This book gives us the life and times of David from the death of Saul.
David judges the Amalekite for slaying the Lard's anointed, and most tenderly mourns over Saul and Jonathan having fallen in battle under the hand of the uncircumcised Philistines. (Chapter 1)
After this, war continued long between the house of Saul and David; but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker (chap. 3:1). In a few years David's kingdom is established—he becomes king over all Israel (chap. 5:3). The ark of the Lord is brought up from Baale of Judah to a place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it (chap. 6). David then desires to build a house for the ark, but God tells him that cannot be, and assures David that He will build him an house, and establish everything in the One who should proceed out of David's bowels, thus intimating that nothing could be really established but in connection with Him who is the greater than Solomon, whom God would raise from the dead. (Chapter 7)
It was after all these precious promises, and after David's wondrous success, that we find him, instead of going out to war, indulging in idleness at home, when he falls into most grievous sins in connection with Uriah and his wife Bathsheba. (Chapter 11) How often in God's people terrible failure follows the most marked blessing of the Lord! How needful to constantly remember that He only is able to keep us from falling!
The subsequent chapters tell us how deeply David smarted for his sins under God's chastisement by sore troubles in his family, some of them strikingly showing that "with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." In the end we find him singing and making melody in his heart to the Lord. (Chapter 22:1.)
David (the man after God's own heart) in his days of humiliation and rejection, as found in the first book of Samuel, illustrates Christ as "a man of sorrows, despised and rejected of men;" those, therefore, who attached themselves to David instead of to Saul, as at Adullam (1 Sam. 22:1, 21David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. (1 Samuel 22:1‑2)), owning subjection to him as their captain, and fighting his battles, come out at the end of this second book of Samuel, each one being honored then, when David is established in his kingdom, according to their real devotedness to Him. Most of chapter 23 enters very particularly into this. Two things are to be noticed. First, not the smallest service of love to David is omitted. It may be taking a piece of lentils out of the hands of the Philistines (verse 12), or hazarding their lives to refresh David with the waters of Bethlehem. Uriah's name is there, for he was true to David. Secondly, the absence of those names from the list of David's worthies that might have been expected to be there. For instance, Joab is not there, though his armor- bearer and brothers are; Ahithophel is not there, though his son is. The Scriptures shew that although Joab was very mighty, and Ahithophel very wise, yet in time of real trial both acted as traitors, and sided with those who opposed the throne of David. Surely these facts read to our souls solemn and serious lessons!
The last chapter shews that God was displeased with David's numbering Israel. No doubt pride was at work. Chapter 21 plainly tells us that Satan provoked him to do it. This again brought chastisement upon the king, and the Lord sent a pestilence which destroyed seventy thousand men (verse 15). Burnt-offerings and peace-offerings were offered, and we are told, "So the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel" (verse 25).