The Non-Negotiable Call to Obedience

1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also masons and carpenters to build a house for him. 2 And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

3 And David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet. – 1 Chronicles 14:1-7 ESV

The chronicler appears to borrow freely from the text of 2 Samuel 5, using much of the same language to convey the early days of David’s reign. But verses 1-2 function as a parenthetical statement that is intended to give further proof of David’s increasing control and power over Israel. Hiram, the king of Tyre, reigned from 980-947 B.C., so that would mean that his gift of cedar trees, carpenters, and masons would have been much later in David’s reign, long after he had established Jerusalem as his capital. But the chronicler includes these verses as evidence that David’s reign was not a flash-in-the-pan event. News of his crowning as king over all of Israel had spread all the way to Tyre. Even the dreaded Philistines heard of David’s unification of the kingdom and planned an appropriate response. But they would not come bearing gifts or offering to construct David a palace.

One statement stands out in these verses: “David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.” (1 Chronicles 15:2 ESV). David fully recognized that this momentous occasion in his life had been God’s doing from beginning to end. Every phase of his life, from his days serving as a shepherd in his father’s house to his anointing by Samuel, had been part of God’s plan. Even the years he spent in exile, attempting to escape the wrath of King Saul, were all part of God’s sovereign will for his life.

David also understood that his ascension to the throne of Israel had not been for his own glory but for the good of the people of Israel. His reign had been ordained by God so that he might rule the people of God justly and righteously. He was God’s hand-picked agent, His earthly representative, chosen to care for and protect His people. David’s comprehension of his divine role is reflected in one of his many psalms. Take note of the many references to God and His role in the affairs of David’s life.

How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord!
    He shouts with joy because you give him victory.
For you have given him his heart’s desire;
    you have withheld nothing he requested. Interlude

You welcomed him back with success and prosperity.
    You placed a crown of finest gold on his head.
He asked you to preserve his life,
    and you granted his request.
    The days of his life stretch on forever.
Your victory brings him great honor,
    and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty.
You have endowed him with eternal blessings
    and given him the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord.
    The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling. – Psalm 21:1-7 NLT

Yet, even with David’s awareness of his God-ordained role and his complete dependence upon God’s good favor for his reign to be successful, David was still capable of disobeying the very One who made his kingship possible. Verse 3 provides a stark reminder that David had a dark side, and it is not something to overlook or ignore. The author could have left it out but, under the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this unattractive aspect of David’s life was included.

It simply states, “And David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters.” (1 Chronicles 15:3 ESVS). It would be easy to read this as just another indication of David’s growing power and significance. If it were any other king of any other nation, that would be an accurate interpretation. But David was NOT just another king and Israel was far from just another nation. David was God’s hand-picked ruler over His chosen people and, as such, He answered to a higher authority and was held to a higher standard. When the people of Israel first demanded a king like all the other nations, God agreed to their demand but warned them. 

“The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

“When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel. ”– Deuteronomy 17:17-20 NLT

God’s king was not to be like all the other kings; he was to operate according to a different set of standards. What was acceptable and appropriate for the kings of other nations was off-limits for God’s sovereign ruler. Other kings might be able to use their power and authority to justify all kinds of self-satisfying, self-promoting actions, but not the King of Israel. Yet, David continued to multiply wives for himself, in direct violation of God’s command.

David wasn’t free to approach God’s commands cafeteria-style, choosing those that seemed most attractive and ignoring the ones he didn’t like. He was to obey them ALL. That included God’s commands regarding polygamy because God knew that the king’s failure to observe that command would produce unfaithfulness and result in idolatry. God expected His king to be law-abiding and an example of faithfulness to the rest of the nation.

One of the things David failed to recognize was that his reign was setting the standard for his successors. What he did, they would do. Future generations of Israelite kings would follow his lead and many would take his small acts of disobedience and magnify them. What David did in moderation, his heirs would do to excess.

Even David’s construction of a royal palace, with the aid of King Hiram, would set a precedence for future kings of Israel. Years later, God would have strong words for one of David’s successors who placed greater value on his royal residence than he did on his God-given responsibility to rule with justice and righteousness.

And the Lord says, “What sorrow awaits Jehoiakim,
    who builds his palace with forced labor.
He builds injustice into its walls,
    for he makes his neighbors work for nothing.
    He does not pay them for their labor.
He says, ‘I will build a magnificent palace
    with huge rooms and many windows.
I will panel it throughout with fragrant cedar
    and paint it a lovely red.’
But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king!
    Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink.
But he was just and right in all his dealings.
    That is why God blessed him.
He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,
    and everything went well for him.
Isn’t that what it means to know me?”
    says the Lord.
“But you! You have eyes only for greed and dishonesty!
    You murder the innocent,
    oppress the poor, and reign ruthlessly.” – Jeremiah 22:13-17 NLT

David’s reign was in its early stages, and every step he took and each decision he made would prove to be critical. His choices would have long-term ramifications. Even reading the list of sons born to him by his growing harem of wives indicates that David’s actions had future implications. There, nestled discretely in the list of sons is the name of Solomon, the very one who would follow David as king of Israel. Born to Bathsheba, Solomon would prove to be his father’s son in more ways than one. A glimpse at the latter days of Solomon’s reign provides sobering proof of sin’s long-term effects.

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. – 1 Kings 11:1-4 ESV

As the old saying goes, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Solomon inherited many of his father’s characteristics, both good and bad. But it was his father’s love of women and blatant disregard for God’s prohibition against polygamy that would bring his reign to an abrupt and ignominious end.

David was God’s king but he didn’t always rule God’s way. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I am God’s son and heir, but that doesn’t mean I always live up to my position. Obedience is the true mark of sonship. Fearing God begins with obeying God. Even Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 NLT). The apostle John took it a step further, writing, “And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments” (1 John 2:3 NLT). The greatest proof of David’s love for God would be found in his obedience to the commands of God. The same thing holds true for us today. Love without obedience is hypocrisy. Claiming to love God while continuing to disobey God reflects a love of self, not a love of God.

Now that David had the throne, he would discover that his greatest battles were ahead of him. He would learn the truth behind the maxim, “Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” Ruling and reigning is an attractive proposition but it comes with weighty responsibilities, and David would soon learn just how heavy the crown could be.

The chronicler is using these historical anecdotes from David’s life to encourage his readers to value and obey God’s commands. If David, the man after God’s own heart, was held accountable by God, how much more would they be? Disobedience to God’s laws always has consequences and sin has a way of taking on a life of its own, producing long-term ramifications that can linger for generations.

David wasn’t free to approach God’s commands cafeteria-style, choosing those that seemed most attractive and ignoring the ones he didn’t like. He was to obey them ALL. That included God’s commands regarding polygamy because God knew that the king’s failure to observe that command would produce unfaithfulness and result in idolatry. God expected His king to be law-abiding and an example of faithfulness to the rest of the nation. That is why God ordered His king to keep a copy of the law close at hand.

“This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way.” – Deuteronomy 17:20 NLT

David was God’s divinely appointed leader. He had access to the law of God. He was widely recognized as the king of Israel, with a new capital, a good reputation, and a unified nation. But he would still need to be obedient, and so would the returned exiles.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Dead Prophet and a Deadly Fool

1 Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.

Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite. 4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. 6 And thus you shall greet him: ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’” – 1 Samuel 25:1-8  ESV

This chapter is going to serve as the centerpiece between chapters 24 and 26, linking the two stories they contain. In chapter 24, we saw David pass on what appeared to be a God-ordained opportunity to take the life of King Saul. When given the chance to put an end to his life of exile by putting an end to Saul, he refused to raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed.

Chapter 26 will present us with a very similar story in which David is presented with another tempting and seemingly divine opportunity to get rid of Saul once and for all. Sandwiched in between these two chapters is the story of David’s encounter with Abigail and Nabal. The central figure in the story is Abigail, and her relationship with her rich but foolish husband Nabal will provide some not-so-subtle insights into the relationship between David and Saul. As the story unfolds, Nabal becomes the poster boy for foolish and unwise behavior, reflecting the danger of a life lived without wisdom or discernment. His beautiful and wise wife, Abigail, will provide a hard-to-miss illustration of how someone is to handle the “fools” in their lives.

But before we address David’s encounter with Abigail and Nabal, we have to deal with David’s loss. The chapter opens with the announcement of the death of Samuel; this would have been a shocking blow to David. Samuel, the prophet and the last of the judges of Israel, had played an integral role in the nation’s transformation into a monarchy. He had witnessed and overseen the establishment of Saul as the very first king over the nation of Israel. He had done so somewhat reluctantly, seeing their demand for a king as an indictment against him as their judge, but there was more to the story. We’re told in 1 Samuel 8 that Samuel had two sons, Joel and Abijah, who both served as judges, but they didn’t have sterling reputations.

Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. – 1 Samuel 8:3 ESV

The very thought of these two men judging over them moved the people to demand a king, but their father Samuel took offense. He had been the one to rule over and guide the people of Israel and had served as God’s mouthpiece, dispensing judgment and providing them with spiritual direction. But with the appointment of Saul as king, Samuel’s role changed dramatically. He became a counselor to the king and a prophet to the people. He still had a vital role to play and continued to be used by God. In fact, it was Samuel who presented Saul with the difficult news that his kingdom was coming to an end and that God had already chosen his replacement. He was the one who anointed David to be the next king.

But now, as the unwitting nation watched the epic struggle between their king and his young champion, David, their prophetic patriarch passed off the scene. The last judge of Israel breathed his last breath and, with his death, a new era began. The age of the kings was about to begin in earnest and it would represent one of the most volatile and unstable periods in the history of the nation of Israel. David and Saul would end up representing two diametrically disparate examples of kingly conduct and character. Israel would soon learn the difference between a wise, God-fearing king and a godless, foolish, and immoral one.

That is where the story of Abigail and Nabal comes into play. David and Saul had parted ways after their encounter outside the cave in the wilderness of Engedi. Saul had shown remorse over his treatment of David and acknowledged his realization that David would succeed him as king. It wasn’t just a possibility; it was a God-ordained certainty.

But despite Saul’s admission of remorse, the relationship between the two men was not healed. David didn’t return with Saul but instead, he continued to live in the wilderness with his men. He seems to have recognized that Saul’s display of repentance was less than sincere and would be short-lived. At this point in the story, David knew that he was to be the next king of Israel but he also knew that the transfer of power from Saul to himself was up to God and would be according to His timing. David would have to continue to wait on God to orchestrate all the details concerning his ascension to the throne. For now, he would maintain his fugitive lifestyle and stay as far away from Saul as humanly possible. That brought him into the wilderness of Paran, where he had a “chance” encounter with Nabal.

We’re told that Nabal was a wealthy man who possessed 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. He also had a wife named Abigail who was “discerning and beautiful” (1 Samuel 25:3 ESV). In stark contrast, Nabal is described as a Calebite who “was harsh and badly behaved” (1 Samuel 25:3 ESV). From the very onset, the reader is presented with the stark contrast between these two characters. They have been joined together in marriage, but could not be more dissimilar in their natures and behaviors. Later on in the story, Abigail will rather bluntly share with David, “I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests” (1 Samuel 25:25 NLT).

Nabal’s very name means “fool” in Hebrew, and it’s difficult to imagine why his parents chose to saddle their son with such a derogatory and degrading name. Yet, as the story unfolds, Nabal will more than live up to his name. He will be exposed as a surly, egotistical, arrogant, and unwise individual who had made a name for himself in the world and enjoyed a life of relative prosperity. Despite his name, Nabal was an intelligent man who had managed to make a nice life for himself and his family. He was far from stupid, but his decision-making abilities and people skills leave a lot to be desired and earn him the unflattering title of “fool.”

In the Bible, the designation “fool” had nothing to do with intelligence. It has more to do with spirituality than intellect. David would one day write in one of his psalms, “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (Psalm 14:1 NLT).

In Psalm 10, we are given an even more descriptive assessment of the fool, but in terms of their wickedness:

The wicked are too proud to seek God.
    They seem to think that God is dead.
Yet they succeed in everything they do.
    They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
    They sneer at all their enemies.
They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
    We will be free of trouble forever!” – Psalm 10:4-6 NLT

Nabal will become a living illustration of the successful, self-made man who acts as if God doesn’t exist and arrogantly boasts that his fate and fortune are all in his hands.

It seems that David and his men had encountered the shepherds of Nabal while they were hiding out in the area of Paran. Whether they realized it or not, these employees of Nabal had enjoyed the protection of David’s men, whose presence kept the Amalekites and Philistines at bay. They had served as a military presence in Paran, ensuring the safety of its residents, and this included Nabal’s shepherds and his sheep. Eventually, Nabal’s servants returned to Carmel with their flocks so they could be sheared. This annual event was accompanied by feasting and celebration, which led David to send some of his men to seek food from Nabal in repayment for their protection. He sent his men with the following message for Nabal:

“Peace and prosperity to you, your family, and everything you own! I am told that it is sheep-shearing time. While your shepherds stayed among us near Carmel, we never harmed them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. Ask your own men, and they will tell you this is true. So would you be kind to us, since we have come at a time of celebration? Please share any provisions you might have on hand with us and with your friend David.” – 1 Samuel 25:6-8 NLT

But David was in for a rude surprise. His kind words were met with stubborn defiance. This unexpected and unpleasant response from Nabal pushed David to his limits. He was already struggling with his ongoing feud with Saul and was growing weary of his exiled existence and the constant need to keep his men and their families fed. David had been on the run for some time now and had just heard the devastating news that his mentor, Samuel, had died. He was not in a good mood, and he was not a man to be trifled with. Yet, at this low point in his life, David found himself coming face-to-face with Nabal, the fool.

But David would also meet the wise and beautiful Abigail. Through her, David would receive an invaluable lesson about how to handle the fools in his life. Her relationship with Nabal was most likely the result of an arranged marriage. According to the cultural norms of her day, she had been given no say in the matter and was forced to live with a man who more than lived up to his name. Over time, she developed the capacity to compensate for her husband’s less-than-godly behavior. She gained the skills necessary to survive life in the company of a fool, and this resourceful and resilient woman would prove to be a godsend for David, providing him much-needed insight into his ongoing relationship with Saul.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Dejected But Not Rejected

1 David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

3 And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me.” 4 And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. 5 Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth. – 1 Samuel 22:1-5  ESV

David left Gath in a hurry, the drool still clinging to his beard and the laughter of the Philistines still ringing in his ears. He had managed to escape with his life but was forced to leave his dignity behind. He had put himself in a very dangerous predicament and been forced to feign insanity when his plan fell apart. But despite the less-than-positive outcome of his plan to seek refuge in Gath, David was learning to trust in God and not himself. This would prove to be a lifelong endeavor, but with each passing circumstance, David learned to lean less on himself and more on God.

His trip to Gath would not be the last time David found himself in a tight spot. In fact, during the fugitive phase of his life, suffering, rejection, and ridicule would become familiar experiences. He recorded the feelings of loneliness and dejection that often haunted him in one of his psalms.

But I am a worm and not a man.
    I am scorned and despised by all!
Everyone who sees me mocks me.
    They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
“Is this the one who relies on the Lord?
    Then let the Lord save him!
If the Lord loves him so much,
    let the Lord rescue him!” – Psalm 22:6-8 NLT

David would know what it was like to be despised by others and wrestle with feeling abandoned by God. He would experience many moments of doubt and despair but, through it all, he would discover the reality of God’s persistent presence and power. In time, through all the trials of his life, David would learn what it means to trust God.

After having escaped from Gath by the skin of his teeth, David headed east to an isolated region called Adullam, the former site of an ancient Canaanite city. Adullam was not far from the valley of Elah, where David defeated Goliath. The area is pockmarked with caves, many of which are large enough to hold up to 400 men. It was in one of these caves that David sought refuge but he would not be alone for long. Somehow, his father and brothers received word of David’s location and they made their way to him, along with their entire households.

David’s cave was filling up fast and it would soon be standing room only. The text states that “all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts” (1 Samuel 22:2 MSG). David suddenly found himself surrounded by a motley crew of debtors, malcontents, and social miscreants, who each shared one thing in common: A general dislike for King Saul. In one way or another, this man’s reign had negatively impacted them and they were willing to risk all to throw in their lot with David, a man with a bounty on his head. Just showing up at the cave in Adullam made them guilty of aiding and abetting a fugitive.

It’s not difficult to discern why these disgruntled Israelites chose to throw in their lot with David. They had each experienced some aspect of Saul’s oppressive rule and were ready for a change. The foreboding words of Samuel the prophet, spoken before Saul was even anointed as king, must have rung in their ears as they made their way to Adullam.

“This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.” – 1 Samuel 8:11-17 NLT

Oppressed, overtaxed, and outraged by their treatment by Saul, these disenfranchised Israelites chose to align themselves with the disgraced and equally disillusioned David. Just hours earlier, David had been surrounded by hostile Philistines. Now, he was surrounded by disgruntled and desperate Hebrews, who were looking to him for leadership and direction.

The text tells us that 400 men allied themselves with David and viewed him as their commander. He was no longer alone, but now he found himself responsible for the well-being and protection of hundreds of men and their families. How would he feed them all? How was he going to be able to protect them from the professional soldiers sent by Saul to hunt him down? Whether he liked it or not, David suddenly found himself thrust into the role of leader once again. But these were not well-trained soldiers equipped with the latest military weapons; they were nothing more than peasants, farmers, and common laborers. This amalgam of human flotsam and jetsam would put David’s leadership abilities to the test, but it was within this crucible of crisis that God chose to purify and perfect the man whom He had chosen to be the next king of Israel.

One of the first decisions David made was to send his father and mother to stay in the land of Moab. He arranged for the King of Moab to provide his parents with a safe haven, “until I know what God is going to do for me” (1 Samuel 22:3 NLT). David's great-grandmother, Ruth, had been a Moabitess, so there was a familial connection that explains David’s decision. His parents would remain in Moab until he had a better idea as to what God had in store for him.

David had learned a painful lesson at Gath and he was slowly learning to seek God’s will. Taking matters into his own hands and trying to determine his fate apart from God had proved to be a dangerous game to play. He had no clue what the future held, but he was anxious to know what God had in mind, and he didn’t have to wait long.

One day, a prophet appeared at the cave and gave David a word from God. He was to leave immediately and return to the land of Judah. This would not be the last time during David’s wilderness wanderings that God would speak to him through a prophet. God had not left David alone, and He would not leave him directionless.

It’s important to remember that David had been anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel. It is still not clear whether David was aware of this fact. Up until this point in the narrative, there is no indication that David had ever been told by Samuel what his anointing had meant. David has shown no signs that he knew he was the king-in-waiting. He had been content to be a commander in Saul’s army. He had shown no aspirations of being king or any expectations that God was going to remove Saul and put him in his place on the throne. Yet, God had chosen David to be the next king of Israel. So why did God choose to put David on this precarious and potentially deadly path to the throne? Why was he allowing Saul to persecute and pursue David? Why was David being forced to run for his life and live like a fugitive? Why was God willing to allow Saul to retain the crown and use his royal resources to harass David?

None of this seems to make any sense. It all appears illogical and unnecessary. But God’s ways are not our ways. His plans rarely make sense to us. His methods, more often than not, come across as little more than madness to us. But the life of David is meant to reveal the sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing nature of God. David was receiving God’s will one day at a time; he wasn’t given the whole picture. The reader can view the full scope of David’s life and know how the story ends. But for David, each day was a mystery. He had no assurances. He couldn’t read ahead and learn how his life story was going to turn out. Yet, God was there, and David would learn to see Him in the middle of all the madness and messiness of life.

David was going to experience many dark days. He would know what it means to despair and feel the loneliness that comes with leadership. There would be moments when all seemed lost and there would be days when he felt abandoned by God. He would even put his thoughts of desperation in writing.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame. – Psalm 22:1-5 NLT

Through it all, David would discover the holiness and faithfulness of God. This lesson, while painful, would be crucial to his transformation from a shepherd of sheep to the shepherd of God’s people.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.