Word Prompt – LESSONS – Sharona Halickman

How many times have we heard the rhetorical question: “Didn’t you learn your lesson?”

Once we have overcome a negative situation, the hope is that we will grow from the experience, improve for next time and not make the same mistake again.

King David is someone who overcame adversity and moved on. This theme runs throughout the book of Tehillim, especially in Psalm 18 which is the equivalent to Shirat David (David’s Song) in Shmuel Bet. It is recited as an expression of thanksgiving.

Yalkut Shimoni lists Shirat David as one of the ten sacred songs of history.

The first verse recounts how David sang this song on the day that G-d rescued him from all of his enemies and from the hand of King Saul.

According to Abarbanel, King David wrote Psalm 18 when he was young and recited it throughout his life whenever he experienced a victory.

It is not a coincidence that the words that King David used in Tehillim connect with each and every one of us and the challenges that we face today.

We must learn a lesson from King David and focus on overcoming our enemies once and for all. We must follow in King David’s footsteps and become stronger from the difficulties that we encounter both personally and as a nation.