David, character of

David, although not perfect, is portrayed as a man and a king after God's own heart.

David's appearance and attributes

1 Samuel 16:18 See also 1 Samuel 16:12

One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”

David's characteristics

His dependence upon God

1 Samuel 13:14 See also 1 Samuel 23:2, 1 Samuel 23:4, 1 Samuel 23:9–13; Psalm 23:1–6, Psalm 34:1–7, Psalm 54:1–4, Psalm 62:1–2, Psalm 142:1–7

But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”

His trust in God

1 Samuel 17:34–37 See also 1 Samuel 17:40–51

David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” “Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with you.”

His loyalty to others

1 Samuel 20:41–42 See also 2 Samuel 9:1, 2 Samuel 9:6–7

When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together — though David wept more. And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.

His respect for those in authority

1 Samuel 24:1–7 See also 1 Samuel 26:1–25

After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave. So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.” With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.

His deep humanity is evident in his paternal grief

2 Samuel 18:32–33 See also 2 Samuel 13:38–39, 2 Samuel 18:5, 2 Samuel 19:1–7

The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you to harm you be like that young man.” The king was shaken and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

David's abilities

He was a strategist and courageous commander

2 Samuel 8:3–6 See also 1 Samuel 17:34–47; 2 Samuel 5:6–10, 2 Samuel 5:17–25, 2 Samuel 8:1, 2 Samuel 8:13–14; 1 Samuel 27:5–11

David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River. David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots. When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men. Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

He was a musician and poet

2 Samuel 23:1 1 Samuel 16:18, 1 Samuel 16:23, 1 Samuel 18:10, 1 Samuel 19:9–10; 2 Samuel 22:1 parallel PSA 18:0 He sang; 1 Chronicles 16:7; PSA 3:0, PSA 34:0, PSA 51:0, PSA 52:0, PSA 54:0, PSA 63:0

These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:

He was a wise leader

2 Samuel 8:15 See also 2 Samuel 7:18–29, 2 Samuel 15:14, 2 Samuel 15:25–29, 2 Samuel 15:32–36, 2 Samuel 16:5–12, 2 Samuel 19:18–29, 2 Samuel 21:1–9

Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:

His military activities prevented him from building the temple

1 Kings 5:3; 1 Chronicles 22:7–8

David's sin and repentance

His adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah

2 Samuel 11:2–4, 2 Samuel 12:7–10 See also 2 Samuel 11:14–17, 2 Samuel 11:26–27

One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing— a very beautiful woman. So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home.

Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own. You have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

His repentance

2 Samuel 12:13–23; Psalm 51:1–19