David like his predecessor Saul started out humbly when he was anointed as king of Israel. Unlike Saul however he remained a humble man – certainly not a perfect man, but one who owned up to his own failings (even if delayed as with the case of Bathsheba).
He started out as a faithful shepherd boy – little did he realize at the time but GOD had him in training even then, to eventually become the “Shepherd-King” of Israel!
As one of three that I am most eager to meet in heaven, what I so admire about David is his multi-faceted personality and considerable skill set. He was a good leader, a warrior of renown, a gifted song writer, an eloquent poet. In latter times, David would have been known as a Renaissance Man! Not only was he impressively strong, and extraordinarily handsome with a gifted intellect, but also had a great and compassionate heart (a very rare combination among us humans!).
We can’t forget the famous confrontation between David and Goliath. Estimates place him between 15 to 18 years of age. While Goliath had his formidable size and savage weaponry at his disposal, David was armed with a sling shot and five stones (why five? Goliath had three or four brothers!). But that wasn’t all that David brought to the fight:
1 SAMUEL 17:45b
But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
David really rocked that fight, didn’t he?
Above all, he was one who had an intimacy with GOD! He yearned for fellowship with the LORD GOD of Israel, resorted to the Scriptures often and extolled his Maker in replete fashion in the Psalms!
I get such encouragement from David and his heart! When he experienced victory, he always gave GOD the glory! When he was bewildered and disheartened, he sought the face of his GOD! When he wanted to express the glory of the LORD, he penned (through the anointing of the Spirit of course) the most awesome and beautiful Psalms!
He was a man for whom friendship was priceless! Just look how like a magnet he drew men to himself, these “men of renown”, these “mighty men of David”! And Jonathan: their friendship and love that surpassed the love of women (2 SAM 1:26; which goes to show that men can express a genuine and deep friendship and love for each other without crossing the line into sexuality!).
One of my most favorite, if not number one Psalm is:
PSALM 27:1-14
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident. 4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me and answer me.
8 When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek." 9 Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. 12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!
In vss. 1-3: David expresses his fearlessness even when confronted with his most dire enemies – and why? Because the LORD Himself is his light, strength and salvation. His confidence in GOD his Rock was rock solid and immoveable!
In vs. 4: he expresses his ardent and singular desire – simply to have fellowship, to learn the LORD’s ways and to worship GOD for His beauty.
Vs 5-6: he relates such times of trouble to his readers where he finds solace and comfort from GOD Who hides him in His “secret place” and establish him upon Himself (“a rock”). He is certain of GOD providing victory over his enemies and rejoices in such.
Vss. 7-10: David here calls out to GOD for answers, and follows the LORD’s direction to seek Him, expressing how He has been such a help, and how David couldn’t go on if the LORD were to forsake him – even if his own parents did: The LORD would “take me up” (KJV) – which is a word picture of a parents picking up and embracing a child in need of comfort.
Vss. 11-12: This mighty king looks to the LORD to be his teacher and counselor in the face of perilous days and enemies
Vss. 13-14: He concludes this Psalm with the proclamation that he would have been hopeless if not for faith that he would see the goodness of the LORD and encourages his readers to “wait on the LORD and be of good courage” and promises that the LORD “will strengthen your heart” – and repeats the admonition to wait for emphasis!
David is a reminder to us all that our relationship with the LORD is based solely on the grace of GOD (unmerited favor that we could never in ourselves earn or be worthy of). Now, as children of GOD we are expected to mature in a life of Christ-inspired righteousness in well-pleasing the LORD, but this should never overshadow GOD’s grace, lest we begin to think we’re “all that”!
The greatest example of GOD’s grace in the life of David? Remember these numbers: 7-11. That explains it all, right? No? Well, let me elaborate!
In 2 SAMUEL 7 GOD establishes what we know as the Davidic Covenant (see links below). In that unconditional covenant (all David had to do is believe it by faith) the LORD promised that David’s kingdom would endure forever and in fact, the Messiah Himself would be a descendent of his and would sit on that throne ruling Israel (LUKE 1:31-33). David was so blown away that he had to go into the other room and sit down!
That was in Chapter 7. What happened in Chapter 11? His adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of Uriah the Hittite! Then the cover-up of this scandal not repented of! And GOD knew that would happen – nevertheless, He still made this awesome covenant with David – THAT is the grace of GOD!!
And what started this conversation between the LORD and this man “after [His] own heart”? The king noticed that he was living in a lavish palace while the LORD was dwelling in tents – lavish and exquisitely beautiful tents (the tabernacle) but a tent nonetheless (2 SAM 7:1-7).
David said, “This isn’t right! GOD deserves the best, and I’m going to build Him a glorious temple!” That offer so touched GOD’s heart that He told David that instead, the LORD was going to build up “the house of David”! That is, the Davidic Kingdom officiated by the Messiah-King of Israel, GOD made flesh!
David was all about the Holy Scriptures! Just check out PSALM 1 and the entirety of PSALM 119 (OK, so that Psalm was actually anonymous but he did write PSALM 19! check out 7-14!)!
For more on this, check out the following TTUF articles:
2 SAMUEL 7 – COVENANT KEEPER For The KING:ESTABLISHING The ETERNAL THRONE of DAVID By GOD’s PROMISE
WALKING The COVENANT WAY: Part 7 of 8: TheDAVIDIC COVENANT
CRITICISM IN LEADERSHIP: Lessons from thelife of King David
TTUF Review on the Film DAVID.
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