2 Samuel 23:1

“Now these [be] the last words of David, etc.] Which refer not to the psalm in the preceding chapter, but to what follows; not the last words he spoke, for he said many things afterwards; for the advice he gave to Solomon, and the instructions to him about building the temple, were delivered after this time; but these were the last after he had finished the book of Psalms; or the last that he spoke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, or that he delivered out by way of prophecy; though the Jews f373 will not allow him to speak by the spirit of prophecy; they own he spoke by the Holy Spirit, which they distinguish from prophecy; but the Targum calls these words a prophecy, and takes them…”

“DAVID NUMBERS THE PEOPLE. (Sa2 24:1-9) again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah--"Again" carries us back to the former tokens of His wrath in the three years' famine [Sa2 21:1]. God, though He cannot tempt any man (Jam 1:13), is frequently described in Scripture as doing what He merely permits to be done; and so, in this case, He permitted Satan to tempt David. Satan was the active mover, while God only withdrew His supporting grace, and the great tempter prevailed against the king. (See Exo 7:13; Sa1 26:19; Sa2 16:10; Psa 105:25; Isa 7:17, &c.). The order was given to Joab, who, though not generally…”

“The last words of David - i. e., his last Psalm, his last “words of song” 2 Samuel 22:1. The insertion of this Psalm, which is not in the Book of Psalms, was probably suggested by the insertion of the long Psalm in 2 Samuel 22:0. David the son of Jesse said ... - The original word for “said” is used between 200 and 300 times in the phrase, “saith the Lord,” designating the word of God in the mouth of the prophet. It is only applied to the words of a man here, and in the strikingly similar passage Numbers 24:3-4, Numbers 24:15-16, and in Proverbs 30:1; and in all these places the words spoken are inspired words. The description of David is divided into four clauses, which correspond to and…”

“Last words - Not simply the last that he spoke, but the last which he spake by the spirit of God, assisting and directing him in an extraordinary manner. When we find death approaching, we should endeavour both to honour God, and to profit others with our last words. Let those who have had experience of God's goodness, and the pleasantness of the ways of wisdom, when they come to finish their course, leave a record of those experiences, and bear their testimony to the truth of the promise. Raised - Advanced from an obscure estate, to the kingdom. Whom, God singled out from all the families of Israel, and anointed to be king. Psalmist - He who was eminent among the people of God, for…”

“23:1-7 This passage comes from the end of David’s career and reflects on his experience as king, even as ch 22 reflects on his experience before becoming king. 23:1 David’s last words were not necessarily the last words he actually spoke (see 1 Kgs 1:16, 29-30, 33-35; 2:1-9) but his final public expression of worship to God as king (cp. 1 Sam 12:1-25). • David . . . speaks: The language indicates that he was about to utter an oracle, a revelation from God (2 Sam 23:2). • the sweet psalmist of Israel: For other references to David as musician and poet, see 1 Chr 23:5; 2 Chr 29:26, 27; Neh 12:36; Amos 6:5.”

“am 2989, bc 1015, An, Ex, Is, 476 the last: Gen 49:1; Deu 33:1; Josh. 23:1-24:32; Psa 72:20; Pe2 1:13-15 raised: Sa2 7:8, Sa2 7:9; Psa 78:70 the anointed: Sa1 2:10, Sa1 16:12, Sa1 16:13; Psa 2:6, Psa 89:20 sweet psalmist: Ch1 16:4, Ch1 16:5, Ch1 16:7, Ch1 16:9; Amo 6:5; Luk 20:42, Luk 24:44; Eph 5:19, Eph 5:20; Col 3:16; Jam 5:13 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 23:2”

“The psalm of thanksgiving, in which David praised the Lord for all the deliverances and benefits that he had experienced throughout the whole of his life, is followed by the prophetic will and testament of the great king, unfolding the importance of his rule in relation to the sacred history of the future. And whilst the psalm may be regarded (2 Samuel 22) as a great hallelujah, with which David passed away from the stage of life, these "last words" contain the divine seal of all that he has sung and prophesied in several psalms concerning the eternal dominion of his seed, on the strength of the divine promise which he received through the prophet Nathan, that his throne should be…”