David is my second favorite Bible character. I won't be writing several posts about David like I did about Joseph, but there are several things about David's life that encourage and inspire me, so much so, I decided to write a post about him.
David was known as being a man after God's own heart. That is how God describes David. That is a very special and incredible thing to be known for, in my mind.
In speaking about David, Acts 13:22 makes a reference to him by saying:
“...He raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.”
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| An artist's drawing of David playing his harp to the Lord. |
David was also known as the sweet Psalmist of Israel. (2 Samuel 23:1) David not only wrote many Psalms in the Bible, but he also sang many of those Psalms to God as songs. David clearly loved music, and David used music to praise the Lord. David inspires me.
David played the harp. Many people associate the harp with David, and rightly so, because the Bible mentions David playing his harp to the Lord in many places throughout Scripture.
David was born and grew up in Bethlehem (Israel) and was the youngest in his family, having many brothers. David was the great-grandson of Ruth. (who we read about in the Book of Ruth)
David was anointed and later became king over Israel. David was a king all of Israel loved.
Although he didn't build it, David had a lot to do with the first Temple in Jerusalem and the instruments of music used in that Temple.
Sometime later in David's life, he sinned against the Lord by committing adultery and murder. During that time in his life, David was far from being “a man after God's heart.”
Psalm 51 is a Psalm that David wrote. David asked God for mercy and for cleansing as he was, clearly, repenting of his sin against the Lord.
God made promises to David about his seed, his descendants. One of his descendants was the Messiah of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ, born from the line of David.
In speaking of David, Acts 13:23 says it this way:
These are all well known facts behind David's life. However, there is something about David that especially encourages me.
David failed God at a certain time in his life as mentioned above. David was not like Joseph who was faithful to God. And yet, David was called a man after God's own heart.
How could David be known as that after he sinned the way he did?
I believe it was because David had a heart of repentance - something God loves.
Sometimes, when a person fails or falls short of something, as humans, we have a tendency to dismiss or “write that person off” as a failure. God does not do that. God is willing, ready, and eager to forgive someone who has a heart of repentance.
I believe that quality about David is one of the reasons God called David a man after His own heart. David was quick to acknowledge and repent of his sin.
David also had a deep love and desire to follow God’s Word (God’s will) as seen in Psalm 119. I believe that is a large reason why David was called a man after God’s own heart.
David opened up his heart to God with very real, raw, honest emotions about many difficult things he dealt with in his life. That is something we see throughout the Psalms he wrote. I admire that about David.
Recently, I've been crocheting some blankets, and while doing that, I've been listening to some messages I discovered online about different women in the Bible. There are women in the Bible I enjoy reading about, and I have a few favorites. (Rebekah and Rachel) I also have a favorite Bible writer and book of the Bible. (the apostle John and the book of 1 John)
While listening to a beautiful message about Rachel in the Bible (the mother of Joseph), the speaker mentioned her failure. Rachel sinned by stealing, lying, and hiding idols, and yet, Rachel’s life was not a failure. God and her husband, Jacob, honored her greatly. I was blessed by the message.
The speaker mentioned other people in the Bible, such as Moses, who also sinned. Moses sinned by striking the rock at Horeb when God told him to speak to it instead. Was Moses a total failure to God? Of course not. I don't remember this speaker mentioning David and his sin, but my mind went to him.
Though we have sinned against God (like David), that does not mean we are a total failure to God if we have a heart of repentance like David did. That blesses me. God is rich in mercy and love. (Ephesians 2:4)
The name David means Beloved - a name I hope to use someday for children of my own.
David's life is a blessing, an encouragement, and an inspiration to me. Through David’s life, I see the nature and character of God.
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