Lighthouse scribes

We are introduced to David even before we meet him in 1 Samuel 13:14; a verse we’ve parroted for generations in declaration of David’s special place in God’s heart. It’s not that David wasn’t special to God, but he was no more so than you, me, or the worst sinner who has come into His marvelous light. To understand the life of David, we’ll start with what God meant by taking the verse and in its proper context.

If you recall from the post “Give us a King,” we learned that the process of choosing Israel’s first king was tainted by the desires of the people. They requested a king not according to God’s will, but so they could be comparable to the nations around them. The motive was wrong, and God told Samuel to anoint for them a king reflecting that motive. Saul had all the outward appearance of what they desired.

In 1 Samuel 13, when Samuel rebuked Saul, he said to him:
1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT)
“But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
This was emphasized in 1 Samuel 16, when Samuel almost anointed Eliab simply because he had a kingly appearance:
1 Samuel 16:7 (NCV)
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Don’t look at how handsome Eliab is or how tall he is, because I have not chosen him. God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
But it doesn’t end here; we learn just a few verses later that David was also handsome, so the “outward” wasn’t exactly the problem either:
1 Samuel 16:12 (NCV)
“So Jesse sent and had his youngest son brought in. He was a fine boy, tanned, and handsome. The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Go, appoint him, because he is the one.’”
(God is certainly not unable to give handsome kings, husbands, or sons! 🫣)
In choosing this king for Israel, the prompt didn’t come from what the Israelites wanted. God was the one choosing a king for His own motives. His choice.

God knew David wasn’t perfect. He knew David would rage enough to want to kill generations because of the insult of one man (Nabal). He knew David would take many wives in disobedience, lust, kill, and cover up his sin (Uriah and Bathsheba). God knew David would be a strong leader but a weak parent (Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom). Despite all this, He chose David because David truly had a heart that longed for God.

From his writings in the Psalms, we see a man who had a deep relationship with God. Every Psalm of David reveals layers of depth in worship and intimacy. They show us a man who wanted God more than life itself—a man who knew he was unworthy, but who wanted nothing else but to be in God’s will. From his Spirit-inspired writings, we continue to learn so much about God’s nature and how to pray.

All mankind is flawed; God didn’t choose this king because he was perfect, but because He sees the heart, and He made us. He chose a man who, when confronted by Nathan or Gad regarding his sin, prioritized repentance over saving face or making light of weightier matters.

There were five clear instructions for kings given in Deuteronomy 17. In review:
Selection: We know that David was chosen by God; the first part of this article dealt with that.
The Law: We know that David knew the Torah and likely had a copy as commanded. Through the Psalms, we see that he had a personal relationship with God, and God revealed deep things to him, even about the Messiah.
Purity & Marriage: He entertained his pleasures and had many wives; while perhaps it didn’t drive a wedge between him and God, it resulted in a dysfunctional family. He was, quite frankly, a failed parent.
Wealth: He did not build a personal storehouse of wealth, but instead gave his personal treasures toward building God’s temple (1 Chronicles 29).
Military Reliance: Through biblical accounts, we see that David relied on God for victory in every battle. He had strong men, giant slayers, loyal warriors in his army, but his trust was always in the Lord.

My most remarkable lessons from the life of David are sprawled across the Psalms. Credited with writing over 70 of them, David’s words—from the prophetic to the laments, and the songs of praise and thanksgiving—have taught me how to praise, pray, and trust in God and also to see myself as God sees me.

What’s your favourite lesson from the life of David? Please share in the comments.

Love,

Osi