A Legacy Of David
Serving – September 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine
A Legacy Of David
Jews, Christians and many others recognize King David as an important historical figure. Israeli citizens see him as one of their greatest heroes. Sunday school children know David as the young shepherd who defeated the giant Goliath, using only a sling and a stone with dependent faith in his God (1 Sam. 17:40-50). Others also remember David as a wife stealer and murderer (2 Sam. 11:2-4,14-17), who later learned the true meaning and joy of total forgiveness by the Lord (read Ps. 32). But the most important valuation of this man is not that of national honors, Sunday school lessons or adult viewpoints; it is that of God. He gave this testimony: “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22 NKJV ).
Approved Of God
What makes a person approved of God? He said, “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). A person’s talk as verified by his walk is a vital indicator of his inner being (Mt. 7:15-20), for it is the heart that directs one’s actions (15:19).
David’s heart was fixed on the Lord. This occupation was not kept as an inward emotion but was poured out in the sound of praise and worship. Many of his songs may have been written and played for himself, while some were for the pleasure of others. We enjoy a portion of David’s poems in the Psalms.* These are beautiful, God-breathed verses about many subjects, including giving thanks, laments, pleadings for help, confession, repentance, prophesy, pilgrimage and praise.
It would appear that David knew one’s speech was closely associated with the considerations of his inner being. He penned the prayer, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength, and my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14). A number of David’s psalms show that the Lord was in his thoughts both in the day and in the night, which pleased the Almighty (Mal. 3:16). As a young shepherd he probably sang in the fields about his Lord – possibly Psalm 23. We also see in Scripture that David wanted others to magnify the living God, for he organized the temple singers and made instruments of praise for temple service (1 Chr. 23:5). His music could calm a troubled soul (1 Sam. 16:22-23), and has done so for millions since his days. It is no wonder that he was called “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Sam. 23:1). Anyone listening to David’s songs could certainly recognize what his heart was contemplating (see Ps. 45).
What About Us?
How can people tell what is regularly on a Christian’s mind? One way is to let them listen to the songs we sing and the music or other things we play, especially in our private moments. What would they hear? Would the sounds be of scriptural ministry and praises of the Lord, or the music and talk shows from the world? What is heard could be a fair indication of the interest of that Christian’s heart.
Collectively, 60 years ago it was a common activity for Christians to sing hymns and choruses together even outside of normal meeting times. Is that the case now?
Let us be more like David, singing and having the Lord before us as much as possible. This is the encouragement of Scripture:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. — Colossians 3:16
Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. — Ephesians 5:19-20
Doing what these verses suggest will lift up our hearts and cause us to be a testimony to others. This is a specific legacy that David left to us through his psalms.
ENDNOTE
* Seventy-three of the 150 psalms in the Bible are attributed to King David. One of the Dead Sea Scrolls (11QPsa) attributes 3600 tehilim (songs of praise) plus other compositions to him (The Jewish Study Bible, Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, 2004).
By G. H. B.