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2 Samuel 5 – Praying through the Bible #99 – A Prayer that Contrasts
Sometimes what’s not in the story is the real story. Today’s event is a repeat of a repeat of a repeat. Contrasting it to one where the theme is not repeated shows what’s missing is what’s important.
Once again “David inquired of the LORD” (2 Samuel 5.19). “Should I go to war against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” (5.19). Once again God says, “Go, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you” (5.20). David goes to Ball-perazim and defeats them then says, “Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me” (5.20). The enemy regroups. Once again, again, “David inquired of the LORD” (5.23). Once again, again, God answered, “When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the LORD will have marched out ahead of you to attack the camp of the Philistines” (5.24).
Almost continuously, David prays, inquires, and relies on God. Almost. “David inquired of the LORD” is the repeated theme and success is the repeated result (1 Sm 23.2,4; 30:8; 2 Sm 2.1; 5.19,23). One time David doesn’t pray before acting. Prayer makes the difference. Remove flour from a cake, and it falls flat. Remove coffee from your morning, and you fall flat. One story David’s inquiring of the Lord is missing. And the man after God’s own heart becomes a man whose heart is filled with vengeance.
In the wilderness, unasked, David protects Nabal’s property and men (1 Samuel 25). Then he sends a greeting informing Nabal of his good deed. In Hebrew, “greet” is the same as “inquire.” David says to Nabal “Ask your young men” for proof (25.8). “Ask” is the same word as “inquire” in Hebrew. David continues, “Please give whatever you can afford to your servants and to your son David” (25.8). There’s a lot of inquiring going on between men, but not to God. Nabal refuses. Abigail, his wife, later in the narrative will say to David, “pay no attention to this worthless man Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name is Nabal and stupidity is all he knows” (25.25). Because Mr. Stupid refuses, David acts stupidly: “All of you put on your swords!” (25.13). David, along with about 400 men, is about to commit murder. Abigail intercedes, using language reminiscent of David’s victory over Goliath with God’s help. “He will fling away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling. When the LORD does for my lord all the good He promised and appoints you ruler over Israel, there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge” (25.29-31). This placates David, “Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand” (25.33). What’s missing from this story is the real story. David does not inquire of the Lord. What follows is not success, but personal failure.
Prayer Challenge: It does not matter how often we pray. What matters is when we do not pray. Examine the mistakes in our lives to see how often they come from not praying. Can you see how important inquiring of the Lord is every time? Always inquire.
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