From: June 4, 2026
“Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne…” (Acts 2:30 ESV).
When Peter preached to the crowd on the Day of Pentecost, he explained that David’s words in the Psalms pointed beyond himself to the coming Messiah. Peter declared that David was not only Israel’s king but also a prophet who spoke by divine inspiration about the resurrection and reign of Christ. This truth connects well with today’s Old Testament reading. In 2 Samuel 23:2, David’s final words began with the declaration, “The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.” David understood that God was speaking through him. While he did not hold the formal office of prophet like Samuel or Nathan, the Holy Spirit inspired his words concerning God’s covenant promises and the coming King. Peter recognized that David’s psalms contained prophetic revelation about Jesus. Therefore, Acts 2:30 affirmed what David himself confessed in 2 Samuel 23:2: God used him as a prophet to proclaim truth about the Messiah.
We often think of David only as a shepherd, warrior, and king. Yet Scripture reveals that God also used him as a prophet. This reminds us that God can work through His servants in multiple ways to accomplish His purposes. It also encourages us to read the Psalms with Christ in view. David’s songs were not merely expressions of personal worship. Many contained Spirit-inspired glimpses of the Savior who would come from his lineage. As we study God’s Word, we should look for how all Scripture points to Jesus. The more we recognize God’s prophetic plan unfolding through history, the more confidence we gain in His promises.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for speaking through David by the inspiration of Your Spirit. Thank You for revealing Your plan of salvation through the prophets and ultimately through Your Son. Help us read Your Word with understanding and faith. Open our eyes to see Christ throughout the Scriptures and strengthen our confidence in every promise You have made. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: June 4, 2025
“The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2 ESV).
David’s last words began with the assertion that the Spirit of the Lord had spoken by him. He had an awareness that the multitude of psalms he had written were really from God. They were not merely the “fruit of his genius” (Gill), but by the inspiration of the Spirit of God.
This is called internal evidence. Internal evidence is one of the considerations for answering the question, “Is the Bible God’s word?” For internal evidence describes what the Bible claims for itself. Studying the Bible’s internal claims, one might begin by considering what the writer thought of his own writings and also what other Bible authors thought of those writings.
Here in 2 Samuel 23:2, David clearly claimed to have written by God’s Spirit. Then as to what others thought of his writings? David’s words are the most quoted by other writers of Scripture than any other prophet. “Prophet?” You ask. Yes, David was a prophet. For that is exactly what Peter called him in his sermon on Pentecost (See Acts 2:30 in our OYB reading today).
Why does this matter? It matters because the authority of the Bible matters. If it’s merely the words of men, we are all adrift. But if it is the Word of God as it claims, then we have a sure anchor for our souls.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we trust Your written word. For we believe that You have spoken to us through the prophets and most fully through Your Son, Jesus. We have a sure Word from You and we do not doubt it. We love Your Word. It is as food to our souls. Give us this day our daily bread, O Lord, as we read and study Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: June 4, 2024
“And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47 ESV).
The first-century church was marked by explosive growth. Around 3,000 became believers after Peter’s preaching on the day of Pentecost and after that the Lord continued to add to their number every day. According to the book of Acts, the early church was also marked by its devotion to “to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). This Spirit-filled devotion meant that they were steadfastly attentive to and continually focused on being the church, which is the body of Jesus Christ of which he is the Head. As they were committed to being the Church, the Lord was busy building the Church.
For the Lord Jesus never called believers to build his church. Indeed, after Peter rightly confessed him as the Christ, Jesus declared, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:17-18).
So let us devote ourselves on bearing witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Let us lift up the name of Jesus in every area of our lives. For as Jesus said, “If I am lifted up, I will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32). In other words, if we will BE the church, Christ will BUILD the church!
PRAYER: Dear Father, we devote ourselves afresh to You and to the fellowship, which is the body of Jesus, the Church. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we might be empowered to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. Enable us to BE the church as You BUILD the church. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: June 4, 2023
‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD”’ (Psalm 122:1 NLT).
This is one of David’s fifteen “Psalms of Ascent,” written to be sung while climbing up to the Temple Mount. It begins by expressing David’s gladness at the invitation to go up to the house of the Lord. Such joy for corporate worship should be on every believer’s heart in anticipation of its perfection in heaven. Yet, David’s gladness was not only in anticipation of his worship destination, but also for the worshiping congregation that would join together with him in praising God along the way.
This invitation is still being offered today, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!” Yet many refuse. The admonition from Hebrews seems more relevant today than ever before: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Heb. 10:25).
Will you answer the Spirit’s invitation to worship together? Will you join the happy throng?
PRAYER: Dear Father, so many things compete for our time today that we forget to make worshiping together a priority. And in so doing, we weaken ourselves and our churches and we deny ourselves much joy. Forgive us. Stir in us the desire for worshiping You together with Your family. Strengthen us with Your joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: June 4, 2017
One of David’s fifteen “Psalms of Ascent,” to be sung while climbing the steps up to the Temple Mount. It begins by expressing David’s “gladness” at the invitation to go up to the house of the Lord. Such joy for corporate worship should be on every believer’s heart in anticipation of its perfection in heaven. Yet, David’s gladness was not only in anticipation of his worship destination, but also for the worshiping congregation that would join together with him in praising God along the way.
This same invitation is still being offered today, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!” Will you join the happy throng?
From: June 4, 2016
This psalm, which is not included in the Book of Psalms, but only found in 2 Samuel, begins with the prescript, “the last words of David.” In verse two, he states his awareness that the Holy Spirit “speaks” through him. David, at the end of his life, looked back on all that God had done for him, and gave God praise that He had chosen him as a Divine mouthpiece. David praised God that his psalms were inspired by God’s Spirit. David listed many things that he was thankful for as he reflected back on his life, yet chief among them was that God had “raised him up” and “anointed” him as “the sweet psalmist of Israel.” Oh, to have a life known for speaking God’s Word and for one’s final words to be Spirit inspired.