GRACE AS PRESENTED IN DAVID (3)

GRACE AS PRESENTED IN DAVID (3)

2 Samuel 1: 17 - 27; 2 Samuel 22: 20 - 32; 2 Samuel 23: 1 - 5

SMcC These sections of the scripture that we have read in this 2nd Book of Samuel are remarkable sections. Brethren will notice that they are all in poetic form, meaning that something more than the ordinary is entering into them. They are filled with holy feelings, and I am sure the brethren will agree that we need to be enriched with the kind of feelings that come to light in David, in the passages that we have read. It is remarkable that in a book that generally is filled with such declension and such evident features of lawlessness, that we should get these poetic utterances of David throwing into relief as they do the kind of man that he was; the sweet psalmist of Israel, as he is referred to in the last passage. That would allude to a place that he had acquired, not a place divinely given exactly, as in the anointing, but a place that he had acquired in relation to his poetic compositions among the people of God. And it is thought that we should see first the way he looks upon Saul and Jonathan, especially his references to Jonathan at the end. In all these passages David takes an abstract view of Jonathan, and an abstract view of himself in the 22nd chapter. It is a remarkable thing that, as we have read, despite the fact that he had sinned as is recorded in the book, he is able in the liberty of his knowledge of God and his relations with God at the end, to take account of himself in an abstract way, as we have been taught, apart from the failure and breakdown. A very important thing with all of us, we should be able to take account of ourselves in an abstract way in relation to the work of God in us, apart from all that is so mixed, all that to which failure and breakdown may attach to in us naturally, in the flesh. And then we have his references to himself and the administration, the king and the rule of the king. It is a remarkable touch as to the way that he brings in the great thought of divine administration over against all the difficulties that had obtained in the experiences of this book. He is able to view things, while having the true judgment of what marked certain things, what marked certain persons, yet be is able to take account of them abstractly in relation to their links with God.

Ques Would that be seen in the apostle Paul when he says, “By the grace of God, I am what I am?” He identifies himself with the work of God in his soul.

SMcC Yes, exactly. Romans 7 would help us as to it too, and would show us the way that Paul arrived at it in an experimental way, in his soul. He did not pretend to be anything else than he was. He was, by God’s grace, what he was, and that is a great feature for everyone of us to lay hold of, that we do not pretend to be something that we are not.

Rem “Thy condescending gentleness hath made me great,” David’s word.

SMcC It shows how he appreciated grace, we might say, in its operation towards him, which would be in mind in that verse.

CFI Would the teaching of the children of Judah, in the use of the bow, bear upon this matter of the abstract view?

SMcC Well, it does, because Judah is particularly linked with the abstract side. You will remember that in one of the Psalms reference is made to Judah as God’s sanctuary. “When Israel went out of Egypt ... Judah was His sanctuary, Israel His dominion.” Psalm 114: 1 - 2. A remarkable reference to Judah, and what Judah was, for David would no doubt be in mind, and the children of Judah coming in here is interesting in that way.

Rem The book of Jasher too, would be written from that point of view, would it not?

SMcC Yes, the book of the upright. The books in scripture are interesting in that way, specially this one of the upright. Uprightness is a great thing; David alludes to it in the 22nd chapter of this book, that we should be upright, upright in heart, upright in our relations with God, and in our relations with one another.

GJG It refers in Psalm 25, “Good and upright is Jehovah; therefore will He instruct sinners in the way.” Remarkable that uprightness is involved; it bears upon that, does it not?

SMcC So that it would involve that we are like God. There is a correspondence in moral likeness when we are marked by, uprightness, as the book of the upright, the book of Jasher, would have in mind, upright ones.

Ques Is the view of Saul, the way David thinks of Saul and Jonathan in his lamentation, a matter of uprightness really?

SMcC Well, it is. That is the point, that this is to be incorporated in this great book. It must be a remarkable book, it must have been extant amongst the people of God. We are not told everything that is in it, but this is one of the things that is in it. We want to give heed to what is extant, in the way of writings amongst the saints. It might not be out of place to refer to the importance of the younger ones following up the ministry in their early days, and looking into what has been before, and what is extant amongst us, in the way of help as to the truth; the great ministry of J.N.D., of F.E.R., and J.B.S., up to the great ministry of our time and day. It is important that we should value what is extant among the people of God.

Ques Is it because of the need of that, that some have felt the necessity of reprinting J.N.D.’s Collected Writings?

SMcC Well, exactly. They enter into the foundations of the revival, the church revival in our time, and how important that they should be rightly valued, and they should be looked into. There is no time like the time of youth, when the mind is clear, the renewed mind helped particularly, and there is not the same incapacity as comes in later on in life. It is a great thing that we should give ourselves to the reading of the Scriptures, and the reading of what is extant in the way of help as to the truth.

MB We have had much of late in regard to the thought of Manhood. Do the circumstances bring into activity the spiritual feelings and affections of David?

SMcC Well, they do. David could have taken the advantage that the position afforded him, but he would not. I think what shines in David here, is the grace of the anointing, that he would not take any unfair advantage.

Rem You were speaking about the spiritual character of these poetic utterances of David. The song of the bow, would that be the outcome of his experiences? I was thinking of the reference in Genesis, that God brings clouds over the earth, and the bow shall be seen in the cloud. Is that the outcome of his experiences of the faithfulness of God?

SMcC It would involve victory in his soul, as we think of all the experiences in the latter part of the book, the Psalms affording much light as to what David went through in his soul, in his relations with God in them, the song of the bow would particularly point to that.

CFI We seem to need much help on this line, as to the constancy of respect for one another. Would the abstract line come into mind in the thought of the saints as born of God, for instance? You have a certain character attaching to them, and you always hold them in your affections in that way.

SMcC That is it exactly; that the new birth in its operation lays a basis in our souls, and has in mind the status that we have in the family of God; and the work of God in us is a remarkable thing from that standpoint. And it is one of the great things that is needed. It is an advantage in serving one another, when we are able to hold one another rightly in relation to the work of God.

CFI So if I do not just see eye to eye with my brother on a matter of the truth, I in no way allow my affections or respect for him to become beclouded.

SMcC That is an important thing, because love must be active, must be operative, if in any crisis or difficulty here, things are going to be carried through. It is not that David has not got a judgment as to Saul and Jonathan; he refers to the shield of Saul as not anointed with oil; and Saul and Jonathan beloved and pleasant in their lives, even in their death were not divided. He does not forget what marked them, but surmounting all that, is his appreciation of them as for instance in what he says of Jonathan, “I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant wast thou unto me, thy love to me was wonderful, passing women’s love.” How David’s soul was moved in this matter, remembering Jonathan in relation to the bright features that had marked him, his attachment to David.

Rem Is there a difference between David’s lamentation, and Samuel’s mourning for Saul?

SMcC Quite a difference. It is important to see that Samuel is thinking of himself and is affected by his own personal feelings. David in his lamentation is, as it were, giving expression to divine feelings in regard to this great matter that such as Saul and Jonathan should fall as they did under the hand of the Philistines.

EBMcC It says, “The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen.”

SMcC Well, exactly here. So that he is viewing the thing abstractly, “The beauty of Israel,” - abstract thoughts are in his mind. We sometimes think of leadership in matters involving the truth, which is very important in its place, and is a great help in difficult circumstances, but it is a great thing to get a lead in right feelings. You will remember how it says in the 3rd chapter, verse 31, in connection with Abner; Abner was a great general, and a terrible state of things existed, and Abner is slain by Joab. And it says in verse 31, “And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him. Rend your garments and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And the king lamented over Abner, and said Should Abner die as a fool death? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters; as a man falleth before wicked men, fellest thou!” He has a judgment you see, as to what had transpired, as to what entered into this calamity; but he is giving a right lead, he is showing the people that he is not with this cruel and wicked act that had been perpetrated. And he follows the bier, and he lifted up his voice and wept, giving a right lead. How needful it is when we think of all that has entered into the public position, the breakdown in Christendom, and all the features of breakdown that may be taken account of. How essential it is that we should be marked by right feelings.

Rem And all the people followed, and it says the people “wept again.”

SMcC How important a right lead is, and what is so striking about David is that while he may at different times come under certain things that are calamities, he always rises as adjusted in his relations with God, and manifests an ability to give a good lead among the saints.

EBMcC He is giving a good lead here, is he not, that is, he says, “Tell it not in Gath, carry not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice.” We would not make a public matter of it, would we?

SMcC Indeed, there should be holy regard for the things of God, that they are not treated as common, and talked over in a common way, but with a sober regard for what God’s rights are, as involved in the matter.

Rem Would you be free to say a word as to our right attitude towards those who may have missed their way, and perhaps have been withdrawn from, and even die out of fellowship? I was thinking of the word of Mr. Darby in regard to Mr. Kelly, when he said, “I trust the brethren will not be too hard on Mr. Kelly.”

SMcC Yes, very interesting. What a great servant J.N.D. was! We think of him and his feelings in regard to matters. It is said of him that at Plymouth he went home when he saw what was obtaining in Plymouth, and the awful influence of wrong teaching in Plymouth, and he threw himself on a couch and wept. Great men of God are marked by feelings; the men of God in scripture were all marked by feelings, and we should not be behind in the matter of these feelings; and when it comes to those that are outside, there should be concern about them, and the priest would be concerned about them in the light of Leviticus. It is important that we should see that the priest has to do with these matters.

Rem It says that the Philistines stripped the slain, and the Amalekite too took the crown and the bracelet from Saul. It does not say he put them back on again does it?

SMcC No.

MB So you think there are the two sides then, “Tell it not in Gath,” that would be in a public sense; then in the inside, does the apostle’s word apply, “Not rejoice at iniquity.”

SMcC Reference was recently made to the burial of a sister who had been withdrawn from. It was felt that it should not be from the room, because of that. If we are claiming the body as belonging to the saints and to the testimony why should the room not be used if it was thought best?

WJB If it is one who has been withdrawn from, but who we are assured had definite links with God, would it be wrong to speak of him in the burial service as brother?

SMcC Not that I know of, why would we not? I mean the fact that we have withdrawn from him does not break the family link. Matthew 18 alludes to our attitude, “Let him be unto thee as!” it doesn’t say “a heathen man or a publican,” but “as,” does it not? Let us read it to make sure that we are saying what is right. It says in verse 17 of Matthew 18, “And if also he will not listen to the assembly, let him be to thee as one of the nations.” As one of the nations,” the as is a great governing word in that passage. It is our attitude towards a person, but withdrawal does not sever their link in the family of God; they still belong to the family of God.

WHW I was wondering if in the setting of this chapter, the removal of the Amalekite does not set free all the right feelings of the Spirit in relation to many different things.

SMcC That is very interesting, because what is to be noted is that David is very severe in his judgment of the Amalekite, as if that is an element that there is war with from generation to generation, because as you will remember in the early chapters of Exodus, it says “The hand is upon the throne of Jah” in connection with Amalek. And David marked by the richest and tenderest feelings in his lament of Saul and Jonathan, especially Jonathan, is unsparing in regard to this element of Amalek, that is against the throne of God.

Rem Amalek comes to light does he not, when the people of God typically have received the Spirit?

SMcC Exactly.

Rem So that he would be opposed, would he not, to all these spiritual feelings as marked David here?

SMcC I think it is interesting to see how the Amalekite is severely dealt with, and we get the choice spontaneous outbreak of David in regard to Saul and Jonathan; as if the anointing, and all that the Spirit would be in type to us, would help us in expressing right feelings in regard of such.

Rem Amalek is referred to in his attitude towards the hindermost, the weak amongst the saints.

SMcC Well exactly; that is, he is not marked by fairness. He is marked by unfairness in his operations. It was seen then, it is seen here; this young man is taking an unfair advantage and David sees through it immediately. And he will not have it, and I should think that is a word for all of us, that we do not seize an unfair advantage to make the most of our own ends, in any given matter. There is a good deal, of course, that comes out in this book, in a negative way, that is very humbling, but we want to see the spiritual feelings in David that rise above personal advantages to give expression in a godly way to the exercise of the moment. That is what it is. It was a humbling thing that the shield of Saul should be cast away as not anointed with oil. It says, “For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.” How important it is that in matters of conflict for the truth that we should hold to the truth of the anointing, that all our activities, all our words, all that we do and say, should be marked by the anointing - that we should not allow our shields to be vilely cast away.

WHW Does that bear on our inability to operate the truth in difficulties?

SMcC Well, that is the point. It speaks in Isaiah of the drunkards of Ephraim. Mr. Darby said that divine principles in the hands of unspiritual men, or something to that effect, are like a sword in the hands of a drunkard. He does not know where he is striking, or which way the sword is going, it is just a question of striking, and it is a great matter that the truth should be held and used, as in the power of the Spirit. It says in the matter of the conflict in Ephesians, “The sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.”

Rem It says that David was delivered from the hands of his enemies and out of the hands of Saul. He does not regard Saul as an enemy.

SMcC He is not fully delivered yet. Wait for the 22nd chapter; there is a lot that David has to go through. The 22nd chapter gives us the day he is delivered out of the hands of Saul and all his enemies. Saul has died, yes, but there still is the house of Saul to contend with. There is a system that is still opposed, not now in the hand of Saul himself, but in the agencies linked with it. David is above the features of the flesh as we would speak of it, in regard to ourselves, in operating in relation to the truth.

Rem Would you help us again with regard to your reference to holding things abstractly? You refer to holding the truth abstractly, and holding our thoughts of one another in an abstract way. We need to gather that up fully to get the gain of just what you are referring to in a general way. Would you make it a little clearer?

SMcC Well I think it is important to see it, because I do not think we can serve one another rightly, unless we learn how to appreciate one another in an abstract way. We do not ignore sin, we do not ignore lawlessness. God’s holiness and the rights of His throne require that all that should be taken into account; but if we are going to serve one another rightly, as to helping one another as to where we are wrong, it is important that we should hold to this side, the side linked with our position in the family of God.

Ques Would the exercises of Romans 7 help as to this?

SMcC That is what we were referring to earlier, what Paul came to experimentally; he analysed things, and in the analysis, he is able to take account of himself apart from what the flesh was in him, and sin operating through the flesh in him.

WLJ And so the 2nd book starts with David abiding two days in Ziklag; would that link on with what you have just been saying as to the book of Romans?

SMcC Very good, I think it does. It shows as it were, that he is getting the full meaning of Ziklag into his soul; the overflowing of a fountain; grace freely flowing at Ziklag - David drinking into it in the full, and those that were with him; and so when the Amalekite comes up and presents this unfair advantage, David would not avail himself of it, he would not take it on; he rejects it, and deals with that element thoroughly.

Rem David had many advantages suggested to him that he did not take account of, or take advantage of. If we are taking advantage of these suggestions, is it always at the expense of Christ?

SMcC Well, we may, at the expense of the rights of Christ, in regard to the saints, because the anointing implies the rights of God, and we must always have regard to the anointing. If a believer has the Spirit and is set up in relation to the Spirit, we would always have regard for that. If features are coming out concretely that belie the anointing, we meet it as holding to the abstract idea of the anointing.

WJB So that one of the nations and a publican would not necessarily be passed in the street without recognition. When a brother has been withdrawn from, it is not necessary to ignore him in the street. It would be in order to give him some kind of recognition, in the way of a nod or something, would it not?

SMcC Well, I never do otherwise. - In those that we have had to do with in that way I would always recognise them in the street. It is right that we should; even ask them how they are getting on; see if they are getting any help. Not that we are engaging with them socially - the line must be drawn - but in a priestly way concerned about them and their recovery, that we might serve them in some possible way.

GWB Is there any point or time when they actually cease to be a brother or a sister, following your earlier remark?

SMcC Well, what do you say?

GWB I cannot see that they ever cease to be that.

SMcC Did anyone ever say it?

GWB What I have in my mind, speaking plainly, is in the presentation of a matter before the assembly; I have more than once known the person involved to be referred to as one “called a brother,” or one “called a sister.” I just wondered how far this is justified.

SMcC Well, there has to be care entering into these matters. We are not to hold things too loosely, and terms too loosely; it says, “Let him be unto thee as a heathen man or one of the nations;” “as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer.” “Let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer.” It is quite evident that you would not be speaking about him as a beloved brother, or a dear brother when he has gone astray, or anything like that; it would be entirely contrary to what is on hand. We are judging sin. It is quite evident that when we are dealing with sin in an individual, we are not using lavish expressions like “our dear brother” or “our dear sister.” We are dealing with sin; but abstractly in our minds, we hold the fact that they belong to the family of God, and if excision takes place, it is in view of their recovery, their restoration.

Rem “As one of the nations” would help us to have the attitude of grace in our hearts towards such an one all the time?

SMcC Well, exactly. We should always have in mind the recovery of such.

Ques Paul refers to one “called brother” in 1 Corinthians 5.

SMcC Let us read it. It is a good thing to have the Scriptures just exactly as they are. It says in 1 Corinthians 5: 11, “But now I have written to you, if any one called brother.” See the skill of the apostle as he approaches this matter, in regard to dealing with this person. And then at the end of the chapter, the 13th verse, he says, “remove the wicked person from amongst yourselves.”

WJB That does not necessarily mean that he is no longer a brother?

SMcC No, because withdrawing from a person does not have to do with the family of God on the basic side. It has to do with practical communion, fellowship.

GRD That would be entering into the side of the testimony, would it?

SMcC Entering into the side of the testimony? Say something more.

GRD I was just thinking of the testimonial side; the family side would ever be in mind in our links with one another, wherever a person was, but our relations with one another publicly would bear upon where they are relative to the claims of the Lord and the rights of the Lord.

SMcC Therefore the importance of that in regard to burials. We do not go to burials that are conducted by those in systems around us; that is against the truth, to do such a thing as that. The truth regulates us, because we must be governed by the truth in these matters. While persons may be Christians and belong to the family of God, and they may be related to us in this way, the truth comes in to regulate us in regard to our links with them.

Rem So it would not be in accord with the fellowship to go to such burials would it? Is it not a question as to where the fellowship lies in such matters?

SMcC Well, exactly. What our brother is referring to is what is in the Lord, the rights of the Lord connected with the position; that is, we would be really sinning against the fellowship if we should do that.

FGS But a person that we knew to be a Christian in these systems, there would be nothing wrong in our referring to such as “brother,” would there?

SMcC Well, it depends on how you use the term. If you were referring to him as a “dear brother” or a “beloved brother,” as if there was nothing wrong with the position, well, that would be wrong. But if you were referring to him as a brother in the light of his position in the family of God, that is another matter.

FGS You think of the term as belonging to a Christian?

SMcC Yes, as belonging to the family of God.

MB Was it to preserve the saints from severity that the apostle, speaking of those who were walking disorderly in Thessalonica, he says not to disregard him as a brother? Though you are to shrink from him, yet you are to regard him as a brother?

SMcC Yes, because that one is still in fellowship, but he is not going on right.

Rem Would it be seen in Joseph, why he had to speak roughly to them, make himself strange to them? He never forgot that they were his brethren.

SMcC Well, exactly, and we never forget in the public position of the testimony that our brethren are all around us, engulfed in the lawless systems around us, and we regard them and hold them as our brethren; we hold the ground for them in the light of the assembly. They are not available to us, but they belong to the family of God, they are our brethren, but they are not available to us; and we work out the truth of the assembly with those of our brethren that are available to us.

Rem Who would be in our minds in the loaf on the Lord’s Day morning? The body of Christ - would it be all believers having the spirit?

SMcC Certainly. While it may have a concrete and practical reference to those we are with in a locality, as to our appropriating one another and enjoying one another immediately, yet abstractly all the saints are in our hearts, and in our thoughts.

Rem It has been suggested that it would only rightly refer to those who are in the light of the assembly position.

SMcC I do not think the Lord gave Himself exclusively for those who are in the light of the assembly position. He gave himself for the assembly.

Rem It would embrace, would it not, those who are here this day, and those who are not here this day?

SMcC Well, it is the difference between what is concrete and what is abstract. Our brethren are not concretely with us in the breaking of bread, but we hold them abstractly in our minds as belonging to the assembly.

WJB So that Paul, in the very chapter where he gives the light as to how to conduct ourselves in a broken day, says in regard to such, “The Lord knows those that are his.”

SMcC Yes, exactly.

CSK Would you say that what Paul says to the Colossians and also to the Ephesians as to their faith in Christ Jesus, and the love which they had for all the saints, we would still hold on to that, although the breakdown has come in publicly?

SMcC In that chapter we have the great outlook of the minister of the assembly. He said he laboured to present every man perfect in Christ. That does not allude to the saints in the assembly only. That includes every man; a remarkable view. We need to be enlarged in our view in regard to the gospel - God’s thoughts for men in it.

Rem Have we therefore a responsibility towards every Christian, every believer?

SMcC We have, but, of course, if they are not available to us, what can we do? If they elect to remain out of the truth, what can we do? If we meet them, we can serve them, but if they elect to remain where they are, we do not go there to help them out.

Rem We need some help on our attitude.

SMcC Yes, and readiness to serve any of our brethren who are in captivity, if by any means they might be liberated.

Rem Is the prayer meeting a good meeting to pray for our brethren in the system, that they may be liberated?

SMcC Well, we pray for the work of recovery to go on, do we not, that more and more may be brought into the truth.

CSK Is what you are speaking of really based on the thought of Colossians, “growing by the true knowledge of God.” It is the way God regards people; must we not regard them in the same way?

SMcC I think we have to learn how to look at things abstractly. We have to look at government abstractly. You may say, the man is such a politician. We must learn to take account of such abstractly, and indirectly the government of God is operating through them, and we must regard them in that light. The same with man, we must not fail to recognise what man is abstractly, as God’s creature, and in the service of the gospel we approach man in that light, that he might be extricated from the conditions of sin and shame into which he has come.

MB Have you in mind to say a word on the last two verses before we leave the chapter?

SMcC Well, David says “I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant wast thou unto me.” We might have said, “Well we will not make any mention of Jonathan; he did not go all the way; he fell short.” But David works on what was there in Jonathan it was very precious to him. We sometimes feel we are so much behind divine Persons; They can work on so little, and we need to have so much, and all this would help us to value the work of God in the slightest way in which it may appear.

Rem Would David’s feelings towards Jonathan be a matter of affection between them more than the public side? Jonathan’s soul was knit with David’s as his own soul; David was not behind in that, and did not that hold good right through?

SMcC Well exactly, and nothing helps us more in having to do with one another, even supposing there may be things in me that may be running contrary to the truth of the moment, if a brother comes to serve me in regard to them. It may be help if he holds to what has been present before, features that have marked one before, he holds to that; what an advantage it is in serving me!

Rem Do we see this working out in the word in Job, “Remember that thou magnify his work,” - David magnifying what was in Jonathan?

SMcC Well, that is right. He is taking account of the work of God. He is not making more of it than he should, because it must have been wonderful when David spoke of it as wonderful. Now in 2 Samuel 22, we have David now, we might say, extricating himself. It is a remarkable section this; it begins with: “And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, and he said, Jehovah is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer; God is my rock, in Him will I trust.” Then he comes to this section that we have read, and he refers to his righteousness, the cleanness of his hands, and he says, verse 24, “And I was upright before him, and kept myself from mine iniquity. And Jehovah hath recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.” How can David say all this, when he had been involved in so much in the book? I think it is to show us that as we are helped on the lines of recovery in our own souls, in our links with God basically, we are able to take account of the work of God in ourselves, so that we are set free in viewing the work of God in that way.

Rem “There is then now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus,” would that come in?

SMcC Well, I would say that would help us as to it; that alludes to status. It is not exactly the work of God in us, that is status in Romans 8: 1. But it is the groundwork, in which the work of God proceeds in Colossians. We do not exactly get the work of God in us in Romans. We have to come to Colossians to get the work of God in the saints.

Rem So Paul had just arrived at that point in the light of his soul.

SMcC Well, exactly. In Romans 7 and the verse that our brother alludes to in Romans 8: 1 helps on the lines of how to regard ourselves, and then Colossians enlarges on the work of God in us.

Rem I was wondering whether in that way Colossians 1: 12 - 13 would fit in. “Giving thanks to the Father who has made us fit for sharing the portion of the saints in light; who has delivered us from the authority of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”

SMcC Well, all that would enter into it; so that David is, you might say, in all the liberty of the realm in that light. He is delivered from the authority of darkness. Think of all the influences that entered into this thought, that could be linked with the authority of darkness, but in the liberty of his soul, and his happy felicitous links with God, he is enlarging upon God’s deliverance. How God delighted in him! how he says in verse 20, “He delivered me because he delighted in me.” A wonderful thing to come to that in our souls, that God delights in us, according to His work.

Rem “Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness” - my righteousness.

SMcC That is it. So he represents one who has a judgment in his soul, as to all that he has been through, and all that he has been linked with, but he is not bowed under it in this song, he is not held in bondage in relation to it, but he is brought through all, in coming right down to what is foundational. God is his rock, and he is breaking forth in relation to what he was abstractly in relation to the work of God.

EB So in John’s 1st epistle, it is stated explicitly, is it not? “Whoever has been begotten of God does not practise sin, because his seed abides in him, and he cannot sin, because he has been begotten of God.”

SMcC John’s epistle is a great epistle that helps us as to the abstract side. And, here it is a question of David being extricated, God had saved him out of the hand of all his enemies; but it is not only what God has done, but what David is doing here in the buoyancy of his soul.

MB So that it goes a little further than what has been quoted from John’s epistle, does it not? There is an inference in his statement, that he had judged all the matters, and he says, “I was upright.” Does that not mean one that was honest before God in regard to matters?

SMcC Well, exactly, and he says, “I was upright before Him.” You see the legal man is concerned about being upright before the brethren. It is right that we should be upright before the brethren, but uprightness begins in our relations with God, and works out in our relations with the brethren.

Rem In verse 24 it says, “before him,” and at the end of verse 25 it is “in his sight.”

SMcC Well, David is referring to deliverance that he has reached. Not only God’s arbitrary exercise of power in taking him out, in delivering him from his enemies, but what he was coming to in himself. He was able from this point of view to deliver himself from what would hold him under otherwise. There is an interesting passage in one of the Minor Prophets, in regard to this matter. I think it is important in view of the young brethren, when they get involved in matters, and get burdened and oppressed in their souls, and lack in joy, that they should know how to analyse things and be able to extricate themselves, with the help of God in it. In Micah 7: 6 it says, “For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own household. But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: though I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of Jehovah - for I have sinned against him - until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light; I shall behold his righteousness. And mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is Jehovah thy God?” It is a beautiful passage, as showing how we revert back in our thoughts to what we are basically, and have ability to arise above what the enemy would detain us in, in any damage that may have been done to us.

WHW Would verse 7 in this chapter illustrate your point, “In my distress I called upon Jehovah, and I cried to my God; And he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came into his ears.”

SMcC Very good; showing how God was before him, and the allusion to His temple is interesting. “He heard my voice out of his temple.” A remarkable expression when you think of where David must have been. He was a man who was accustomed, of course, to the presence of God.

RGC Are we then helped and edified as we are enabled to think God’s thoughts about ourselves?

SMcC That is it. That is what we should come to, and sometimes when we get overtaken in things a young person maybe gets involved in the world, and the enemy robs him of his joy, as he makes room for the Spirit, he says, “How could I have ever done such a thing? How could I ever have got involved in such things?” Romans 7 helps us. It says in verse 13 of Romans 7 “But sin, that it might appear sin, working death to me by that which is good; in order that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” That is, the operation of the commandment is to show us the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Not that I should be brought into its darkness exactly, it involves that in experience in my soul, but that I might see the exceeding sinfulness of sin.

GJG Is it the working out of a matter, any matter, to its full result in that way? The exceeding sinfulness of it is seen?

SMcC Exactly, otherwise I might not have known how exceedingly sinful sin was, if the commandment had not come in. Grace brings into my soul’s view the Deliverer. We do not get in Romans 7 deliverance exactly, we have to come to Romans 8 for deliverance. But it brings into my soul’s view the Deliverer, so that I do not serve sin’s law, I serve the law of God.

CFI What you have referred to in Micah 7 is just that, that the soul looks out to the Deliverer.

SMcC That is it. He has his eye on the Deliverer.

EBMcC Here it is, “For all his ordinances were before me, and his statutes I did not depart from them, and I was upright before him, and kept myself from mine iniquity.” That is, the truth is before him, and that is what will keep us.

SMcC That is it. The truth must regulate us in everything, and he says in verse 26 “With the gracious thou dost shew thyself gracious; with the upright man thou dost shew thyself upright; with the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; and with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary. And the afflicted people thou dost save.” If I am perverse, God will shew Himself contrary to me. A remarkable expression, because He has in mind to save the afflicted of His people.

WHW It speaks of the “rest of our time.” Does that come into it?

SMcC Well, it is a good thing when we reach that. To arm ourselves with the same mind, Christ having suffered for us in the flesh. Ceasing from sin, we are to arm ourselves with the same mind, and the past time of our life will have sufficed to have walked in the will of the Gentiles, walking in lasciviousness; and the rest of our time should be linked with the will of God. It is a good conclusion to come to. The Lord helps us in our links with Himself, and in relation to His work in our souls. There is so much in ourselves naturally that is utterly unreliable. We are taught that time and time again. God brings us to it, that there is so much in oneself that is so utterly unreliable naturally, and if I rely in it, I will be sure to come to disaster; but in the work of God, we have what is completely reliable.

EB Is there one further element of encouragement when I have failed and broken down? - the light of the purpose of God. He knew all about me before ever He took me up. And it has been a comfort to me sometimes - perhaps it may be to others - that my failure does not break down the purpose that chose me in Christ, before the world’s foundations?

SMcC Well, no. That stands right through.

EB And the work of God would be in relation to that, would it not?

SMcC Well, exactly.

GRD Regarding chapter 23, there is a certain governmental side, “Although my house be not so before God.” Would you say a word as to that? David is still able to speak these words.

SMcC I think it is a great comfort to us, because which of us could elect ourselves out of that? He says, “Although my house be not so before God.” He was conscious that much had come into his house, that was contrary to the truth, but David was a man that stood for the truth, generally speaking, and basically speaking. He was a man that loved the truth, and God was with him.

CSK Would you say that following the exercises you have been calling attention to in Romans 7, there is the maintenance of that in Galatians, an exhortation to stand fast in the freedom that we have? Legality might come into our lives.

SMcC Well, exactly. There is nothing robs us more, nothing robs the young people more, of joy in the Holy Spirit, than legality. We should shun it and judge it thoroughly in our souls. That does not mean to say that we are going to go on with looseness, and with the world. What will produce a hatred and right judgment of the world in all its features, is the truth of the heavenly calling enjoyed and apprehended in our souls.

MB Would you say then that in verse 3 here, the secret of David was that he had the light of Christ in his soul? “The ruler among men shall be just.”

SMcC That is right. He has an abstract view of the administration. Whatever may have come in to the Book of Samuel in connection with the house of Saul, or Abner, or Joab, or in connection with David himself, David emerges with a clear view as to what God’s thoughts were as to himself, and as to God’s king, and divine administration.