I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:25
As his father’s sheep grazed among the rocky hillsides and villages of the Judean mountains, David no doubt interacted with the youth of the families of Bethlehem. These neighbours would have been acquainted with the many trials met by the young shepherd in his work. The righteous youth would have gone out of their way to assist David in such a trial, but the wicked would have only mocked at his misfortune, perhaps daring to steal away with a sheep while David searched for a lost lamb. As a humble shepherd, David saw that banditry and mischief resulted in poverty and shame, while the names of those who loved their neighbour never fell into dishonour.
Upon promotion to king over Israel, David was commissioned to shepherd the entire nation. In this work he was supported by a faithful few and betrayed by the self-seeking many. All the while, David continued to observe what he had seen in his work of feeding sheep; that a blessing rested upon those who maintained godly integrity, while a curse rested upon the sinner and his posterity.
To a great degree, these blessings and curses are simply natural consequences. Industrious and hard-working, the righteous provide bread for their children who grow up following their parents’ example. The wicked, on the other hand, are slothful, often seeking to provide for their needs by theft and crime. Their children are instructed in their crooked ways, resulting in humiliation and beggary.
The righteous may be persecuted, but they are never forsaken. They may be afflicted as was Job, or even killed as was Jonathan. But while cast down, not even death itself can destroy the righteous. Job was blessed more abundantly for his patience under affliction, and Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth ate continuously from David’s table.
For His name’s sake, God will always sustain those who put their trust in Him. The weal that David saw attending the righteous can be observed by every man. Likewise, the woe resting upon the head of the wicked can also be perceived. Whether men acknowledge it or not, the Lord’s declaration is true in every case: ‘them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed’ (1 Samuel 2:30).
Christopher Sparks