David: Rescue When He Needed It Most

Lectionary connections
Sunday, November 24
2 Samuel 23:1-7

Placing In Context

After all that David has lived through, he comes before God, remembering the essence of who God is: the creator of an everlasting covenant, ordering goodness and security for all creation. This God does not wound like the thorns that pierce any hand foolish enough to reach out. As Frances reflects on her life, she faces the daily task of remembering the Mother God in whom she believes. Her mother’s God wounded anyone who reached out for help and connection. That god shall be “consumed in fire on the spot” (verse 7), which is to say that this God prone to shame and threats need not be worshipped or argued against anymore.

Beliefs that Endure

This chapter follows David’s long account in chapter 22 of his life. The account boasts not of David’s accomplishments, though he could have given a highlight reel as an unlikely hero. Instead, he sings with gratitude and praise of a God who hears the call of distress and comes through the mighty waters to rescue him from the grip of his abusers. The verses show an intimate relationship with a mighty God who is beyond our human world and deeply invested in our griefs and struggles.

Moving Forward

When you reflect on all you’ve survived, who is the God you remember? What does it look like to play not a personal highlight reel of your achievements but a poem of praise for the moments when you were at your lowest and felt God’s spirit rescue you, calming your breath and steadying your thoughts?