David: The shepherd boy who became king.

Introduction

Key Take Away: God’s desire is for us to live repentant filled lives.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Biblical Importance

God raised David from humble origins as a shepherd from Bethlehem to rule as Israel’s second king. David led Israel to its pinnacle of power and glory, and became the ideal for a future messianic leader that ultimately found fulfillment in David’s descendant—Jesus. He showed success in various roles, including:

• Shepherd

• Military leader

• King

• Covenantal recipient

• Poet

• Musician

• Religious example

David’s failures as a father and king present him as an imperfect human whom God both chastened and blessed.

The Rise and Successes of David:

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Shepherd and Military Leader

1. Tended father’s flocks near Bethlehem (1 Sam 16:11)

2. Anointed by Samuel as Saul’s eventual replacement (1 Sam 16:12–13)

3. Served at Saul’s court playing harp and caring for Saul’s military equipment (1 Sam 16:17–23)

4. Defeated Philistine champion Goliath (1 Sam 17)

5. Won respect from Jonathan and nation, but suspicion and jealousy from Saul (1 Sam 18:1–16)

6. Married Saul’s daughter (1 Sam 18:17)

7. Fled, gathered a private army, spared Saul (1 Sam 19–27)

8. Ruled Judah, then all Israel after Saul’s death (1 Sam 31:2–5)

David made Israel a nation with great political power.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary King of Israel and Covenantal Recipient

In addition to making Israel a great political power, David also developed its religious practice. He brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, and made extensive preparations to build a temple to Israel’s God—a task and honor that God would reserve for David’s son, Solomon. Yahweh promised David a “house”—or line of perpetual succession—in what is often called the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7). God had not granted such a blessing to David’s predecessor, Saul. God would keep this promise despite David’s numerous failures.

The Failures of David:

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Failures as Father and King

The account of David’s positive, dramatic rise pivots with the story of David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:1–12:27). Through the prophet Nathan, God rebuked David and showed that He valued character more than competence (2 Sam 12:1–15). David’s humble response led God to promise forgiveness. However, God also promised continual trouble in David’s own family; these troubles dominated the remainder of his reign.

• David’s eldest son, Amnon, raped his half-sister, Tamar (2 Sam 13). David failed to take action.

• Tamar’s brother, Absalom, killed Amnon in retribution and fled north to Geshur, the neighboring kingdom from which his mother had come. David again failed to take action.

• After Joab rebuked David through a wise woman, David recalled his son, but refused to meet with him until again prompted by Joab.

David’s failures and inability to take proper action within his family contributed to greater problems within the kingdom. His son, Absalom, rebelled (2 Sam 15–19). David survived the attempted coup, but Absalom did not. Other troubles followed, including a rebellion by a relative of Saul (2 Sam 20). In a final error, David ordered a census of the Israelite men available for military service. This brought on God’s judgment, and David saw thousands of his subjects die in a plague (2 Sam 24). David ended this disaster by buying property that became the site of the temple.

The shepherd boy called to be king.

God sends Samuel to anoint a new king (1 Samuel 16:1)

1 Samuel 16:1 ESV

1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

1 Samuel 16:10–23 ESV

10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

Jesse sent before Samuel seven of his older sons before Samuel requests the youngest to appear before him. (1 Samuel 16:10-11)

David, the youngest, is the anointed one of God.

David was a looker! (1 Samuel 16:12)

Beautiful Eyes

Handsome (Attractive in appearance)

Ruddy. (He was strong well built.)

David, receives the Spirit of the Lord. (1 Samuel 16:13)

The reference refers to the special calling of God upon David.

It provides a parallel to the Spirit leaving Saul. (1 Samuel 16:14)

God’s blessing over Saul was no longer present while David was a filled with the blessing of God.

The shepherd boy’s faith demonstrated.

(1 Samuel 17:48-18:7)

Goliath, a giant of nine feet and nine inches tall, is ridiculing the people of God.

David is the lone man willing to go to battle against Goliath.

David takes only his sling and five smooth stones into battle.

In faith David, went into battle trusting the Lord for victory.

David’s faith is demonstrated in the success and victories David experienced going forward.

David develops a strong brotherly bond with Jonathan, Saul’s son.

The shepherd boy’s rise to kingship.

Saul, begins to try to kill David.

Saul and his sons, including Jonathan, ultimately die his sons in battle and Saul by his own hands.

David mourns the death of Saul and his sons even though Saul was attempting to kill him.

Yet, David lived to become king.

2 Samuel 5:4–11 ESV

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. 6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him. 11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house.

God uses David to reign over Isreal and bringing them victory over the Philistines.

David has the Ark brought to Jerusalem.

David leads Israel in worship and celebration.

God establishes a covenant with David.

His future son, Solomon, will build the Temple for the Lord.

Jesus will come through David’s line.

The shepherd boy’s moral failure.

2 Samuel 11:1–27 ESV

1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” 6 So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” 12 Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. 14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” 16 And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. 19 And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, 20 then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ” 22 So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. 24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” 25 David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.” 26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. 27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

David isn’t where he is supposed to be.

David lusted after Bathsheba

David then rapes Bathsheba

She conceives a child by David.

Uriah refused to be unfaithful to his kinsmen who were at battle.

David then sends a letter detailing how Uriah will be killed, it ends up with killing other men of Israel as well.

God was displeased with David (2 Samuel 11:27)

The shepherd boy’s repentant heart.

2 Samuel 12:1–14 ESV

1 And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” 7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’ ” 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.”

Nathan lovingly calls out David’s sin against Bathsheba and Uriah.

David recognizes his great sin and repents.

David and Bathsheba lose their child because of David’s sin.

God Forgives the sin of David.

2 Samuel 12:13 ESV

13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

Out of this great sin and repentance we get one of the most beautiful Psalm’s of prayer for repentance in all of scripture.

Psalm 51 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Conclusion:

David was an imperfect man who began his life in faithful service to the Lord and allowed his sin to cause him to stumble in the later years of his life here on earth. While David repeatedly repents of his failings, he never truly returned to the great walk he had with the Lord.

Invitation:

Are you walking with Jesus?

Are you in need of repentance?

Have you slipped and fallen in your walk with the Lord?

Have you experienced the saving faith in Jesus Christ?