The LORD With Us

After David was anointed king over Israel, the Holy Spirit came upon him and the Spirit departed from king Saul.  God sent a distressing, tormenting spirit to afflict king Saul and his advisors were discerning to know exactly what was happening.  Rather than urging Saul to repent of his pride and rejection of God, they suggested Saul find a man who could skillfully play soothing music on the harp when he was troubled.  Saul agreed with their advice and amazingly David was the candidate immediately suggested.

1 Samuel 16:18 states, "Then one of the servants answered and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valour, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him."  One could say David had a lot going for him:  he was a skillful musician, a brave and mighty champion, a fit soldier, well-spoken and good looking.  I expect most people would be happy for others to ascribe only one or two of these qualities to them and speak well of them to those in authority.  But the final flourish of David's description is the most important of all that we can overlook and undervalue:  "...and the LORD is with him."  All those other desirable qualities in David flowed on from God being with Him, his Creator Who fashioned him in the womb of his mother.

The LORD being with David meant he was always near the living God Who helps, strengthens and upholds His people like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Joshua.  By God being with him, David was assured of wisdom, provision, protection and guidance to successfully do what God called him to do and be all God created him to be.  God was with David whether he was shepherd over his father's flocks in a field or summoned to play the harp in the court of king Saul.  The power of God to deliver and save remained constant when he faced the Philistine champion on a field of battle or his own son Absalom who usurped the throne through political intrigue.

We find this immortal phrase used by Balaam when he looked at the camp of the Hebrews and blessed them in Numbers 23:21-23:  "He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a King is among them. ²² God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox. ²³ "For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'Oh, what God has done!'"  The LORD God was with Israel, and the shout of a king pointed to the Son of David, the Messiah Jesus Christ who would deliver people from their sins even as God saved people out of the iron furnace of Egypt.  No evil spirit, curse or weapon fashioned against God's people will prosper while God stands guard over our souls and delivers us from evil.  It is fitting the name of the Messiah and KING OF KINGS would be called Immanuel, for Jesus is God with us (Is. 7:14).

We may not be skilled musicians, mighty warriors, well-spoken or have dashing looks, but what the king's advisors said of David is true of us by faith in Jesus:  the LORD is with us.  Of all the blessings God provides His people, there is none greater than our LORD being with us.  All praise and thanks to God for His gracious and unspeakable gift, truly too wonderful for words!