David: A Man after Gods own heart

David was a man of many triumphs and many failures. From shepherd to king, hero to murderer, adulterer to friend, he led a very rich and flawed life, yet God described him as "a man after My own heart" (Acts 13:22). Born in Bethlehem to the Tribe of Judah, David was the youngest son of Jesse. At a young age, he was handpicked and anointed by God, through the prophet Samuel, to be the next king because God looked at his heart and not his appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). As an accomplished shepherd, his experience in the fields grew his faith in God to help him defeat the lions and bears that were attacking his flock. This would be a forerunner to his infamous battle with Goliath, champion of the Philistine, whom he defeated with the same weapons he used to protect his sheep. His popularity among the people grew exponentially because of the victory but it also drew the jealousy and hatred of King Saul (1 Samuel 18:6-9).

David was also an accomplished and gifted musician. King Saul would often call upon him to play his harp to soothe him when he was tormented by an evil spirit (1 Samuel 16:23). He also penned most of the Psalms which established him as a prolific songwriter and worshipper. After the killing of Goliath, he bonded very closely to King Saul's son, Jonathan. They were very good friends and when King Saul wanted to kill him, Jonathan helped him escaped. While on the run, he showed integrity when had the opportunity to end Sauls life but he refused to touch Gods Anointed even though he knew that he was next in line to be king. After Sauls death, David became king,

leading Israel to many victories in battle and even recovered the Ark of Covenant after it was stolen. His architectural skill was revealed when he designed a permanent temple for the Ark with all the measurements and materials. However, because of his sins, the honor of the construction of the temple would go to his son, Solomon.

Apart from being a bad father and a terrible husband to his wives, Davids most notorious sins are that of adultery and murder. According to 2 Samuel 11, he neglected his kingly duty in the time of war and seduced Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of the soldiers in the army. When she got pregnant, he tried to make Uriah sleep with her but he refused. He then ordered for Uriah to be placed in the hottest part of the battle so that he can be killed. At Uriahs death, he married Bathsheba and brought her into his household. God revealed to David his transgression through the prophet, Nathan (2 Samuel 12). He immediately sought redemption for his wrongdoing. Psalms 51 was written by David to show his deep repentance and brokenness toward what he has done. In spite of all he had done, it was this attitude of having a broken spirit and contrite heart that made David a man after Gods own heart.