Day 91 - 2 Samuel 16-18, Psalm 91

In 2 Samuel 16, David is on the run. David’s life has been filled with suffering. David does not strike back. He receives the anguish and says: Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction and repay me with good (16:12). There is no need to seek out punishment in hopes for a reward, but finding purpose in your suffering can be soothing.

Absalom, David’s rebellious son, is being counseled by two advisors. God uses one of them for His purpose. God's quiet, behind-the-scenes work protects David (2 Samuel 17).

This is the climax. David's army defeats Absalom's rebellion. In a tragic twist, Absalom dies, caught in a tree and pierced through the heart. David mourns deeply. Even when people hurt us, we still love them.

Psalm 91, often called the Soldier’s Psalm, is a beautiful promise of God’s refuge, strength, and covering in times of fear, danger, or uncertainty. This psalm doesn’t deny trouble exists; it assumes it. But it promises that God is greater.