We are, over the next few blogs, going to work our way through 2 Samuel 22. The first verse gives us the context. It was probably sung on many occasions as David looked back on his life and was more than likely added to.

And David spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.  2 Samuel 22:1

2 Samuel 22 is a version of Psalm 18. It is helpful to have read through Psalm 18 beforehand. The song arises out of David’s personal experiences, it’s from the heart. It is also prophetic as it points towards the coming Messiah. It’s difficult to know whether David was aware of the significance of what he was writing and singing however, we can clearly see it.

What we can see is that David speaks about a perfect character, a depth of suffering, a deliverance, a glory, and the extent of a kingdom that goes far beyond himself and Israel. Jesus himself said,

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”  Luke 24:44

We can apply a second principle to help us in identifying that certain Psalms point to Christ. Matthew 22:44 quotes Psalm 110:1 and Acts 2:25 quotes Psalm 16:10 therefore, the original meaning was to point to Christ. In our case it is the weight by which 2 Samuel 22/Psalm 18 is quoted by Paul in Romans 15:9 where he quotes verse 50.

For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.  2 Samuel 22:50.

Paul tells us that Christ became a servant to the Gentiles to show the truthfulness of God and so proves his point by quoting the above verse. Thus making 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18 Messianic. Christ is their true meaning and David is speaking the words directly from God. God is wanting to paint the picture of the coming and the promised Messiah, which of course he has in many ways throughout the Old Testament.

The question does arise however, if these 2 songs are about a Messiah who was yet to come what is the context and meaning some thousand years before Jesus was born? What was the meaning then?

Whatever David’s awareness was of the prophetic nature of his writing of these songs, and for that matter whatever his understanding was of his own historical context, it is clear that these songs articulate something of the life of David as God’s king over God’s people. It’s a song of his personal experience and relationship with the Lord in the context of his unique calling to rule Israel at a particular time. Now that is not in any way unusual as many of the hymns that we sing are the author’s personal experiences put to music, although not scripture.

Tune composer Phoebe Palmer Knapp (1839-1908) played a melody to Fanny Crosby and asked, “What does the melody say to you?” Crosby replied that the tune said, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!”

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of his spirit, washed in his blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long.

Equally, David’s song acknowledges the unique calling of the people of God in the world. It is Israel’s song of praise to the Lord for his mercy, kindness, love and grace. A song of praise to the Lord who has blessed them despite times of blatant disobedience. That he has chosen them, that he has made covenants with them above all the other nations of the world. If we lose our sense of privilege then we have lost our way.

We who read with New Testament eyes in hindsight are able to see the prophetic depth, the riches revealed to David and Israel which was previously veiled but is now fully revealed in Christ Jesus. It reminds me of these verses.

the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  Colossians 1:26-27

Even the mystery, that is the thing hidden from the Old Testament saints, which has been hidden through times and generations but is now made manifest to His saints. What is it then, Nigel what is it? It is the mystery of the revelation of Christ incarnate. The story of God becoming man, of God in human flesh that’s the mystery, the sacred secret revealed to us. What David longed for and saw in part we now see fully, astonishing!

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

This is amazing. I mean incomprehensible, stunning, bewildering. John’s statement is made all the more amazing when it is seen in the light of verse 1,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  John 1:1

Contrast, the Word was with God with, the Word became flesh. Now that is amazing in itself. Now contrast, the Word was with God, with the Word dwelt amongst us. What David prophecies we see, Jesus walked amongst us. Let’s leave it there and focus next time on the song itself.