ESV Chronological Plan, Day 96 | 1 Samuel 21-22, Psalms 34, 56, and 52

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read 1 Samuel 21:1-22:23 and Psalms 34, 56, and 52

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Praise in the hard times. Today's reading has the highest number of Psalms associated with it of any other historical reading so far, and at the same time it is also the most difficult time of David's life up to this point. I don't think that is a coincidence. When David was confronted with difficulties, betrayed by friends, humiliated by his circumstances, and cut off from support--there he became the most resolute in his conviction that God was good. It was in the cave of Adullam that David, while hiding out, attracted to him "everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul... And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men" (1 Samuel 22:2). God lifted David up in the midst of his descent out of the royal palace and into the place of wandering and darkness; and there, like his Promised Descendant after him, he would attract "all that are weary and heavy laden," (Matthew 11:28) to his cause, and they were able to find rest in him. So who did the people find rest in? David. Who did David find rest in? God. What was God's promise to David, that David could find rest in? That God would build David an everlasting house, and that a descendant of his would sit on his throne continually. To whom was this promise referring? To Jesus. The one that David rested in at this time was in God; and the one who provides the ultimate rest that David foreshadowed is Jesus. This is especially true in times of difficulty. So like David, we may also put our trust in God when things look bleak; and we can attach ourselves to the true and better David, the one who is truly worthy to be commander over us, who is Jesus Christ.

DO | HOW DO WE RESPOND?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? IN OUR WORSHIP AND ATTITUDES we can use times of hardship to point us back to God. We can pray, we can sing, we can write verses like David did, we can gather around other people who share the same hope, and we can attach ourselves ever more closely to Jesus in our wandering.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US TO GOD?

Whether in response to anything pointed out here, or to something else in your Bible reading time, take a few moments before you close up your Bible to pray in response to God. If you need a format for prayer, both the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), CALL (Confess, Ask, Love, Listen), and PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) methods are helpful ways to stay consistent.

-Sean