Monday, July 8 – Psalms 104, 1 Chronicles 11 – Additional Commentary, Patriarchs and Prophets, Chapter 69, “David Called to the Throne”

How did Joab become the chief of Israel’s army?  1 Chronicles 11:6

Commentary and Reflection:

“As Ps. 103, its companion psalm, celebrates God’s wonders in His compassion and tenderness, so Ps. 104 celebrates God’s wonders in creation. Similar to Ps. 103 in exuberance, Ps. 104 is the song of the poet’s spontaneous delight in the works of God’s creation. In the language and manner of the poet, not of the scientist, the psalm discusses the works of creation, always discerning in creation her Creator. The psalm is remarkable for the movement and vividness of the images that crowd into the picture of creation. In this respect it is probably unsurpassed in literature. Someone has said that it would be worth studying Hebrew for ten years if as a result of that study the student could read this psalm in the original.” SDABC, Introduction to Psalm 104

Leviathan, “A transliteration of the Heb. liwyathan. Liwyathan is also translated “their mourning” (see on eh. 3:8; see also Ps. 74:14; Ps. 104:26; Isa. 27:1). The creature is represented as wild, fierce, and ungovernable, having a mouth of large size and armed with a formidable array of teeth. The body is covered with scales set near together, like a coat of mail. Whether Job is here describing the crocodile, as many commentators think, or some monster now extinct, cannot be established.” SDABC, Job 41:1

The account in 1 Chronicles 11:1-9 about David’s ascension to the unified throne of Israel is repeated in 2 Samuel 5:1-10. In due course, the other tribes of Israel recognized Samuel’s prophetic anointing of David and came to Hebron to ask him to reign over them as well.

The Jebusites had coexisted with the children of Israel for centuries in their capital, Jebus. David finally took it at the beginning of his unified reign and made it the capital city. Located on Mount Zion, Jerusalem is also known as Zion, the City of David, and the City of God.

David was obedient to God and upright in his dealings with the house of Saul. The account says, “David grew stronger and stronger, for the LORD of hosts was with him.” 

May the same be said of you. May God bless you.