2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 (NRSV)
Read 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 5Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Look, we are your bone and flesh. Verse 2For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel." Verse 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. Verse 4David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. Verse 5At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. Verse 9David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inwards. Verse 10And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
Devotion
When national heroes or people of prominence are suddenly taken from us, we struggle to cope with it. That is what happened to David when his king, Saul, and his dear friend, Jonathan, were killed in a battle with the Philistines. David is said to have composed a dirge in which he invited the nation to participate.
We experienced it when President Kennedy was assassinated. We had a lament service at our church. We needed the community of faith to share in our grief. We also wanted to express our loss to God, and had one third of the Psalms as our model.
For some reason not known to us, David did not here call on the Lord for strength. He did use the occasion to eulogize Saul and Jonathan. May he not better have lamented to God with his people?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, protect our leaders from those who hate them. Comfort us as we again mourn our casualties of war. Amen.