Category: Kings
Scriptures:
1 Samuel 16:14-16:23
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1 Samuel 16:14-16:23
14 Now Yahweh’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him.
15 Saul’s servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.
16 Let our lord now command your servants who are in front of you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play with his hand, and you will be well.”
17 Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
18 Then one of the young men answered, and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and Yahweh is with him.”
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”
20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
21 David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.
22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight.”
23 When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Commentary
What do we do when we are being attacked by anxious thoughts or being pressured by the daily burdens of this life? Most of the people we know that are being plagued by these afflictions are lacking the peace of mind that they need. Before God has left King Saul, his life could be characterized as that of disobedience, regrets and insecurities. He has failed in the task of being a great leader for the people of Israel to follow and now the crown will be taken away from him. Indeed, peace of mind will be uncommon from him during that time of his life. Yet the David’s harp’s music has given him that peace even for a short amount of time.
As people of faith, we have a message that can bring that kind of peace to those in our circle. And not a fleeting peace as for Saul, the peace that God can provide transcends time and space . In Ephesians 6:15, one of the components of the armor of God is the ‘feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.’ Let us do our part of spreading that gospel of peace to the people in our lives. And as people listen to us, as they smell the sweet aroma of Christ in our lives, as they see the power of a life that has been transformed by God, then they will also experience the peace like what the harp of David could provide.