The Shepherd Who Became King

For the last few days, the Old Testament readings have focused on some of the events in the life of David, the youngest son of Jesse - a shepherd boy who grew up to become the most important man in Jewish history. These readings got me to thinking about David and wishing that I knew more about him. God Himself called David 'a man after my own heart', and, throughout his life, he showed himself to be that. In spite of giving in to weakness and subsequent sin, David's passion for God never faltered.

He has been called a type of Christ; nowhere is that more evident than in his attitude toward his enemies. It seems that David considered no man his enemy, although others made themselves his enemy. Saul, in his jealousy, hunted him down to kill him, and even his own son, Absolom, tried to kill him and usurp his throne. But through all these trials David saw the hand of God at work. When he had Saul in his sights and could have killed him and been free of the trouble he brought, he stayed his hand because Saul was the Lord's anointed; when one of Saul's supporters, Shimei, cursed David and David's men asked for the order to kill him for it, David wouldn't give the order - perhaps, he said, God has told him to curse me. He didn't want to interfere with God's will even when it appeared to be against him. And when his men seized an opportunity and killed Absolom, who was attempting to overthrow his father, David went off by himself and wept for his lost son.

His passionate belief in God fueled his anger against the Philistines to the point of challenging their champion, as a young boy, and winning a huge victory for Israel with vastly inferior weapons. His love for God caused him to dance around the Ark of the Covenant, even though he was despised for it by Saul's daughter, and to conceive a plan to build a fitting house for God to dwell in. It seemed that doing the will of God was his mission in life - pre-figuring the single-minded focus of Jesus.

Even when his weakness got the better of him and he committed sin, David was deeply sorrowful and repented with his whole heart, always trusting in God's mercy and forgiveness and providence.

Yes, this is a man I would know better - David, the king. It reminds me of this song that I learned as a kid at summer church camp. We had a young Jewish man as a guest counselor one year and he taught us this: 

David melech yisrael Chai chai v'kayam

It translates as, 'David, king of Israel, lives now and forever.' Indeed, he does live, through his Lord and ours - Jesus, the Christ.