LAST WORDS
Now these [are] the last words of David. [Thus] says David the son of Jesse; [Thus] says the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2 “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His Word [was] on my tongue. – 2 Samuel 23:1-2 NKJV
Last words are always important. We do well to consider what people say. Last words are the commentary of one’s life. They are the summation of all that a person experienced, of all that was central to their lives.
Our text literally starts by identifying that these are in fact the last words of David. Hidden in these two verses, these some 50 words is the very essence of the theology of David, that which he had learned from his life, that which was dear. Let’s unpack his words, his values, his theology. [Thus] says David the son of Jesse; [Thus] says the man raised up on high…” David was the son of Jesse. He was a man who did not come from any prestige or any status.
You see, God does not need our credentials for us to serve His purpose. He states where he came from, almost tongue and cheek, to emphasize his insignificance and the Lord’s ability to take that which is insignificant and make it significant. He was the son of Jesse, and, The anointed of the God of Jacob. God will not only take the insignificant and make it significant, he will also empower and promote through the work of the anointing. It is an empowerment, a selection and a calling. David understood the value of the anointing of God for a purpose.
David was called out of obscurity, he was anointed by God for a task, and this anointing is not revocable. God anoints and we fulfill his purpose. Next, he introduces what he was anointed to do, that of course is his gifting to worship God. He called himself the sweet psalmist of Israel. It is central that we maintain a clear understanding of what God has called us to do. He was a warrior, yes, and king without a doubt. Those roles, however, were insignificant compared to his role as a worshiper of God. What a lesson. In the twilight of his life, it was not his accomplishments or wealth that he identified with. No, it was the role he played as a teen. It was the place he would often return to, during times of trials and times of testing. It was perhaps the activity he desired most, the exercise in which now as a senior, he sees the greatest value. The humble act of honoring the Lord God. In these last recorded words, he sees himself as a worshiper of God, for as a boy, and now as a senior; it is most important. David said he was the sweet psalmist of Israel.
David had been through much over the course of his last fifty years. He cared for his father’s sheep. He slain a giant, and in one day, became the most famous man in all of Israel. He ran like a refuge from Saul for nearly a decade. He became king and enjoyed success at home, and success in war. He accrued land and possessions. He drifted from God, and sinned on numerous occasions. His eyes have seen many things. The constant in all of it was the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
Listen to his last words regarding his relationship with the father. “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word [was] on my tongue. Did you get that? The spirit of the Lord spoke to him, and the spirit of the Lord spoke the word of God through him. The word and the spirit will always work together. We sometimes think that God needs other things, other than Spirit and the Word. At this stage in David’s life, he had come to realize that it is all about the Spirit of God moving in him and through him. It is all about the word of God poured out in him and then through him. His Spirit and His Word are enough.
What would be your last words? What are the paramount values that you would want everybody to know regarding your life? David gives us a great example of what we ought to long for. He helps us to realize that God is able to take us from insignificance and places us in a place of profound influence. At the end of the day, God longs for worshipers and that is truly the most noble act.
