Psalm 168 from Beyond Psalm 150
As the book of 2 Samuel winds down, so does David’s life. In the penultimate chapter, we read David’s final recorded words. In this short psalm of praise, David recites the words God spoke to him, affirming David’s godly character and righteous reign.
“Yahweh’s Spirit spoke by me.
2 Samuel 23:2–7
His word was on my tongue.
The God of Israel said,
the Rock of Israel spoke to me,
‘One who rules over men righteously,
who rules in the fear of God,
shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises,
a morning without clouds,
when the tender grass springs out of the earth,
through clear shining after rain.’
Isn’t my house so with God?
Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things, and sure,
for it is all my salvation and all my desire,
although he doesn’t make it grow.
But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away,
because they can’t be taken with the hand.
The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear.
They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”
Reflection on David’s Last Words
The last words we say in our life here on earth may be recorded for others to read.
In doing so, we can talk about ourselves, or we can talk about God. Or we can do both, reminding others of our relationship with the Almighty and the lifetime of blessings he provided.
What can we do to make sure our final words matter the most for those closest to us? Should we write them down so that future generations can read them and praise God?
May our last words celebrate Yahweh and point others to him.
Explore the other psalms—sacred songs of praise, petition, and lament—scattered throughout the Bible in Peter’s book Beyond Psalm 150.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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