Jesse Tree: Day Thirteen - David

David's Harp. Source: Caffeinated Catholic Mama

1 Samuel 16:14-23

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

David Plays the Lyre for Saul

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is skilful in playing the lyre; and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skilful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence; and the Lord is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul, and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And whenever the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Commentary

The new descendant of David

16:14–23. This passage is a sort of separate episode about David’s reception at the court of Saul; but it also shows the decline of the old king and the vitality of the young David: the spirit of God has departed from Saul (v. 14) and a new spirit is troubling him (v. 16) which causes him to suffer chronic depression (v. 23; cf. 18:10). David, on the other hand, is a fine young man full of vitality (v. 18), able to raise the king’s spirits with his music (v. 21). The centre of the episode is the casual remark made by one of the courtiers: “The Lord is with him” (v. 18).

Source: The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries. Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

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