David’s Last Will & Testament
2 Samuel 22:26-34
August 17, 2025 anno Domini
King David is nearing death. He will soon be gathered by the angels and brought into the presence of the Lord. The words of the text are among the last recorded words of David. They are part of his last will and testament to the people of his kingdom, God’s Old Testament children – the Hebrews.
If you’re hearing someone’s last will and testament, you’d better be all ears. It’s the last words you will hear from that person and usually proves very valuable. All the more when that last will and testament is important enough for the Holy Spirit to include in Scripture.
Think of Jesus last will and testament – On the night He was betrayed He passed a cup of wine among his men and said, “This cup is the New Testament in My blood which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.” Think of what Jesus gives you in His will. He gives you with the wine His living and resurrected blood. That blood forgives your sins. That blood gives you the life and resurrection of Jesus. There is nothing you need more so Jesus says, “Do this often.” We shouldn’t be surprised that Christians are divided over what the Lord’s Supper is and what it does. Satan has got us kids squabbling over the inheritance, because it is of such great value.
Back to David. What is interesting about these last words of David is that this isn’t the first time he spoke them. 2 Samuel 22 is Psalm 18. David spoke Psalm 18 40 years earlier, when the Lord delivered him from the hand of Saul.
Saul was the first King of Israel, but because of his sins, the Lord took away the Kingdom from him and gave it to David. Before David took the actual kingship Saul became increasingly paranoid and tried to take David’s life. David went into hiding and had a couple of opportunities to take Saul’s life but he wouldn’t do it – Saul was the Lord’s anointed. At this time David was gaining victory after victory and Saul was losing one thing after another, until finally in a battle with the Philistines, Saul and his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua were all killed.
That context might help you understand when David says to the Lord, “for by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God – his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” He escaped the spear of Saul and the armies sent to kill him. He defeated the Amalekites and the Philistines and for a while, the conquest of the Holy Land was complete. God’s enemies were defeated. David praises God because God is raising him above his enemies and giving him strength and victory.
But now in 2 Samuel 22, David’s life on earth is drawing to a close. And how did his life go? Today’s appointed Psalm reminds us of how far David fell from godliness. Psalm 51 was written after the prophet Nathan visited David. It wasn’t a friendly visit. David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, got her pregnant, murdered her husband Uriah, and married Bathsheba to cover his sin. The last person you want to see right after you’ve committed adultery, murdered your neighbor, and thought you pulled it off is your pastor.
Nathan got right to the point, telling David a story about a wicked, rich man who stole and killed his neighbor’s little lamb. David thought this was just a report about an injustice in the Kingdom. He was angry to the point of demanding the rich man’s life. And then Nathan nails him, “you are the man.” You’ve gotta love Nathan as a preacher, unless you’re a David, and you are.
David repented. He was forgiven by God through Nathan, freely and fully, but David suffered for his sins throughout his life. He had destroyed another man’s family and now his family experienced the same. The son that Bathsheba carried died shortly after birth. David’s son Amnon raped his sister Tamar. Another son Absalom murdered Amnon. Then Absalom conspired to kill David and become king. Later Absalom is killed in a battle with David’s men. And shortly after the words of the text David sinned greatly again against the Lord and 70,000 men died because of it.
David’s Words give us a lesson in Christian living, a reminder of what, or better Who remains a constant throughout our lives. David speaks these words when the Lord is saving him, when the Lord is letting him suffer the consequence of his sins, and when he is dying.
The first point David makes in the text is that God will be who you want Him to be. That may sound strange. I’m not saying if you think God is a big Genie in the sky who should grant your every wish He will do it. Rather, He will treat you according to the condition of your heart, your soul. With the merciful He shows Himself merciful, with the blameless, He is blameless, with the purified He deals purely. You could say simply – if you are his child in Christ, He will be your Father. For only in Christ can you be merciful, blameless and pure. When you have experienced His mercy in Christ, you will see God to be more merciful than you’ve can imagine. When you believe your sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, when you’re blameless, you will never find anything to blame on God.
You might wonder how David can say he is blameless or pure? He, like you, can make that claim only in Christ. David believed in the coming Christ, a son who would sit on his throne forever, and by that faith David was shown mercy, counted blameless, washed pure.
The counter to all this is when David confesses “with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.” Many people think they can trick God, deceive Him. Maybe you think it’s okay to keep on committing your favorite sin because after all you’re forgiven. Or maybe you don’t believe what God says about wealth — how it belongs to Him and should be recognized as such by giving a good and sacrificial portion to the Lord in thanksgiving. If that’s your heart God, if you want to keep God at a distance, His mercy will be distant from you. He will be tortuous with you. He’ll let you feel His wrath. He’ll take things away that you trusted in. Instead of being merciful He’ll be fair and give you what you deserve. And when God is fair, that confounds people.
Secondly with these words, David rehearses all the good in his life and gives all credit to God. Think of how God saved David – allowing that one small stone to bring down the giant Goliath, giving David the speed and wisdom to flee the assassination attempts of Saul. David doesn’t confess David. He confesses the Lord – You are my lamp, O Lord, by you I can run against a troop, the word of the Lord proves true. This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless.
David confessed these Words over the joy of escaping Saul, but he also confessed them after 40 years of his sons dying, raping, murdering each other, and rebelling against him. And all of that was his fault, the consequence of his sin.
He kept the same Word of God, the same confession, the same prayer for His entire rule as King. He wrote it down as his last will and testament for you, to teach you what endures, what delivers, and what holds you even after you’ve sinned grievously, even when you suffer the consequences, even in death. And that what is a who. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? You know who remains, endures, forgives, and saves. His name is Jesus. Amen.