The Heart of David

“After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’ ” – Acts 13:22

It is worthwhile and profitable to study the life of King David as covered in the Books of 1 & 2 Samuel and Psalms.1 David seemed to be under constant pressure on all sides from those who wanted to do him harm, not only by external enemies and armies but also from his own king (Saul). Sure, David made serious mistakes,2 but on balance, his life is very heavily weighted in favor of complete fear and trust in the Lord as well as obedience and service to Him. 3 This is why the Lord says of him: “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will” (Act 13:22).4

There are many lessons one could learn from the life of David,5 but we’re only going to focus on one here: Whenever David was in danger or his heart was weighed down with anxiety and worry, he would first seek refuge in the Lord and even cry out to Him in prayer. Next, he would seek the Lord’s wisdom on how to handle the situation and proceed (Jas 1:5–6).6 Then David would “trust in the Lord”7 for deliverance from the evil men and circumstances he faced.

We have many of David’s prayers recorded in the Book of Psalms to help us in times of distress, duress, or need (e.g., Psa 3; 4; 5; 12; 13; 22; 23; 38; 57; 141; 142; cf. Mat 4:4; Psa 1:2). We can even incorporate parts of the psalms in our own prayers. Furthermore, David is doing what we are also instructed to do:

Making his requests, supplications, and petitions known to God—with thanksgiving (Php 4:6–7);
Casting his anxiety on God (1Pe 5:6–7); and
Trusting in the Lord for whatever happens (Pro 3:5–7; 21:31; Psa 40:3; 115:11; 125:1; Isa 26:1; cf. Isa 55:8–9; Rom 8:28–29; 11:33; 1Co 2:14, 16a; Psa 25:4).8

Here is an example from Psalm 4 that shows how David did this (and we should do likewise):

For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?
How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself;
The Lord hears when I call to Him.

Tremble, and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And trust in the Lord.

Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”
Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord!
You have put gladness in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine abound.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety. – Psalm 4

Let us also have the same resolute and unwavering conviction that David had, knowing without a doubt that the Lord will make all things right in the end (in His time, of course).9^, 10Some wicked and corrupt people won’t see justice for their evil deeds until Judgment Day, but rest assured, for they will see justice then.

CHAPTER PRAYER

Father, I pray for a heart that continually seeks after You, as David did. Help me seek Your wisdom—the wisdom that comes from above—when facing difficult situations. I choose to trust that Your will is done, for victory belongs to You. Help me also to cast my anxiety, worries, doubts, and fears on You, just as David did. Thank You for hearing my prayer. Amen.

1 See also the many references to King David in other books of the Bible, including the NT.

2 Some of David’s actions (sins) were very serious; the Bathsheba incident comes to mind first, of course (2Sa 11:1–12:14), as well as the fact that he took (many) foreign wives.

3 Besides, we aren’t perfect either (Joh 8:7; Mat 7:1–5).

4 It’s worthwhile to study more fully what it means to be a man after God’s own heart. Basically, it means to fear, seek, believe, trust, and obey the Lord, combined with a lack of pride and arrogance, as well as seeking His will to be done and offering our praise, worship, and thanksgiving to God for all that He does. That should sound familiar to you because it is basically the same as the Gospel message (which adds the revelation that the blood of Christ forgives our sins). In fact, since the beginning (Gen 1:1), what God has asked from men has been the same (fear, seek, believe, trust, obey, and worship Him). There have been added elements at times, such as when the Jews were also under the Mosaic Law, which was given to them because they were also given “the oracles of God” (Rom 3:2) to prepare the way for the Messiah. We today also have a greater responsibility and obligation than at any time prior in history to be obedient to the Gospel (Luk 12:48; Mat 11:21; 12:31; Heb 10:29), for we have now had the “mystery of Christ” (see Mar 4:11; 1Ti 3:16; Col 1:26; 4:3) and forgiveness of sins fully revealed to us (Gal 4:4; Rom 5:6; 1Pe 1:12; cf. Rev 12:1–3). Another aspect of this is that David also understood that all sin is actually sin committed against God (Psa 51:4, 10–11).

5 Such as his incredible bravery when facing Goliath (1Sa 17:1–54).

6 → [The Wisdom of God]

7 → [Living in the Spirit, Trust in the Lord]

8 → [Understanding God]

9 → [“God’s Timing, Not Ours”]

10 A final note is warranted. While David was a great warrior and soldier, Christians today are a people of peace, patience, kindness, humility, personal discipline, moderation, self-control, and dignity at all times, in all things, and in all circumstances. We overcome by prayer and the preaching of the Gospel, not by sword, conquest, weapons, force, or violence. The OT times were different, and we now have a new Law of Grace to obey. Jesus gave us a clear example of how to do this through His own life. Those today who try to justify picking up arms, conducting warfare “in the name of the Lord,” and seeking to exact their own revenge or vengeance (as King David sometimes did) are doing so contrary to the Word of God—specifically, contrary to the commandments of Christ. → [The Armor of God], [The Commandments of Christ]

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe. – Proverbs 18:10

R. John Anderson

Author and photographer R. John Anderson has journeyed the world over to capture the natural beauty of God’s creation. Having traveled to many countries and continents in a span of over thirty years, he has seen the amazing artistry that can be found in all types of locations, from the glacial fjords of polar Greenland to the wild Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the rich rain forests of Costa Rica. Nature’s greatest natural beauty often lies in the harshest deserts, remotest wilderness, and sub-zero ice-covered regions.