Big Idea: The Lord enables his chosen servants to accomplish their God-given tasks by providing them with the support they need.

Understanding the Text

As noted above, in the concentric structure of the epilogue are two matching units (21:15–22 and 23:8–39) that focus on David’s mighty men. The epilogue reflects and summarizes David’s career as outlined in 1–2 Samuel. These units correspond to 2 Samuel 5–10, which describes David’s military victories. They also form a ring around the epilogue’s central poetic texts (22:1–51 and 23:1–7). In the first of these poems, David reflects on his career as Israel’s warrior king and acknowledges that the Lord is his protector (2 Sam. 22:2–3, 31, 47). Time after time the Lord rescues him from death (22:4–20) and vindicates him before his enemies (22…