Right Words

In response to one commentator who felt that David was essentially washed out after his grievous fall, I offer this post. I think that this commentator’s statement was not only ungracious but unobservant, and I offer counterpoints below. While no doubt David didn’t reach the peak he could’ve had he not fallen, he went on, by God’s mercy and grace, to do even more great things following that event. At the close of his life, God refers to him as “the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Sam. 23:1), and he dies “in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour” (1 Chron. 29:28)

1. Receiving divine inspiration. David composes Psalm 51 soon after his fall, most likely, and other psalms in the latter years of his life, apparently concluding his compositions with Psalm 72 (72:20). The divine inspiration isn’t limited to psalms, however. Following his decision to build the temple, he received its pattern by divine inspiration (1 Chron. 28:11-19), which he was aware of. Lastly, he acknowledges divine inspiration a final time in 2 Sam. 23:1-7; apparently this passage is his last prophetic utterance. His final official words are found in 1 Kings 2:1-9. Note that the last word is “blood,” consistent with God’s assessment of him as “a man of war, [that had] shed blood” (1 Chron. 28:3).
2. Preparing for the temple and its service. First Chronicles rather than 2 Samuel and 1 Kings describes how David prepares materials for the temple construction (1 Chron. 22:1-16) and orders the priesthood for temple service and worship up to the end of his life (1 Chron. 23:1-6, 27-32; 24:1ff.).
3. Counseling and supporting his successor. David not only encourages his heir, Solomon, to initiate the temple construction (1 Chron. 22), but he also mentors him spiritually (1 Chron. 28:9) and politically (1 Kings 2:1-9) before his passing. Despite Adonijah’s mischief, David does all he can to foster a smooth succession, acting decisively when he needed to (1 Kings 1:11-40).
4. Exterminating the giants. Even as an old man, David is active in warfare, nearly dying in battle against the last of the giants (2 Sam. 21:15-22), who are not mentioned again in scripture after his final engagements with them. David begins and ends his military career disposing of giants. Even as an old man, he’s not afraid to take them on, though his men kindly let him know it’s time to resign from active combat: this time, in contrast to the campaign against Ammon (2 Sam. 11:1), he should have stayed home.