh worship since there was no way to worship God according to the Law outside of Israel.
Psalm 37. This is an acrostic poem, with each stanza beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Summary
God finally rewarded David for his trust and relieved him of the constant pursuit by Saul. David now enjoyed over a year of relative peace and prosperity, living among the Philistines and secretly raiding their various cities. He would never have trouble from Saul again.
Discussion Questions
- In what ways did God reward David for his trust and faithfulness?
- Why do you think Achish gave David a city and trusted him?
- What are some difficult circumstances you have faced in which you should trust God?
Day 94: Saul and the Medium of En-dor
Reading: 1 Samuel 28:1–25; Ps 83
Notes
1 Samuel 28, Verse 6. Urim. God regularly revealed his will through the use of the Urim, which was stored in the ephod of the high priest. David was now in possession of the Urim since Abiathar had given him the ephod (23:6).
Verse 12. Cried. The fact that the medium cried out at the appearance of Samuel reveals that she knew that she could not really raise the dead and that God had miraculously allowed Samuel to actually appear.
Verse 13. God. The term translated “god” can also refer to something that looks like a god or otherwise spirit-being.
Summary
Saul reaches the climax of his failure in consulting the medium of En-dor. He clear knew that mediums were against God’s Law since he himself had expelled them from the land. Yet in a desperate attempt to seek the help of God, Saul revealed his true heart by attempting victory through his own sinful means.
Discussion Questions
- What did the fact that Saul trembled in fear at the approaching Philistine army reveal about the effects of God’s anointing earlier in his reign?
- Why do you think God allowed Samuel to appear before Saul?
- What did Samuel mean by “tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me” (v. 19)?
Day 95: David Fights the Philistines
Reading: 1 Samuel 29:1–30:31
Notes
Chapter 29, Verse 8. Enemies. It is not clear here what David’s plan was or whether he was doing right in the Lord’s eyes. At one level, it appears that he was prepared to fight with Achish against Israel. On the other hand, he could have been plotting to betray Achish. Either way, he had not sought the Lord’s will in this, but God providentially protected him from having to fight at all.
Summary
Despite some potentially unwise decisions on David’s part, the Lord protected him and gave him victory, especially when he actively sought the Lord’s will. David, a man truly after God’s own heart, sought strength in the Lord and ruled his men honorably, foreshadowing his just reign as the chosen king of Israel.
Discussion Questions
- Would it have been right for David to fight with Achish against Israel?
- Would it have been right for David to pretend to fight with Achish, only to betray him?
- What does it say about David’s character that he distributed his spoils of war among the elders of Judah?
About Scott Aniol
Scott Aniol is the founder and Executive Director of Religious Affections Ministries. He is director of doctoral worship studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he teaches courses in ministry, worship, hymnology, aesthetics, culture, and philosophy. He is the author of Worship in Song: A Biblical Approach to Music and Worship, Sound Worship: A Guide to Making Musical Choices in a Noisy World, and By the Waters of Babylon: Worship in a Post-Christian Culture, and speaks around the country in churches and conferences. He is an elder in his church in Fort Worth, TX where he resides with his wife and four children. Views posted here are his own and not necessarily those of his employer.
