2 Samuel 23:1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and sweet psalmist said,
Well Friends, we’ve lived through another night of darkness and solitude, and arisen refreshed and stimulated, our hearts replenished with LOVE, eager to see the light of day and continue God’s work with renewed vitality and enthusiasm. (smile) Today’s a brand new day. We’re starting with a clean slate, so let’s put all of yesterday’s problems behind us, today will bring more than enough for us to handle. As promised, we’ll continue with the Bit on Bruh David, singing his praises. Now please don’t get the impression that because we’re somewhat romanticizing him, he was perfect; far from it. He was a human being fraught with frailties just like all of us, but he also possessed most of the good qualities and tried to practice them. He understood what life was all about, in addition to which he LOVED the Lord and made it his life work to constantly stay in touch with Him. He did wrong too; like setting up Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah to be killed in battle, so that he could satisfy his lust for her. (2 Sam. 11&12) But he paid a heavy price for that wrong with family problems and loss of some of his heritage. In spite of all that, the Lord still honoured him with an everlasting covenant because his heart was generally as right as humanly possible, and he aspired to do the Lord’s will. And my people, that’s basically all the Lord asks of us; to serve and obey Him. That’s why the Lord chose him over Saul’s line to lead his people Israel; ‘the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob.’ As Ethan the Ezrahite contemplated in Psalm 89, titled, ‘God’s sure promises to David.’ ‘Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon, (given help to) one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him. With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him; (outwit or deceive) nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.’ (Ps.89:19-24) Yes my Friends, that’s what the Lord did for Bruh David because of his faithfulness, and will do the same , or even more for us if we also remain steadfast and true to His Word. And the rest of Psalm 89 is filled with other good stuff that the Lord either did or promised to do for Bruh David; like the everlasting covenant of kindness and mercy for his line. And Asaph in his Maschil (Contemplation) Psalm 78, titled a ‘Reminder of God’s goodness to Israel,’ had this to say. ‘He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes, great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.’ (Ps.78:70-72) Ah my Friends, there’s that word again, ‘integrity.’ It’s possibly the most important word in our Christian walk. And that’s where Bruh David’s strength seemed to lie. The lack of integrity turns our entire faith into a farce, doing untold, and oftimes irreparable damage to the work and Church of Christ. When we preach one thing and practice something entirely different, it sours, turns off the unbeliever. Finally, let’s turn to what Bruh David is best known for and revered as; ‘the sweet psalmist of Israel.’ Oh mih people, if he’d only written Psalms and not done any other heroic stuff, he ‘d still be one of the most popular and beloved biblical heroes. He’s been such an inspiration, offered such encouragement and hope to millions down through the ages, and will do for as long as this world exists, when they’ve read his sad, haunting, powerful, emotional, hurting, prayerful, rejoicing, soul-stirring, God fearing…in fact for just about any human emotion or need or problem you can find something in Bruh David’s words to offer help or simply solace. That’s because he lived a full life, with experiences in many areas and wasn’t afraid or ashamed to share it with others, his people, whom he knew were undergoing the same basic problems. Oh, enough talk from me! Let’s get a few samples of Bruh David’s poetic wizardry to take us home. And it will have to really be a few, cause he wrote so many beautiful, moving verses. Now the obvious favourite is Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. he maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me…’ (Ps.23:1-4) Wow Friends! Short, sweet simple and to the point! ‘Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. Oh my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed; let not mine enemies triumph over me.’ (Ps.25:1-2) The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps.27:1) ‘Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in truth.’ (Ps.26:1-3) ‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who can ascend unto the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place.’ (Ps.24:1-3) No one my people! Oh Friends, yuh noticed what happened here? I had the Good Book opened in front of me on the same two pages and look at the wide range of emotions, topics and otherwise that those five psalms spanned. And that’s only a smattering of what he wrote. No wonder the Lord chose him to be the patriarch of the line of His Son Jesus. So my people, let’s continue to follow Bruh David’s example; to walk in integrity, to LOVE and serve the Lord with all our hearts, souls and minds. Till tomorrow: Much LOVE!…as we go…so will the church of Christ…
Well Friends, we’ve lived through another night of darkness and solitude, and arisen refreshed and stimulated, our hearts replenished with LOVE, eager to see the light of day and continue God’s work with renewed vitality and enthusiasm. (smile) Today’s a brand new day. We’re starting with a clean slate, so let’s put all of yesterday’s problems behind us, today will bring more than enough for us to handle. As promised, we’ll continue with the Bit on Bruh David, singing his praises. Now please don’t get the impression that because we’re somewhat romanticizing him, he was perfect; far from it. He was a human being fraught with frailties just like all of us, but he also possessed most of the good qualities and tried to practice them. He understood what life was all about, in addition to which he LOVED the Lord and made it his life work to constantly stay in touch with Him. He did wrong too; like setting up Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah to be killed in battle, so that he could satisfy his lust for her. (2 Sam. 11&12) But he paid a heavy price for that wrong with family problems and loss of some of his heritage. In spite of all that, the Lord still honoured him with an everlasting covenant because his heart was generally as right as humanly possible, and he aspired to do the Lord’s will. And my people, that’s basically all the Lord asks of us; to serve and obey Him. That’s why the Lord chose him over Saul’s line to lead his people Israel; ‘the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob.’ As Ethan the Ezrahite contemplated in Psalm 89, titled, ‘God’s sure promises to David.’ ‘Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon, (given help to) one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him. With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him; (outwit or deceive) nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.’ (Ps.89:19-24) Yes my Friends, that’s what the Lord did for Bruh David because of his faithfulness, and will do the same , or even more for us if we also remain steadfast and true to His Word. And the rest of Psalm 89 is filled with other good stuff that the Lord either did or promised to do for Bruh David; like the everlasting covenant of kindness and mercy for his line. And Asaph in his Maschil (Contemplation) Psalm 78, titled a ‘Reminder of God’s goodness to Israel,’ had this to say. ‘He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes, great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.’ (Ps.78:70-72) Ah my Friends, there’s that word again, ‘integrity.’ It’s possibly the most important word in our Christian walk. And that’s where Bruh David’s strength seemed to lie. The lack of integrity turns our entire faith into a farce, doing untold, and oftimes irreparable damage to the work and Church of Christ. When we preach one thing and practice something entirely different, it sours, turns off the unbeliever. Finally, let’s turn to what Bruh David is best known for and revered as; ‘the sweet psalmist of Israel.’ Oh mih people, if he’d only written Psalms and not done any other heroic stuff, he ‘d still be one of the most popular and beloved biblical heroes. He’s been such an inspiration, offered such encouragement and hope to millions down through the ages, and will do for as long as this world exists, when they’ve read his sad, haunting, powerful, emotional, hurting, prayerful, rejoicing, soul-stirring, God fearing…in fact for just about any human emotion or need or problem you can find something in Bruh David’s words to offer help or simply solace. That’s because he lived a full life, with experiences in many areas and wasn’t afraid or ashamed to share it with others, his people, whom he knew were undergoing the same basic problems. Oh, enough talk from me! Let’s get a few samples of Bruh David’s poetic wizardry to take us home. And it will have to really be a few, cause he wrote so many beautiful, moving verses. Now the obvious favourite is Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. he maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me…’ (Ps.23:1-4) Wow Friends! Short, sweet simple and to the point! ‘Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. Oh my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed; let not mine enemies triumph over me.’ (Ps.25:1-2) The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps.27:1) ‘Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in truth.’ (Ps.26:1-3) ‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who can ascend unto the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place.’ (Ps.24:1-3) No one my people! Oh Friends, yuh noticed what happened here? I had the Good Book opened in front of me on the same two pages and look at the wide range of emotions, topics and otherwise that those five psalms spanned. And that’s only a smattering of what he wrote. No wonder the Lord chose him to be the patriarch of the line of His Son Jesus. So my people, let’s continue to follow Bruh David’s example; to walk in integrity, to LOVE and serve the Lord with all our hearts, souls and minds. Till tomorrow: Much LOVE!…as we go…so will the church of Christ…
SCRIP-BITS 