The Bible Study Podcast, episode 543. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the kings of Israel and Judah with Second Samuel 23.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. Today we have a chapter, the second to the last chapter in Second Samuel, and it's called David's last words. These are the last words of David, the inspired utterance of David's son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the most high, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel's songs.

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me. His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke the rock of Israel said to me, when one rules over the people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God. He is like the light of morning

at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.

If my house were not right with God, surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured

in every part. Surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire.

But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.

Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron

or a shaft of a spear.

They are burned up where they lie.

These are interesting last words.

I didn't find that as I read these,

I thought, oh my gosh, I'm so glad he said these.

Some parts of it are a little harder to understand.

And so the basic thing he says here in this first part here is he says,

God told me that the one who rules over me and righteous,

the one who rules over the people in righteousness,

when he rules in fear of God, it's good.

Like a light of morning and sunrise on a cloudless morning,

like the brightness after the rain that brings grass from the earth. It means it's good. It a light of morning at sunrise and a cloudless morning, like the brightness after the rain that brings grass from the earth,

it means it's good.

It's beneficial.

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