Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Samuel 23

The son of Jesse said. — The description of the human author of the following prophecy is strikingly analogous to that of Balaam in Numbers 24:3-4 and Numbers 24:15-16. The word “said,” used twice, is a peculiar form (used between two hundred and three hundred times) of direct Divine utterances, and is applied to human sayings only here, in the places referred to in Numbers, and in Proverbs 30:1, in all of which a special claim is made to inspiration.

The sweet psalmist of Israel. — Literally, He that is pleasant in Israel’s psalms, that is, by the composition and arrangement of Israel’s liturgical songs he was entitled to be called “pleasant.” David, with his life now closing, fittingly passes down this prophetic song to posterity with such a description of its human writer as would secure its authority.

The Spirit of the Lord spake by me. — In accordance with 2 Samuel 23:1, there is here, and also in the next clause, a most explicit assertion that this was spoken under the prompting and guidance of the Divine Spirit.

The Rock of Israel. —Compare to 2 Samuel 22:3. A frequent Scriptural comparison, appropriate here, to show the perfect reliability of what God declares.

He that ruleth. —The English gives the true sense, but the original is exceedingly elliptical, both here and in the following verse. The fundamental point of all just government has never been more perfectly set forth: that it must be in the fear of God.

A morning without clouds. —This description of the blessings of the ideally perfect government is closely connected with the Divine promise made through Nathan (2 Samuel 7:0). David recognizes that the ruler of God’s people must be just, and here, as in Psalms 72:0, the highest blessings are depicted as flowing from such a government.

David knew far too much of the evil of his own heart and of the troubles in his household to suppose that his ideal could be perfectly realized in any other of his descendants than in Him who should crush the serpent’s head and win the victory over the powers of evil. The sense of the verse will be made clearer by the following translation: And as the light of the morning when the sun arises, a morning without clouds; as by means of sunlight and by means of rain the tender grass grows from the earth:—is not my house so with God?

Although my house. —This verse is extremely difficult and admits of two interpretations. The interpretation given in the English version is also found in the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Syriac. If adopted, it means that David recognizes how far he and his house have failed to realize the ideal description set forth; yet since God’s promise is sure, this must be realized in his posterity.

Most modern commentators, however, prefer to take the clauses interrogatively: “Is not my house thus with God? for He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all, and sure. For all my salvation and all my desire, shall He not cause it to spring forth?” The Hebrew admits either rendering, but the interpretation from the ancient versions gives a higher idea of David’s spiritual discernment.

Ordered in all. —As a carefully drawn legal document, providing for all contingencies and leaving no room for misconstruction.