What is so right about King David

What is so right about King David

SIB/Pastor Lee Choo/29Oct11

King David was one of the most admired persons in the Bible, and even God speaks highly of him. Yet we also know that King David did not get everything right. He had moral failures, falling in the area of his adultery with Bathsheba and the census of his fighting men. At times, his leadership was seen to be indecisive and too emotional. In 2 Samuel 12, we see how Joab had to coax David to come out and fight himself to show his worth as a king to the people and in 2 Samuel 19, we saw how David shamed his own men who had fought valiantly for him by mourning for his son Absalom who had almost overthrown and killed him. David did have his moments of leadership failure. Furthermore, King David also was a failure as a father. Basically, all his sons did not do well, except Solomon, and only for a time. When Amnon raped his sister, King David was furious but did nothing, and when Absalom took revenge on Amnon, he too did nothing. When Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel, King David again did nothing.

In today’s high performance world, we always want to do things right. However, David did not make right decisions all the time. In fact, sometimes David made right decisions but still things didn’t turn out right. For example, after David spared Saul’s life the first time, Saul again came back to hunt him. But what did David really get right to be so esteemed?

The first clue we have here can be found in 1 Samuel 16:7 where in the search for the new king, God told Samuel “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Now it has been known for some time that people are generally divided into four personality types and each one has its own strengths and weaknesses. Cholerics are great entrepreneurs but also step on people’s toes. Sanguines are great motivators but also people pleasers. Melancholics are highly talented but also tend to be moody. Phlegmatics are steady and calm but afraid of conflict. We may or may not get the decision right but ultimately, the Lord looks at the heart. Hence it is so important for us to watch over our hearts. Out of the heart come the issues of life. If our heart is right, even what is wrong can turn out right.

There are three main postures of David’s heart that we can learn from. Firstly towards himself, David had a broken and contrite heart. Secondly, towards God, he was wholehearted. Finally, towards others, he was big hearted. We see this in the incident of Shimei in 2 Samuel 16 and 19. In his distress during his flight from Absalom, Shimei had mocked him incessantly. However, when King David was fully restored, Shimei pleaded for forgiveness and David kindly forgave him.

A child once told his mum who had forced him to sit down “I may be sitting down, but in my heart I am standing up.” How different is a broken and contrite heart. We get a glimpse of this in Psalm 51. In verses 1-5, David acknowledges his sinfulness, even from his mother’s womb. In vs.6-11, we see how deeply David repented, pleading with God not to take His Holy Spirit away. In vs.12-17, we see David’s teachable heart, and his faith in God to restore him fully. How profound were his words “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit”.

Although King David was great, and his kingdom had extended so successfully, he knew that it was only because God was good to him, bringing him up from his life as a simple shepherd boy. How could God from just 15 people, grow SIB to where it is today? It is only because God is good.

David was a morally upright man. He was not a sin-filled man, not a man who was controlled by sin. In Psalm 16, he declared that apart from God, he had no good thing. He realized that he was only a sinner saved by grace, like us. David was an ordinary man. He was besieged by fears. He became angry. He wished revenge on his enemies. Yet the hallmark of a broken-hearted man is that he knows he is indebted to God. He knew he was not perfect.

There is a difference between brokenness and being heartbroken. Being heartbroken is an event. It is about one’s self and his disappointment. Brokenness, on the other hand, is a posture towards God. David was able to realize his sin against God. When we sin, do we blame others or go into depression? Brokenness is not being fully helpless and depressed. Rather, brokenness is acknowledging one’s sin so he can repent deeply. The greatest of men are still men at best. We must remember that. Brokenness is an admission that we are human. Broken men respect that others also have weaknesses. When King Saul died, David did not rejoice. When Shimei repented, David forgave him. In his early ministry, the great evangelist Billy Graham had many critics and opponents. He was called a moral dwarf. He was attacked from pastors. Yet he would not contradict them or oppose them. He had brokenness. Indeed, brokenness is a beautiful trait before God.

In Isaiah 66:2, God says “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” When we are broken, God heals.

David’s second great attribute was his wholeheartedness towards God. In 1 Kings 14:8, the Lord said that David followed him with all his heart. Solomon on the other hand was half-hearted, and Saul had no heart. In 1 Kings 11:4, it is written that King Solomon’s heart was not fully devoted to the Lord as his father’s had been. Being wholehearted means being fully committed, fully devoted. In Psalm 13, we see how despite enduring bad times, David still trusted and praised the Lord. In Psalm 73, in challenging times, David hoped in the Lord. In times of personal failure, David still put his fate in the Lord. In 2 Samuel 24, we see how David preferred to accept punishment from the Lord rather than men because He trusted in the Lord’s mercy.

Throughout his life, David had faith in God’s deliverance, timing, justice, mercy and covenant. David obeyed God with delight. Psalm 119:14-16, David says “I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”

Because David was wholehearted, God was able to do great things through him. In Acts 13:22, Paul shared how God declared of David “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” In 1 Kings 15, we see how in spite of King Abijah’s unfaithfulness, the Lord still strengthened Jerusalem for the sake of David. It is interesting to note that during King David’s reign in history, his influence was such that no new religion or cult came about. Indeed, David’s faith in God has inspired many to put their faith in God, even among us today.

Many of us, like King David, have made mistakes, but we must allow God to teach our hearts to obey Him. In the early days, SIB only had 120 people and 90% of them were students and everyone loved God. When students were challenged to buy 1 chair for the sanctuary for themselves, and as many extra chairs as they would bring, several bought 5,6 even 10. It’s not how much we give, but how whole-hearted we are. When we begin to be whole-hearted, we begin to have a heart like God. David inspires us to love God, so let us learn like him to love God wholeheartedly.