by Neema Joshua | 6 November 2019 08:46 am11
Acts 13:21–22: “Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. But when He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, about whom He testified: ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.’”
Although David was not perfect in the way other servants of God like Moses, Samuel, Elijah, or Daniel were, the Bible testifies that he was a man who greatly pleased God.
How Did David Please God?
1. Wholehearted Faith in God
David trusted God fully, regardless of the size of the challenge before him. He magnified God above the problem and did not fear any situation.
Psalm 27:1 – “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
When facing Goliath, David did not fear the giant’s size or threats, despite being unarmed. Instead, he boldly declared:
1 Samuel 17:45–47 – “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. … This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. … And all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”
This demonstrates that when trials confront us, we must not flee but trust God to reveal His power. David also expressed this trust in Psalm 23, acknowledging God’s presence even “in the valley of the shadow of death.”
2. Love for God’s Word
David treasured God’s law above all else.
Psalm 119:47–48 – “I will delight in your commandments, which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.”
Psalm 119:140 – “Your word is very pure; therefore, your servant loves it.”
David meditated on God’s Word day and night, not casually reading it but deeply reflecting. As believers, we should cultivate a similar heart: rejoicing in God’s instruction, correcting sin in our lives, and meditating on His truth consistently (Psalm 1:1–3).
3. Confession and Repentance
David quickly acknowledged and confessed his sins. When he sinned with Bathsheba, he accepted his wrongdoing when confronted by the prophet Nathan:
2 Samuel 12:13 – “David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’”
Unlike Adam and Eve, who shifted blame, David’s heart was repentant. Psalm 51 further illustrates his earnest confession and desire for restoration, showing us the importance of true repentance.
4. Courage to Declare God’s Power
David did not shy away from proclaiming God’s greatness and power.
Psalm 119:46 – “I will speak of your testimonies before kings, and shall not be put to shame.”
Even as king, David publicly worshiped God, demonstrating humility and devotion. Likewise, the Apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of boldness in the Gospel:
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Application:
We are called to imitate David’s example:
Trust God fully, even in challenges.
Love and meditate on God’s Word.
Confess and repent of our sins promptly.
Boldly proclaim God’s greatness to the world.
By following these principles, we too can please God as David did. May God help us cultivate hearts after His own.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2019/11/06/why-was-david-a-man-after-gods-own-heart/
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