The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 560

troasury of precious Christian truth. He who writes a good hymn blesses tho gcnera.tions to COmti, • IV, THE UNKNOWN WORK OF THE HoLY SPIRIT. When David said," The Spirit of the Lord spake by me/' he seemed to speak of what was a. familiar truth. He "·as no strangor to such Divine help, as our Lord's testimony to the Pea.Ima indicates (cf. P~. H. 11). Yet if we confi11e our attention to the bare historic record of his life, wo find scarcely any distinct reference to his consciousness of the direct aid of the Holy l;!pirit. For aught we can see in distinct words, there was none. His holy influencs hue no full rocord. 'l'hus the most important spiritual element in D11Vid'e spiritual life was to onlookers unk-nowil. There are two aspects of this fact in our Christian life. l. We do not know the great e-:,;tent to which we are indebted to the Holy /:Ipirit for our perseverance, our higbest thoughts, our purest feelings, and general growth in excellencE:. 2. '1.he non-Uhristian world does not know the great work which the llol,y Spirit achieves in Christian lives. "The world knoweth him not" (John xiv.17). It becomes us to remember what we owe to him, and bow incessant bis action, though men live as though he were not. Religion is at a. low ebb whenever the work of tbe Holy Spirit is forgotten. V. THE MODEL RULER. In his closing days David remembered that he bad been raised on high to be a ruler over Israel; and doubtless, in reviewing the past, he was humbled in observing the instance!! in which he bad failed to be as a man after God's own he~rt. But in the assurance of forgiveness he could now reflect on the ideal which had ever stoQd before him, and for the instruction of others he indicates bis hope of the ideal being approximately realized· in his immediate successor, and his faith that in the coming Christ it would be perfectly realized. The two element.9 of the ideal ruler are ;"ustice and the fear of ·God. These qualities being in full exercise, all things will be done for the good of man .and the glory of God. Human obligations-morality on the huma~ side-must be combined with religious feeling-supreme regard in everything j;o· th!l Divine will. The effect of such ruling on saints is (1) what the bright light of morning is on the earth, i.e, it is conducive to safety, cheeriulness, full development of activities, and extended knowledge a.nd usefulness; (2) what the abundance of rich verdure is in a tropical climate, i.e. it is wealth, beauty, restfulness, contrast. The history of .civil and ecclesiastical communities illustrates the truth of this. There are /:;onditions of pro$perity which can ouly be fulfilled by the ruled, but here we have to do with the natural tendency of the just and godly ruling. The ruler may be king, pr4;!sident, parent; or pastor, and wherever the staudard of ruling is high, so in propor- ti,m will these effects follow. Bad as the subjects ruled may be, the model ruler will to some extent secure for them these bles9ings. The most perfect illustration of the truth is .to be found in Christ. He rules justly, and in harmony with the mind of the Eternal. An examination of the principles of bis kingdom, its discipline and spirit, will show. that it is perfectly equitable and i11 an expression of the Divine mind. 'l'he effects that flow from it in proportion as it is submitted. to, are exactly those here set furth. Heaven and earth testify (Ps. l:x::x:ii.). • VI. THE ORDERED COVENANT. Through Samuel and Nathan (1 Sam.xv. 28; eh. vii. 12-1 ~), God had declared his promise to David, and David on his part had solemnly recoguized the goodness of uod, and virtually pledged himself to fulfil his side of the sacred cng11gement (eh. vii. 24-29). Throughout his singular life, amidst all his frailties, he. had found God gracious and merciful. Though manifold dangers bad arisen ,which seemed at one time to frustrate the promise and hand over his kingdom to anarchy and bis family to disgrace, Divine wisdom had so ordered all things that now, at the close of life, the throne is firm and succession is sure and promising. His mind evidently ponders a threefold covenant : l. Personal. 'l'bis God was his God, and he could say,'' l am thine" (Ps. ex.ix. 94; cf. lxi. 5). 2. Official. He had been chosen to be king, and God had guaranteed tQ him all needful help and blessing. 3. Me~i,anic. The private and official covenant was to him a type of that wider and more blessed covenant of grace which is exemplified in the working out of the redemptive purpose in Christ (Ps. ii. ; of. Isa. !iii. 10-12). In respect to each of these the characteristics " ever- lasting," "ordered in all things," and "sure," were most precious to David's heart. 'l'he covenant made with us in Christ is thus most blessed. It is a covenant of pure wercy, origioatod by God, designe'l to elevate us to highest dignity, sustained in its develop- Fii6 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [on. XXIII. 1-39.