David
The shepherd of Bethlehem — the king of Israel — the sweet psalmist — the man after God's own heart.
Identity
David is the shepherd son of Jesse, anointed king over Israel by the prophet Samuel at Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16). He is called 'a man after mine own heart' (Acts 13:22; cf. 1 Samuel 13:14). He is the 'sweet psalmist of Israel' (2 Samuel 23:1), the traditional author of many Psalms, and the ancestor of Christ (Matthew 1:1). His kingdom is the type of the kingdom that shall have no end.
Name and titles
'David' — Dawid in Hebrew — means 'beloved.' Scripture calls him 'David the son of Jesse', 'the son of David' (also a Messianic title in Matthew 1:1), 'the shepherd of Israel', and 'the sweet psalmist of Israel' (2 Samuel 23:1).
Historical period
- c. 1040 BC — Born in Bethlehem, the youngest of eight sons of Jesse.
- c. 1025 BC — Anointed king by Samuel at Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:1-13).
- c. 1020 BC — Slays Goliath in the valley of Elah (1 Samuel 17).
- c. 1020-1010 BC — Serves in Saul's court; flees Saul's jealousy; hides in the wilderness of Judah (1 Samuel 18-30).
- c. 1010 BC — Made king over Judah at Hebron (2 Samuel 2:4). After seven years, king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:3).
- c. 1003 BC — Captures Jerusalem from the Jebusites and makes it his royal city (2 Samuel 5:6-9).
- c. 1000 BC — Brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6).
- c. 990 BC — The sin with Bathsheba; Nathan's rebuke; David's repentance (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51).
- c. 970 BC — Dies in Jerusalem, succeeded by Solomon his son (1 Kings 2:10-12).
Scripture appearances
- 1 Samuel 16 (KJV) Samuel anoints David at Bethlehem.
- 1 Samuel 17 (KJV) David slays Goliath.
- 2 Samuel 5-6 (KJV) David takes Jerusalem and brings up the Ark.
- 2 Samuel 7 (KJV) The Davidic Covenant — the LORD promises David a house whose throne shall be established for ever.
- 2 Samuel 11-12 (KJV) The sin with Bathsheba and the repentance.
- Psalm 23 (KJV) 'The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want' — the Shepherd Psalm.
- Psalm 51 (KJV) 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness' — the great psalm of penitence.
- Matthew 1:1-17 (KJV) The genealogy of Christ, 'the son of David.'
- Acts 13:22 (KJV) God bears witness of David, 'a man after mine own heart.'
Connected Places
Connected People
- Samuel — the prophet who anointed him.
- Saul — his predecessor, whose spear he twice refused to lift.
- Jonathan — his covenant brother.
- Nathan — the prophet who rebuked him.
- Bathsheba — his wife, mother of Solomon.
- Solomon — his son and successor.
- Christ Jesus — his greatest descendant.
Salvation history role
- The type of the Messianic King — every promise made to David is fulfilled in Christ.
- The author (traditionally) of most of the Psalter — Christian prayer is soaked in David's words.
- The proof that a great sinner can be a great saint. His repentance is as instructive as his victories.
Christian tradition
- The Church recites at least one Davidic psalm at every hour of prayer.
- The Advent title 'Son of David' is sung in every 'O antiphon' (O Radix Jesse) of the last week before Christmas.
- David is honoured as a prophet and a righteous ancestor of the Lord in every Christian calendar.
- His harp is the emblem of Christian music: the psalter that never falls silent.
Household reflection
David teaches the household that greatness before God is not sinlessness. It is a heart that turns back the moment it strays.
When the household prays Psalm 51 together after a hard day, it is walking the same path David walked with Nathan by his side.
Room connections
Where this entry meets the household in the wider house of CrossAIHub.
- Read (Library) — Read 1 and 2 Samuel through — the fullest single portrait of a Christian ancestor after Christ Himself.
- Pray (Chapel) — Pray Psalm 51 each Friday, and Psalm 23 at every family bedtime.
- Family (Kitchen Table) — Teach the little ones Psalm 23 by heart before they are ten. It will feed them for life.
- Sing (Choir Room) — The Psalms are the household's first hymnal. Sing them in metrical form (Scottish Psalter, Genevan Psalter).
- Learn (Workshop) — Study the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7) — the hinge of Old Testament prophecy of Christ.
Further reading
1 Samuel 16 through 1 Kings 2 in the KJV.
The Psalter — read a psalm a day for five months and the whole book is prayed twice a year.
Augustine, Expositions of the Psalms.
Elsewhere in the Atlas
Continue Your Journey
Where else this page opens into the household library.