June 11, 2018
1 Samuel 16:14-23 The Message
The Lord rejected Saul as Israel’s king because he sought to please people more than God. Because of Saul’s choice to dishonor the Lord, God sent Samuel to anoint a new king from the sons of Jesse. The youngest son, David, was God’s choice as Israel’s new king. God looks at the heart to determine his leaders; David was a worshiper and a man after God’s heart. Samuel was instructed to anoint David as the new king; in the pouring of the oil the Holy Spirit came upon David in power.
The Holy Spirit then departed from Saul and left him struggling with a tormenting evil spirit. In our passage today, the Lord is starting to prepare David to be king. The Lord will allow David to witness leadership without the anointing of the Spirit. David would learn a lot during his time as a musician in Saul’s court. For our life lesson, we must never forget the work of the Spirit to bring peace and wholeness to our lives. Our dedication must be to live to please the Lord above all else.
1 Samuel 16:14-23 David—An Excellent Musician
14 At that very moment the Spirit of God left Saul and in its place a black mood sent by God settled on him. He was terrified.
15-16 Saul’s advisors said, “This awful tormenting depression from God is making your life miserable. O Master, let us help. Let us look for someone who can play the harp. When the black mood from God moves in, he’ll play his music and you’ll feel better.”
17 Saul told his servants, “Go ahead. Find me someone who can play well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the young men spoke up, “I know someone. I’ve seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He’s also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And God is with him.”
19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse requesting, “Send your son David to me, the one who tends the sheep.”
20-21 Jesse took a donkey, loaded it with a couple of loaves of bread, a flask of wine, and a young goat, and sent his son David with it to Saul. David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him immediately and made him his right-hand man.
22 Saul sent word back to Jesse: “Thank you. David will stay here. He’s just the one I was looking for. I’m very impressed by him.”
23 After that, whenever the bad depression from God tormented Saul, David got out his harp and played. That would calm Saul down, and he would feel better as the moodiness lifted.
Prayer: Lord, help me to make pleasing you by encouraging the work of the Spirit my goal in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.