The Lord Goes Round The Mulberry Tree

1 Chronicles 14: 1- 17

The Lord goes round the mulberry tree

14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. 2 So David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel. 3 Then David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begot more sons and daughters. 4 And these are the names of his children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet. 8 Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” The LORD said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.” 11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore, they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire. 13 Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

Does today’s message title mean anything to you? How about when you were a little kid or when you children were young? If you say it reminds you of the children’s rhyme ‘Here we go round the mulberry bush’ you win a cookie.

In case you forgot here are the lyrics;

Here we go round the mulberry bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Here we go round the mulberry bush

So early in the morning

This is the way we bale the hay

Bale the hay, bale the hay

This is the way we bale the hay

So early Monday morning

This is the way we feed the chicks

Feed the chicks, feed the chicks

This is the way we feed the chicks

So early Tuesday morning

This is the way we sweep the porch

Sweep the porch, sweep the porch

This is the way we sweep the porch

So early Wednesday morning

This is the way we paint the fence

Paint the fence, paint the fence

This is the way we paint the fence

So early Thursday morning

This is the way we groom the horse

Groom the horse, groom the horse

This is the way we groom the horse

So early Friday morning

Oh, this is the way we milk the cow’s

Milk the cows, milk the cows

This is the way we milk the cows

So early Saturday morning

Here we go round the mulberry bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Here we go round the mulberry bush

So early Sunday morning

Today we are going to see how our Great God inspired David to sing a victory song of how the Lord goes around the mulberry trees to save the Israelite people.

14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house.

It was through The Lord God YHWH’s doing that Hiram king of Tyre did what he did. For he sent to him all that was needed to build a palace; cedar wood, masons and carpenters. And the implication is that the palace was finally built.

That David received gifts from a foreign king would have been seen as enhancing his reputation considerably (compare how Solomon received gifts from the Queen of Sheba (2 Chronicles 9). That the nations brought him gifts was the sign of a great monarch, and in Israel’s case a sign that God was with him.

2 So David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.