David provides a good example of an OT believer who lived in regular submission to God. The Bible describes David as a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; cf. Acts 13:22). David walked faithfully with the Lord and surrendered to His will. David was an obedient king, for the most part, and subsequent kings were measured by him (1 Ki 3:14; 9:4-5; 11:4-6, 31-34, 38; 14:7-8; 15:1-5; 11-15; 2 Ki 14:1-4; 16:1-3; 18:1-3; 22:1-2). David set the bar for what it meant to be a good king, and this allowed others to have a standard to guide them. However, we should not conclude that David was perfectly obedient and kept the Lord’s will in all matters in his life. He did not. No believer ever does, for there are none who are sinless (Eccl 7:20; 1 John 1:8, 10), except the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 John 3:5).
David personally acknowledged his sins, saying “my iniquities are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they weigh too much for me” (Ps 38:4). He also wrote, “My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; they are more numerous than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed me” (Ps 40:12). Among David’s recorded sins, the most offensive was his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Sam 11:1-17). Scripture tells us that David had slept with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed; and “the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Sam 11:27). What is commendable about David is that he handled his sin in a biblical manner by confessing it and seeking the Lord’s forgiveness. Concerning Uriah and Bathsheba, David said, “I have sinned against the LORD” (2 Sam 12:13; read Psalm 51 for the longer version of David’s confession). And upon his confession, the prophet Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Sam 12:13). Here we see God’s grace and government at work; for though David was forgiven and restored to fellowship with God, there were still consequences for his actions and the Lord dispensed judgment upon David and Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:14-18).
On another occasion, David followed Satan’s temptation and “sinned greatly” by taking a census in Israel (1 Ch 21:1, 8), presumably because he was trusting in his military strength rather than the Lord. When God judged David for this, David confessed his sin and declared, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing” (1 Ch 21:8a). Not only did he confess his sin, but he also sought the Lord’s forgiveness, saying, “Please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly” (1 Ch 21:8b), and “I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great” (1 Ch 21:13). It is a hallmark of mature believers to humble themselves before the Lord through confession.
Furthermore, David practiced the sin of polygamy contrary to the Law of Moses, which specifically commanded the king of Israel, that “he shall not multiply wives for himself” (Deut 17:17). From Scripture we know the names of eight of David’s wives: Michal (1 Sam 18:27), Abigail (1 Sam 25:39-42), Ahinoam (1 Sam 25:43), Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:24), Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah (2 Sam 3:2-5). And he had other wives and concubines that are not named, as Scripture reveals, “David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron” (2 Sam 5:13a). Interestingly, the Bible says nothing about David’s practice of polygamy, and though it is a sin according to Scripture, it was apparently tolerated in David’s life, perhaps because it never resulted in his wives leading him into idolatry as it had with his son, Solomon (see 1 Ki 11:1-11).
Despite David’s imperfections and sins, he was still regarded as a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22). His life demonstrates several key areas of faithfulness that are instructive for Christians. David exhibited a deep love and devotion to God, as reflected in his heartfelt expressions throughout the 73 Psalms he wrote (see Psa 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; 6:1; 8:1; 9:1; 11:1; 12:1; 13:1; 14:1; 15:1; 18:1; etc.).[1] Many of the Psalms reveal David’s heart of worship to the Lord. His repentance and humility are evident after his sin with Bathsheba, where he sincerely sought God’s mercy and forgiveness (Psa 51:1-2). David’s trust in God’s sovereignty was unwavering, as witnessed in his confrontation with Goliath and his reliance on God (1 Sam 17:37). His obedience to God’s commands is seen in his refusal to harm King Saul, respecting God’s anointed king (1 Sam 24:1-6). His commitment to justice and righteousness was evident in his reign, where he sought to administer justice and equity for all his people, for “David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and righteousness for all his people” (2 Sam 8:15). Even in difficult times, David depended on God for guidance, protection, and comfort, as beautifully expressed in Psalm 23. Lastly, his desire to build a house for God, although fulfilled by his son Solomon, demonstrated his dedication to honoring and prioritizing the Lord (2 Sam 7:1-2). These aspects of David’s life highlight the important areas of faithfulness: devotion to God, humility, trust in God’s sovereignty, obedience to God’s commands, a heart for worship, commitment to justice and righteousness, dependence on God in difficult times, and a desire to honor and prioritize the Lord. The life of David demonstrates that believers can have a healthy walk with the Lord and be in submission to Him and doing His will in the major areas of their lives.
Dr. Steven R. Cook
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[1] King David is traditionally attributed with writing 73 of the 150 Psalms in the Book of Psalms. These Psalms often bear his name in their superscriptions, indicating his authorship. Additionally, the New Testament ascribes two other Psalms to David (Psalm 2 in Acts 4:25 and Psalm 95 in Hebrews 4:7), bringing the total traditionally attributed to David to 75.