Psalm 51:4 “Against You, You only, I have sinned.” Observation: David’s adultery with Bathsheba had resulted in her pregnancy (see 2 Samuel 11, 12). To cover his sin, David called her husband Uriah from the battlefield for a home visit, hoping it would deflect from...

2 Samuel 10:3 “The Ammonite nobles said to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy?’” (NIV). Observation: Hanun had succeeded his deceased father as Ammonite king. In an act of kindness, David sent an...

Matthew 20:13 “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?’” (NIV). Observation: This verse is found within the familiar story of workers hired to labor in a vineyard. Some had been hired early in the...

Psalm 106:4–5 “Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise” (NIV). Observation:...

1 Chronicles 15:19–20 “The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the lyres … and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to...

 1 Chronicles 13:12 “David was afraid of God that day and asked, ‘How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?’” (NIV). Observation: Through twenty years of Saul’s reign, the ark had resided in Kiriath Jearim while Saul turned his back on the God of Israel. In one of...

2 Samuel 5:24 “As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army” (NIV). Observation: Word of David’s anointing as king had reached the...

Matthew 14:1–2 “At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, ‘This is John the Baptist, he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him’” (NIV). Observation: Jesus had been teaching...

2 Samuel 1:8 “He [Saul] asked me, ‘Who are you?’ ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered” (NIV). Observation: David had just returned from a victorious fight against Amalekites who had overrun his city of refuge and kidnapped the loved ones of David and his men. Three days later,...

1 Samuel 31:10 “They put his armor in the temple of the Astoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan” (NIV). Observation: I see here the fruit of flesh at work. The Philistine army had conquered Israel and killed three of Saul’s sons. Saul himself had...