The Eternal Story of David
More than just a giant slayer...
The life of King David has captivated artists, storytellers and readers for millennia. His story is one of dramatic contrasts — shepherd and king, warrior and poet, mortal sinner and champion of faith.
While other leaders from antiquity were painted as pure or god-like (think Alexander the Great), Israel’s king certainly was not. David’s life unfolds as a blend of ambition, moral struggle, and an enduring relationship with the divine.
Let’s break down his story, and why it’s so eternally relevant today…
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From Shepherd to Hero
David came from humble beginnings, and spent his youth tending sheep in the fields of Bethlehem. It was there that the prophet Samuel anointed him, marking David as the future king of Israel.
But David’s path to greatness began on a battlefield, not in a palace. Armed with a sling and unshakable faith, he confronted and defeated the Philistine champion Goliath.
His courage, unshakeable faith, and victory against all odds won him the admiration of his people, and an invitation to the court of King Saul. David then continued to grow in prominence, leading Israel’s armies in battle and solidifying his reputation as a warrior. He did all this despite his youth, and quickly became a beloved hero of Israel.
The Cost of the Crown
But David’s journey to kingship was fraught with difficulties. Saul grew increasingly resentful of David’s popularity, and eventually set out to kill him. Forced into exile, David spent years fleeing Saul’s wrath, hiding in caves and doing his best to stay alive.
After Saul’s death, David was crowned king in Hebron, uniting the fractured tribes of Israel and establishing Jerusalem as his capital. Under his leadership, Israel entered into the beginnings of a golden age, consolidating its power and expanding its influence in the region.
Yet with power came the temptations and complexities of rulership. David didn’t just deal with war and governance; he also bore the weight of maintaining justice, setting an example, and leading with moral authority. His reign and legacy would be defined by his various triumphs and failures in each of these areas.
David’s Downfall: Crime & Punishment
David’s moral failings were fueled by lust, and it all started when he spied a beautiful woman bathing. The Bible describes the moment as such:
It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, 'Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?' So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her.
(2 Samuel 11: 2-4)
As if adultery and a blatant abuse of power weren’t enough, David made things worse when he tried to cover up his actions, orchestrating a plan to put Bathsheba’s husband Uriah on the frontlines of battle. This de facto murder left an even worse stain on David’s legacy, and spawned disastrous repercussions.
David’s moral failings not only strained his relationship with his subjects, but also triggered chaos within his family. His sons, notably Absalom and Amnon, became embroiled in violence and rebellion, with one murdering the other and driving the nation to civil war. David’s failure to control his own desires and enforce justice within his family weakened his moral authority, setting off a series of events that threatened to destroy everything he had built.
Redemption and Reflection
After the prophet Nathan confronted David about his crimes involving Bathsheba and Uriah, David was struck by the full weight of his actions. Nathan’s rebuke made clear that his personal failings would have lasting consequences for his family and his kingdom.
Filled with remorse, David expressed his repentance in a series of Psalms where he sought forgiveness, purity of heart, and renewed guidance from God. Despite his many flaws, David’s heartfelt contrition set him apart as a king who openly acknowledged his own faults. Psalm 51, for example, shows David grappling with his sin and imploring God to “create in [him] a pure heart”.
David was an adulterer, a murderer, and a failure of a father — yet despite all this, God still describes him as “a man after my own heart.”
His life, though marked by sin and shortcomings, stands as a reminder of humility and the enduring power of repentance. As such, David’s legacy still resonates as one of the Old Testament’s most profound stories of faith.
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Art of the Week
Guillaume Courtois was a Burgundian painter who specialized in Christian and mythological art. He and his two brothers became well-known painters in Renaissance Italy — a career no doubt inspired by a trip they took with their father to Milan, Venice, and Florence when they were young boys.
In this painting, Courtois employs dramatic lighting to emphasize David's figure, casting him in a radiant glow that contrasts with the darker tones enveloping Goliath. This interplay of light and shadow not only highlights the physical bodies depicted, but also symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.
The scene celebrates David’s victory, while highlighting the virtues that made it possible — the young shepherd’s expression clearly reveals deep rooted courage, determination, and unwavering faith.
I’m in the process of reading the bible cover to cover - while I’m familiar with the New Testament I never read the old testament and at times it’s a thrilling read - especially when one takes in how old it is! If only modern day leaders could find their ‘North Star’ which I would hope would be the Christian one and realise forgiveness is possible for mistakes by the Lord and the people, if only they held themselves accountable for bad decisions (the way David did) and persisted in ‘doing the right thing’. Thank you.
So know I know the source material for the American spiritual "Little David, Play On Your Harp..."