“Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee.” Psalm 143:8
The life of David was a most remarkable one, especially in that it reveals a “working” knowledge of God, His ways, and His intervention in the life of an individual. That which is also very remarkable is the revelation of how simple, straightforward, and applicable are David’s experiences to our own.
We find David first mentioned in the book of First Samuel. This book was written approximately one thousand years before Christ. How is it that a man, though greatly blessed with may natural gifts and capacities, possess such a knowledge of God, a knowledge that is practically transmitted to us today? And is the key of David’s pursuit, grasp, and possession of such knowledge available to us today? In other words, can we live by the same principles, truths, and revelations of God, as David did? The answer lies in three things, the first being the unchanging nature, character, and person of God. The second is the revelation of God’s ways, as fresh and new as the Spirit is changeless. And thirdly, the anointing. God chose David to be His witness, leader, and commander to His people. But in order to fulfill his calling, there had to be the anointing with oil as king. The moment this occurred at the hands of Samuel, “…the Spirit of the Lord came upon David, from that day forward.” (1 Sam. 16:13) With the coming of the Spirit upon David that day, came also what is called the “key of David.” The Lord Jesus refers to this in the book of Revelation, where He declares the following: “These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth.” (3:7) Isaiah would speak of the same key, an authority and power, given by God. The “key” was accompanied by a promise, the same as in Revelation: “…so shall he open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” (22:22) The point is this. David became the man of God that he was, not only in that he accepted to follow Christ according to his calling, but also because of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of revelation in the knowledge of God, who first revealed the things of God to him, and then communicated to him the power and authority of God for the accomplishment of the will of God. How does this apply to us today, to the believer who has a different calling? To find out, we go to the psalms, David’s “songs” of testimony, and experience. It is there that we see how he lived, and how he came to know God in all the circumstances of his life.
In Psalm 143, we discover that David’s anointing drove him to pray, sometimes even crying unto the Lord. He writes: “Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness.” (v.1) Here is a man who believes that the eternal God answers prayer, his personal prayer. HIs praying is with supplications, the earnest outpouring of his heart to God. The answers that he is waiting for are based upon certain truths that he knows about God, the first being “faithfulness.” David believes that if he is right before God, God is “faithful,” or certain to respond to his prayer. The second thing is God’s righteousness. David believes that God will answer because it is a right thing to have mercy on him, for David has nothing, is nothing, and can do nothing, except God intervene in his helplessness. God will rightly help the helpless.
Throughout David’s writings, he consistently speaks of God teaching him, and here, “…to do Thy will.” Again, what is the basis for being heard and answered? He answers the question: “…for Thou art my God.” (v.10) The anointing Spirit will certainly teach and lead David.
Dear Father, In Thy goodness, faithfulness, and righteousness, teach and lead us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.