David the Musician – 1 Samuel 16:14-23

Review: David the Shepherd – 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Last week we encountered young David, a shepherd boy, overlooked even by his father. David didn’t let his circumstances or other’s low opinions of him define him, rather his faith in God defined him. His circumstances, his work, was used by God to cultivate a heart of faith and prepare him for God’s future plan for him.

Music

Music has power. God created music to help instill an appreciation and communication of the good, the beautiful and the true. It’s a device that was intended to aid our desire and longing to worship our Creator. 

Like poetry, music can give a voice to our emotions. It can express our vulnerabilities, it can drive our anger, it can lift us out of our sorrow. It fills the gaps and brings meaning to the silence. Have you ever seen a movie clip without the music score? It is painfully awkward to watch. But you add the music and it becomes powerful.

We all appreciate music, although we may not all agree on the style of it. It is good to remember that music alone, is amoral, meaning that the music style isn’t good or evil on it’s own. It is the use and the lyrics that will determine the morality of the music. Some appreciate quiet, contemplative music. Others like a heavy, harder beat. 

I personally can read and studied to Chopan, The Gray Havens, the band RED, and Andy Mineo this week alone. Maybe some praise and worship music in there too. I’ve also noticed that I can listen rap, contemporary, heavy metal and drive just fine, but if I’m singing along to praise and worship while driving, I tend to speed more (that was actually what was happening the last time I got a speeding ticket – which was over a decade ago lol). 

What is your favorite music? What is your go to song? Maybe you have several songs that come to mind. What song do you listen to when you are sad? Mad? Happy? Depressed? 

Songs matter and speak to us. Have you ever stopped to think about the power your music choices have over you? Examine the lyrics of the songs, are they consistent with God's Word? Do they fit with the Philippians 4:8 grid? 

Perhaps a song that has endured the longest and maintains a level of popularity some 3,000 years later is Psalm 23. A song of Kind David about The Shepherd from the perspective of a sheep. 

Last week we talked about David the shepherd boy. It was a defining season of his life. It was hard work that would take him days away from friends and family. It was a job that was often looked down upon, although David saw the importance of what he did. It was job that David used to cultivate a heart for God and worship of God in his daily task. In that way, David continues to be an example to us of how to live our daily lives at school or work for the glory of God. 

This week we will be looking at 1 Samuel 16:14-23, where David is called by King Saul to play his instrument to calm his mood. Again, we see the power of music to move the temperament and attitude of the king. 

King Saul didn’t know at this time that God had chosen David as his replacement, later in the story Saul will try to kill David, but for now he doesn’t see David as a threat. In verse 13, David was anointed by God, or we could say blessed by God. The Spirit of the Lord came upon David, but what does it say about Saul?

In verse 14, it says the Spirit of the Lord left Saul. We could say that God’s blessing and approval of Saul was removed. God’s anointing being lifted doesn’t mean that nothing good ever happened to Saul again, for we see that he was blessed and encouraged by music. But it does indicate that his time as king was coming to an end and that the empowerment of the Spirit had departed. 

David, receiving the blessing of the Lord, meaning the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, found himself catapulted from the shepherd’s fields to the king’s court in an instance. How? Why?

David may have had the day job of being a shepherd, but he also became a singer/songwriter in his spare time. It is easy to consider the times he was off in a distant field with his sheep, his lyre (as stringed instrument) and his rhymes, sing old songs and writing new songs. 

At some point, others began to hear and notice his gifting with the instrument. We don’t know if David played in the local synagogues or competed in a battle of the bands, but somehow (we actually know it was God’s plan) he was noticed by someone close to the king. 

King Saul was being plagued by “a harmful spirit from God” and wanted some soothing music to help him. What is meant by “a harmful spirit from God”? Does that mean that God sent a demon to attack Saul? I suppose you could define it as that, but I think a better interpretation is understanding the effects of sin and the consequences of guilt and shame on a person’s life. 

Saul disobeyed God and therefore lost the kingdom. His disobedience, rebellion, sin against God severed his fellowship with God. Sin disrupts our peace. Sin corrupts our mind and our thoughts. It robs us of harmony with our Creator. 

When the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, His intent is to draw us to repentance and dependence on God. When our own shame and guilt bring conviction, it puts us down and pushes us away from God. Genuine conviction of the Spirit will draw you closer to God, unrepentance will drive you away. 

Saul didn’t want to feel guilty or shameful in his disobedience. Remember, “power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton). Saul was king, he could do what he wants, or so he thought.

Rather than doing business with God, humbling himself and repenting of his sins, where he would find peace with God. Saul wants to mask his pain. He brings David the musician who will play beautiful music to fill the void so he isn’t left with his own thoughts of condemnation.

Sometimes it is good to use music as a distraction to our endless thoughts. If we get into a pattern of negative thoughts, it is good to find something to disrupt the patterns. However, sometimes we are afraid of our thoughts and avoid silence so that we won’t have to deal with them. Saul didn’t want to deal with them so he brought in David. 

We might put ear buds in, watch Netflix or listen to music until we fall asleep because we are afraid of thoughts in the silence. This practice often leads to disrupted sleep and tiredness, which compounds our thought problems. 

Remember Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

When our thoughts are condemning us, we need to remind ourselves of the finished work of Christ and the freedom He has purchased on our behalf. Allow the Spirit of God to bring out the lies, the guilt and the shame you are holding onto so that He can draw you closer to the heart of God. It might sound like a scary process, but the judgment of God was poured out on Jesus on the cross, He won’t pour it out on you if you are in Christ. 

David, knowing God has called him to be king, went into king Saul’s service and performed his best for him. King Saul loved and appreciated David. And David became a refreshment to Saul.

David trusted God’s timing and didn’t try to take things into his own hand. Instead, he looked at every opportunity as a gift from God that he could use to benefit others. Here, he allowed the gifts and talents God gave him to be a blessing to the king. 

What talents and gifts has God given you? What song has God placed in your heart to be a blessing to others? 

You may not be a musician, I am not one, but that doesn’t prevent you from being used by God to bless others. In everything you do, do as unto the Lord, for you never know when God may call you into the kings court to be a calming presence and refreshment to others.