Topical Bible: Psalms of David: At the Close of his Reign

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The Psalms attributed to David at the close of his reign reflect a period of reflection, thanksgiving, and prophetic insight. These psalms capture the heart of a king who has experienced the full spectrum of human emotion and divine interaction. As David nears the end of his life, his psalms reveal a deep reliance on God, a recognition of God's sovereignty, and a prophetic vision of the future.

Psalm 18: A Song of Deliverance

Psalm 18 is a song of deliverance and thanksgiving, attributed to David when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. This psalm is a powerful testimony of God's protection and faithfulness. David begins by declaring his love for the LORD, his strength: "I love You, O LORD, my strength" (Psalm 18:1). He recounts how God has been his rock, fortress, and deliverer, emphasizing the LORD's role as a shield and stronghold.

David vividly describes the LORD's intervention in his life, using imagery of a mighty storm and earthquake to depict God's power. He acknowledges that his deliverance is due to his righteousness and the purity of his hands, as God rewards those who are faithful to Him. The psalm concludes with David praising God for His unfailing kindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.

Psalm 23: The LORD is My Shepherd

Psalm 23 is perhaps the most well-known and beloved of David's psalms. It presents the LORD as a shepherd who provides, guides, and protects His flock. David, reflecting on his own experience as a shepherd, uses this metaphor to express his trust in God's provision and care: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1).

This psalm speaks to the peace and security found in God's presence, even in the face of danger: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me" (Psalm 23:4). The imagery of a prepared table and an overflowing cup signifies abundance and blessing. David concludes with a confident declaration of God's goodness and mercy following him all the days of his life, and his eternal dwelling in the house of the LORD.

Psalm 24: The King of Glory

Psalm 24 is a psalm of worship and celebration, often associated with the entrance of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. It begins with a declaration of God's sovereignty over the earth: "The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). David emphasizes the holiness required to stand in God's presence, highlighting the need for clean hands and a pure heart.

The latter part of the psalm is a triumphant call to welcome the King of Glory. The repeated question, "Who is this King of Glory?" is answered with the proclamation of the LORD as strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. This psalm not only celebrates God's kingship but also foreshadows the coming of the Messiah, the ultimate King of Glory.

Psalm 72: A Prayer for the King

Psalm 72 is a royal psalm attributed to Solomon but traditionally linked to David's prayers for his son and successor. It reflects David's hopes for a righteous and prosperous reign for Solomon, characterized by justice and peace. The psalm begins with a plea for God to endow the king with His justice and righteousness: "Endow the king with Your justice, O God, and the son of the king with Your righteousness" (Psalm 72:1).

David envisions a reign where the king defends the afflicted, saves the children of the needy, and crushes the oppressor. The psalm speaks of a time of abundance and prosperity, with the righteous flourishing and peace abounding. It concludes with a doxology, praising God for His glorious deeds and expressing a desire for His glory to fill the whole earth.

Psalm 145: A Psalm of Praise

Psalm 145 is a psalm of praise, attributed to David, celebrating God's greatness, compassion, and faithfulness. It is an acrostic poem, with each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. David extols the LORD's greatness, declaring that His greatness is unsearchable: "Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3).

The psalm emphasizes God's gracious and compassionate nature, slow to anger and rich in love. David highlights God's faithfulness in upholding those who fall and providing for all creation. The psalm concludes with a call for all flesh to bless God's holy name forever and ever, reflecting David's enduring commitment to worship and praise.

These psalms, composed at the close of David's reign, offer a profound insight into the heart of a man after God's own heart. They reveal a legacy of faith, worship, and prophetic vision that continues to inspire and guide believers today.

Nave's Topical Index

2 Samuel 23:2-7
The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and his word was in my tongue.
Nave's Topical Index

1 Chronicles 29:10-19
Why David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be you, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Introduction.
... to prefix a few further remarks on the Davidic psalms in general. Can we tell which
are David's? ... These five books are marked by a doxology at the close of each ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/i introduction.htm

Every Inch a King.
... The city was Jerusalem, and the stronghold was Zion, and close by Zion was the mount
to which Abraham had once gone to ... We call them the Psalms of David. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxiii every inch a.htm

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
... 9:2. The consecration of the Psalms of David ... to the sanctuary-service afterwards
added by David; and that ... the Old Testament absolutely and formally to a close. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xv formation and history.htm

The Waves of Time
... know what we ought to do, to keep our hearts in close union with ... the essential part
of it, is employed in one of the Psalms ascribed to David, with a ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the waves of time.htm

David's Prohibited Desire and Permitted Service
... It occurs in many of the psalms attributed to him ... The sense of a close, personal
relation to God naturally ... The reason for the frustrating of David's desire, as ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture g/davids prohibited desire and permitted.htm

Early Days
... sin in one's own heart, the assurance of close relation to ... all this is what we should
expect David to have ... alone with God; and this is what these psalms give us ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/ii early days.htm

The King.
... 5.viii.), and are all abundantly illustrated by the psalms. ... would throw it onwards
to the very close of his ... of the psalm among the records of David's last days ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/ix the king.htm

The King --Continued.
... found so frequently in the previous psalms (vers.17-24 ... former there shine out not
only David's habitual consciousness ... beginning are in part echoed in the close. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/x the kingcontinued.htm

The Songs of the Fugitive.
... too, with solemn warnings to the rebels, close this psalm ... years of rule that remained
to David after his ... psalter does not appear to contain psalms which throw ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/xv the songs of the.htm

Psalms
... as a doxology to that psalm only, and not to indicate the close of the ... Psalms of
Ascent or Pilgrim psalms (cxx.-cxxxiv.), the Psalms of David, Psalms of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/psalms.htm