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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 24 August 2025:
Psalm 86:1-2 — Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
David begins with humility, acknowledging his poverty and neediness before God. His request for preservation does not arise from self-righteousness, but from his covenant relationship with God. Calling himself “godly” means he is devoted, set apart, loyal to God alone. The plea, “you are my God,” is the anchor of trust. This is the foundation of true prayer: not presumption but dependence. In Christ, we approach God as His children (Romans 8:15), secure not in our merit but in our belonging to Him.
Psalm 86:3-4 — Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
David prays with persistence, crying out “all the day.” His request is not only for help but for joy, for God Himself to gladden his soul. True gladness is not found in circumstances but in God’s presence (Psalm 16:11). Lifting up his soul is an act of surrender, showing where he expects his relief to come from.
Psalm 86:5 — For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
David grounds his prayer in God’s character: goodness, forgiveness, steadfast love. These attributes reveal why sinners can approach God. This verse anticipates the gospel: all who call upon the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13, which Paul quotes directly).
– Nehemiah 8:1-3, 8, 9 — And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard…. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law…. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading…. Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
Today’s readings from Psalms show us a pattern of repentance in the lives of God’s people and the joy that comes from living by grace. God was at work in the hearts of His people to draw them to Him and to His word. In fact in the Book of Nehemiah, we see that God’s people were willing to listen “attentively” to the Book of the Law for hours. Likewise, we see in Psalm 86:11 David’s eagerness to learn God’s “way” from God’s word. Convicted by God’s word, the people were driven to godly sorrow. This was not “worldly sorrow” which is self-centered and produces tears of self-pity having experienced the consequences of sin. This was godly sorrow that recognized that God’s love had been treated lightly and that behind their disobedience was a problem with their hearts. There was no excuse making or blame-shifting, only honest self-examination that produced tears of true humility. In fact, so great was their sorrow that the people had to be calmed down. The people had to be reminded of God’s mercy and grace that David speaks of in Psalm 86 – “I will praise you O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me for the depths of the grave…. You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant.” Recognizing his “poor and needy” state before the Lord, David trusts in the Lord (Psalm 86:2) to forgive him, to give him strength (86:16) and to build in him an “undivided heart” as David continues to “walk in [God’s] truth” (Psalm 86:11). In continual repentance, David rejoices in God’s love. When the Levites explained the nature of God’s love to the people, “Then all the people went away… to celebrate with great joy because they now understood the words that had been made known to them (Nehemiah 8:12).”
Psalm 86:6-7 — Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.
David prays with confidence because of God’s proven faithfulness. Past answers to prayer fuel present faith. This rhythm is the life of faith — ongoing reliance on God’s grace, especially in trouble. The more you pray to God and see His faithfulness in response, the more confident you become in prayer and in God’s protection.
Psalm 86:8-10 — There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
David contrasts the living God with idols. His vision stretches beyond Israel to the nations: one day all will worship Him. This points forward to Christ, through whom all nations are blessed (Galatians 3:8). The gospel mission is hinted here: God’s greatness demands global worship.
Psalm 86:11-13 — Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
David earnestly prayed not only for the ability to understand God’s word but also for a heart that desired to obey God’s word in love and thankfulness, not simply to receive blessings from God but to be united with God. David desired a heart that was united with God’s heart (Compare with John 17:17-23), and his desire was that he would joyfully obey and glorify God with his whole heart. David desired that His words and deeds would be the outpouring, or fruit, of a genuine love for God. David explains his motivation – “For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” Today’s verses reveal why David is known as “a man after God’s own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) He wasn’t merely seeking God’s blessings, He was seeking God Himself, to know Him intimately. To be truly one with Him. Do you share David’s prayer and Jesus’ prayer for you recorded in John 17?
– Luke 10:27 — And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
– 1 John 5:3 — For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
“Unite my heart” shows David’s desire for wholeness — no divided loyalties, no duplicity. Wholehearted worship flows from an undivided heart. Christ brings this unity through His Spirit, who sanctifies us in truth (John 17:17).
Psalm 86:13-17 — For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
David recalls God’s past deliverance and asks again for His help against ruthless enemies. His hope is rooted in the revealed character of God: merciful, gracious, slow to anger, steadfast in love. These words echo God’s self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 34:6–7. David desires God’s help not only for his sake but that others might see God’s hand in his life.
2 Samuel 10 — Today in 2 Samuel 10, David sends a delegation to king Hanun to console him concerning the recent death of his father. Hanun, the young, inexperienced, poorly advised king of the Ammonites misinterprets David’s gesture of kindness, believing it to be a trick, and responds by publicly humiliating and dishonoring David’s envoys. The result is a pointless war between the Israelites, Ammonites and Syrians where over 40,000 people needlessly die. It is not at all hard to understand why Hanun acted the way he did: sending spies as envoys is a common tactic, and David’s modus operandus included this sort of deception. Remember in 1 Samuel 27, king Achish trusted David while David was secretly massacring villages within his land, leaving “neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath.” (1 Samuel 27:11) During the death of a king and the subsequent transition to new leadership, a kingdom is very vulnerable, and Hanun surely felt insecure and defensive. A wiser David would have recognized the sensitivity of the situation and would have dealt with Hanun more carefully; but David, rather than considering Hanun’s perspective, assumed that Hanun would see things from his perspective, a big mistake we often make in our relationships. Hanun on the other hand reacted to David’s poorly timed gesture rashly, likely due to his insecurity as a new king.
Insecurity makes people defensive and often causes them to assume the worst in others. Insecurity can destroy relationships. Hanun did one of the worse things someone can do in a relationship, he belittled, embarrassed, humiliated and dishonored David and his men. He robbed them of their dignity. In this case, neither party had the maturity, self-confidence, or moral courage to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. It continued to escalate into great destruction. The first rule in relationships is to seek first to understand rather than be understood. We must be sensitive to the vulnerabilities and insecurities of others. If we have offended someone, we must quickly seek forgiveness, restitution and reconciliation, even if the other party is not wholly innocent. If we have been offended, we must quickly forgive and seek reconciliation. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18) “ Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11) Finally, we must NEVER dishonor or humiliate another person, but rather treat all people with dignity and respect.
2 Samuel 10:1-2 — After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites.
David seeks to show kindness (ḥesed) to Hanun, as Nahash had once shown him kindness. His motive is diplomatic and compassionate. This reflects God’s heart for peace where possible (Romans 12:18).
2 Samuel 10:3-4 — But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?” So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away.
Suspicion twists kindness into perceived manipulation. Hanun humiliates David’s men, an act of dishonor and provocation. This insult escalates the relationship into war. Again, fear and distrust bred unnecessary conflict.
2 Samuel 10:5 — When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”
David shows sensitivity to the shame of his servants. He allows them time to heal before returning. This reveals compassion in leadership, tending not only to justice but to the dignity of his men. Good leaders protect the dignity of others.
2 Samuel 10:6-8 — When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men. And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.
What began as suspicion now erupts into a major war. The Ammonites, instead of repenting or making peace, double down by hiring mercenaries. Sinful fear multiplies destruction.
– Proverbs 17:14 — The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
2 Samuel 10:9-12 — When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
Joab, though not usually a spiritual model, gives a stirring call to courage. He emphasizes unity (“you shall help me, I will help you”), the greater cause (“our people… the cities of our God”), and submission to God’s sovereignty (“may the Lord do what seems good to him”). This aligns with biblical faith: courage rooted in trust in God’s will.
Joab used the tactics of interior lines, forming a defensive circle in order to quickly maneuver within his interior to mass his forces against the more dispersed, thinner lines of his adversaries. He also exploited the weakness that forces of an alliance have in their inability to effectively reinforce one another. Much later in history, Napoleon would gain great success implementing these same tactics when outnumbered. Simply stated, Joab was good at what he did, and God used Joab’s talents for God’s purposes. God calls us to be excellent at whatever we put our hands to, and He will likewise use our talents for His purposes. When our talents bring us victories, make sure you give God all the glory. It is a terrible thing to try to share God’s glory.
2 Samuel 10:13-14 — So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
The hired armies retreat, and the Ammonites are left exposed. Their reliance on others instead of God leads to failure.
2 Samuel 10:15-19 — But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates. They came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.
– Proverbs 19:19 — A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
To recap, Today’s readings provide one of the history’s most powerful examples of how misunderstandings, misjudgments missteps, and misdeeds in relationships can quickly escalate out of control and result in great destruction. Don’t miss the lessons in this powerful story, which has been recorded in the Bible for your spiritual growth – “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction.” (1 Corinthians 10:11) Consider how the story of David and Hanun relates to your past relationship problems and how the stories lessons can help you avoid future needless conflicts:
David sends a delegation to king Hanun to console him concerning the recent death of his father. Hanun, the young, inexperienced, poorly advised king of the Ammonites misinterprets David’s gesture of kindness, believing it to be a trick, and responds by publicly humiliating and dishonoring David’s envoys. The result is a pointless war between the Israelites, Ammonites and Syrians where over 40,000 people needlessly die. Let’s learn from this story so we can bring life into our relationships and not death:
Don’t misinterpret another’s motives. The Bible warns time and time again of the dangers and sinfulness of misinterpreting another person’s motives – “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11) “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5) You might be able to judge another person’s actions (though you often misinterpret even what you see or hear), but you must never think you understand the complete ‘why’ behind their behavior or judge (condemn) them. Despite what you might be tempted to think, you really don’t know why they did what they did, their motives or their situation which contributed to their actions.
Sometimes we think someone has wronged us when they really didn’t; sometimes someone wrongs us unintentionally; and sometimes someone intentionally wrongs us simply because they don’t know how to do otherwise or because they are merely lashing out while in great personal distress – you just don’t know. However, you do know that we are all sinners who need God’s grace as well as grace from others, and you also know that you have been saved by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ and appointed by God to be an ambassador and minister of grace. So, what choice do you have but to show grace in all situations while pointing to Jesus Christ and His Gospel of grace?
Promote, build, and protect trust. To his defense, it is not at all hard to understand why Hanun doubted David’s motives: Sending spies as envoys is a common tactic, and David’s modus operandi included this sort of deception. Remember in 1 Samuel 27, king Achish trusted David while David was secretly massacring villages within his land, leaving “neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath.” (1 Samuel 27:11) Would you have given David the benefit of the doubt? All relationships are built on trust, and David made it hard for people to trust him. As Christians, we must live lives which promote, build and protect trust —
– Romans 12:9-21 — Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Trust others as a gift of grace rather than making them earn it. Think of trust as forgiveness in advance with hope that forgiveness will not be required; it is an investment in relationship, and some investments are risky but offer potentially high payoffs. As Christians, we should strive to be above reproach, maintaining a reputation of trustworthiness. However, as Christians, we must also be willing to be trusting, to be vulnerable, to keep the door for relationship open.
Despite David’s history of deception, in this case, David’s intentions were good, but Hanun assumed the worst and, therefore, provoked the worst possible response from David. If Hanun had given David the benefit of the doubt, this story would have turned out quite differently. While we all can appreciate the saying, “Forgiveness is given, but trust is earned,” to some degree, trust must be given too – forgiveness in advance, knowing that we will all continue to sin and fall short. Trusting others is a demonstration of grace, giving unmerited second chances, even “seventy-seven” chances. (Matthew 18:22) After all, the Bible says, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)
Will you get hurt more if you trust more? Yes. However, this suffering is in fellowship with Christ, taking up your cross daily in His Name for sake of the message and ministry of reconciliation, enduring all things for sake of genuine love for God and for others. Trusting in the untrustworthy is faith that God can change them even though it may not seem possible; it is seeing in them a better person they haven’t met yet; it if refusing to give up on them even when they have given up on themselves; it is being willing to suffer for someone else, regardless the outcome, just because we love them and want them to step into the life God wants for them. Have you ever asked yourself why Jesus never kicked Judas out of His small, trusted group though He knew Judas was stealing money and would ultimately betray Him unto death?
– 1 Corinthians 13:7, 8, 13 (NIV) – [Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
– 2 Timothy 3:12 — Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted….
– James 1:2-4 — Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
– 1 Peter 4:13, 16, 19 — But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed…. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name…. Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
– Colossians 3:12-15 — Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Consider this story relayed by R.C. Sproul about the trusting spirit of Thomas Aquinas:
– “The story begins with Thomas entering a classroom. The professor is not yet there, but most of the students are. They are all, however, by the window, craning their necks with excitement. Thomas asks what they are looking at so intently. ‘Thomas, come quickly,’ the students respond, ‘there are pigs—FLYING!’ Thomas rushes to the window, only to be met by the uproarious laughter of his fellow students. As the laughter dies down, Thomas gently but potently exposes their sin by saying simply, ‘I would rather believe that pigs could fly than that my friends would lie to me.’ We can, if we are imbued with the spirit of the age, mock such a trusting attitude. We can scorn such credulity. We can even baptize our cynicism with supporting biblical texts. ‘Come on now, Thomas. Don’t you know we’re to be harmless as doves, but as wise as serpents?’ (Matt. 10:16). Or, we can see it for what it is—an expression of that godly character which made Thomas a great man. We can see it as that which we should be most zealous to emulate in his life.”
Remain sensitive to others’ vulnerabilities and concerns. During the death of a king and the subsequent transition to new leadership, a kingdom is very vulnerable, and Hanun surely felt insecure and defensive. A wiser David would have recognized the sensitivity of the situation and would have dealt with Hanun more carefully. Rather than considering Hanun’s perspective, David judged Hanun’s actions from his own perspective, a big mistake we often make in our relationships. Hanun acted foolishly, but did David consider why? As a younger man, had David ever acted so foolishly? Let’s go back to 1 Samuel 25 and the story of Nabal and Abigail: Abigail rushed to the scene to stop hot-headed David from vengefully killing Nabal and his men – “She fell at his feet and said…. Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal… folly is with him…. Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live…. And David said to Abigail, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand!” (1 Samuel 25:23 -33) It seems David learned nothing from the wisdom of Abigail. He didn’t seek to understand Hanun’s situation and immaturity, and David went back to his vengeful ways. How tragic.
Remain aware of your own vulnerabilities. Hanun on the other hand reacted to David’s poorly timed gesture rashly, likely due to his insecurity as a new king. Insecurity makes people defensive and often causes them to assume the worse in others and subsequently sin against them. Insecurity can destroy relationships. How do you act when you feel threatened? Do you start to assume the worse in others? Do you begin to treat people as if they were really as bad as you only imagine them to be? Be careful of your preemptive strikes that can start needless wars.
Always protect the dignity of others. Hanun did one of the worse things someone can do in a relationship, he belittled, embarrassed, humiliated and dishonored David and his men. He robbed them of their dignity. In this case, neither party had the maturity, self-confidence, or moral courage to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. The dispute continued to escalate into great destruction.
The first rule in relationships is to seek first to understand before seeking to be understood. We must be sensitive to the vulnerabilities and insecurities of others. If we have offended someone, we must quickly seek forgiveness, restitution, and reconciliation, even if the other party is not wholly innocent. If we have been offended, we must quickly forgive and seek reconciliation. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18) “Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11) Finally, we must NEVER dishonor or humiliate another person, but rather treat all people with dignity and respect.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 24 August 2025: Psalm 86 teaches us to cry to God in humility, trusting His character, seeking an undivided heart. 2 Samuel 10 warns us how suspicion and pride can twist even sincere kindness into conflict, leading to needless destruction. Together, these passages show that only when our hearts are united in God’s truth can we walk humbly, interpret others’ actions with grace, and pursue peace. Today, practice assuming the best about someone’s intentions instead of suspecting the worst. Before reacting in defensiveness or mistrust, lift your soul to God in prayer (Psalm 86:4) and ask Him to give you a united heart to walk in truth (Psalm 86:11).
Pray: “Lord, unite my heart to fear Your name. Teach me to cry out to You in my need and to trust in Your steadfast love. Guard me from suspicion, pride, or mistrust that escalates conflict, and help me to see others through the lens of grace. Make me courageous like Joab, but surrendered like David in prayer, ready to let You do what seems good to You. May my life bring peace where there could be strife, and may my actions reflect Christ, who is our peace. Amen.”
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 