Have you ever wondered why God refers to David as a man after His own heart? There are a lot of holy and righteous men in the Bible. God doesn't call any of them a man after his own heart. So why David? This man lusted after another woman, committed adultery with her, and then had her husband killed to try to cover up his crime. So why does God call him "a man after His own heart?" And not just once, but twice in His Word-- 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22.
Well, one reason is because, despite his human weaknesses, he had a heart toward God, proven by the fact that when confronted with his sin he didn't excuse it: he owned it and deeply repented. The facts are laid out in 2 Samuel 12:1-23. The cry of David's heart over his sin is recorded in the entirety of Psalm 51. But David is not the only man of God in the Bible to have sinned and repented; so it must have been more than that.
I believe that the evidence for David being "a man after God's own heart" is found in more than his desire to honor God and the sincerity of His repentance when he failed. I believe it is found in his epic work: Psalm 119. While the entire psalm lays out true godliness before our Creator, I believe it is in one specific part that it gives the secret to why God regarded this man so highly ... a reason which ties to a deep New Testament truth that so many Christians fail to grasp.
Psalm 119 is an acrostic Psalm, meaning that each section begins with a sequential letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is one of nine such psalms: the others being 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, and 145. The purpose of an acrostic work is to aid in memorization. If you know the order of letters in an alphabet, it helps you remember the entire work. Psalm 119 has 176 verses, which are divided into 22 stanzas of 8 verses each. Each stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, beginning with Aleph (א) and working through to the final letter Tav (ת). And it is in the stanza beginning with the letter ה that I believe we find our clue ... not just in a part of the stanza, but in the whole thing.
Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I am not a believer in coincidence. When it comes to the dealings of God, I believe everything has a purpose. So I do not think it coincidental that this stanza begins with the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Five in the Bible always represent grace and mercy. (It's also interesting to me that the English representation of the fifth letter (ה) is "He" or "Heh". It always reminds me that HE is at the core of this stanza.) I believe this stanza specifically points to the root of goods grace and mercy in the life of a believer. So, let's take a look at this portion of the psalm--
Notice what David does NOT say here. He speaks of keeping God's law, observing His statutes, walking in His commandments, etc. But nowhere does he put the emphasis on himself. He does not say--
And this is the secret of Christian success. Had David put those things upon himself he would have been chaining himself to self-effort. And self-effort requires the use of our flesh. I think most of us know that our own willpower is insufficient, that self-effort eventually results in failure. Yet we constantly try to try harder! We ignore Paul's words in Galatians 3:3--
We skip right over the words that begin that verse ("Are you so foolish?") and somehow think we can defeat the flesh BY the flesh. And we cannot. The Bible is clear about that. In fact, it tells us HOW we are to defeat the flesh-- by the Spirit (Romans 8:13). In fact, let's look at that verse. It's reads--
Some read that as if it refers to living in sin. How many times have I heard a legalist warn that if you live sinfully you are going to die; but if you live holy you will live. But that is not what it says. The entire context of Romans 8 is the freedom we have in Christ. There is no longer condemnation for those of us who are in Christ. We have passed from death to life. We are no longer bound by the law of sin and death. Christ did what the Law could not do. And the requirement of the Law (that is to say the purpose for which the Law was given) is complete or fulfilled (Greek πληρόω, plaroo pronounced play-ROE-oh) in those who do not walk according to the manner of the flesh but who walk according to the manner of the Spirit.
Simply put, the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:8). That is why Christ died: not to reform our flesh, but to replace it (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20). So we are to walk according to the manner of the Spirit. And that's exactly what David was doing.
David relied on God entirely to guide him and, most importantly, to enable him. What he was saying in this fifth stanza of this Psalm was: “Please teach me, O Lord, and I shall keep it. Please give me understanding, and I shall observe it. Please make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for that is what I delight in, etcetera." David had a heart toward God but knew all too well his own human weakness, his own inability. And that is why he turned to God to supply what he knew he couldn't but that God could. In fact, he not only knew that God could ... but that God would. Otherwise He would not have prayed to God to do so.
Let us be of the same mind. Let us be men and women after God's own heart: knowing not only our weaknesses but calling on God to give us the victory, rather than trying harder and harder ourselves. And, like David, when God gives us a victory that we have asked for, let us not take it for granted and continue to sin in the belief that where sin abounds God's grace will much more abound (Romans 6:1-2). God forbid! Like David, when God teaches us let's us take what he teaches to heart. When He gives us understanding and wisdom, let us observe it. For when we truly delight in His way, God will always enable us to walk in the path of His commandments The more we obey and seek Him and His righteousness, the more we will receive and the more we will come to walk in victory ... with the glory going to Him, and not to our efforts.
When we truly long for His precepts, we can be absolutely assured that He will revive us through His righteousness. And what could be greater on this earth than that?
I pray this helps someone today.
Well, one reason is because, despite his human weaknesses, he had a heart toward God, proven by the fact that when confronted with his sin he didn't excuse it: he owned it and deeply repented. The facts are laid out in 2 Samuel 12:1-23. The cry of David's heart over his sin is recorded in the entirety of Psalm 51. But David is not the only man of God in the Bible to have sinned and repented; so it must have been more than that.
I believe that the evidence for David being "a man after God's own heart" is found in more than his desire to honor God and the sincerity of His repentance when he failed. I believe it is found in his epic work: Psalm 119. While the entire psalm lays out true godliness before our Creator, I believe it is in one specific part that it gives the secret to why God regarded this man so highly ... a reason which ties to a deep New Testament truth that so many Christians fail to grasp.
Psalm 119 is an acrostic Psalm, meaning that each section begins with a sequential letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is one of nine such psalms: the others being 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, and 145. The purpose of an acrostic work is to aid in memorization. If you know the order of letters in an alphabet, it helps you remember the entire work. Psalm 119 has 176 verses, which are divided into 22 stanzas of 8 verses each. Each stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, beginning with Aleph (א) and working through to the final letter Tav (ת). And it is in the stanza beginning with the letter ה that I believe we find our clue ... not just in a part of the stanza, but in the whole thing.
Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I am not a believer in coincidence. When it comes to the dealings of God, I believe everything has a purpose. So I do not think it coincidental that this stanza begins with the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Five in the Bible always represent grace and mercy. (It's also interesting to me that the English representation of the fifth letter (ה) is "He" or "Heh". It always reminds me that HE is at the core of this stanza.) I believe this stanza specifically points to the root of goods grace and mercy in the life of a believer. So, let's take a look at this portion of the psalm--
33Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
37Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
38Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
39Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
40Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness. (Psalm 119:33-40 NKJV)
Notice what David does NOT say here. He speaks of keeping God's law, observing His statutes, walking in His commandments, etc. But nowhere does he put the emphasis on himself. He does not say--
33I will learn. O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34I will get understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35I will walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36I will incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
37I will turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And I will revive me in Your way ... etcetera, etcetera.
No. He puts all those things upon God, not upon himself. He says--"Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes ... Give me understanding ... Make me walk ... Incline my heart to Your testimonies ... Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things ..." etcetera, etcetera.
And this is the secret of Christian success. Had David put those things upon himself he would have been chaining himself to self-effort. And self-effort requires the use of our flesh. I think most of us know that our own willpower is insufficient, that self-effort eventually results in failure. Yet we constantly try to try harder! We ignore Paul's words in Galatians 3:3--
"Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"
We skip right over the words that begin that verse ("Are you so foolish?") and somehow think we can defeat the flesh BY the flesh. And we cannot. The Bible is clear about that. In fact, it tells us HOW we are to defeat the flesh-- by the Spirit (Romans 8:13). In fact, let's look at that verse. It's reads--
"For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
Some read that as if it refers to living in sin. How many times have I heard a legalist warn that if you live sinfully you are going to die; but if you live holy you will live. But that is not what it says. The entire context of Romans 8 is the freedom we have in Christ. There is no longer condemnation for those of us who are in Christ. We have passed from death to life. We are no longer bound by the law of sin and death. Christ did what the Law could not do. And the requirement of the Law (that is to say the purpose for which the Law was given) is complete or fulfilled (Greek πληρόω, plaroo pronounced play-ROE-oh) in those who do not walk according to the manner of the flesh but who walk according to the manner of the Spirit.
Simply put, the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:8). That is why Christ died: not to reform our flesh, but to replace it (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20). So we are to walk according to the manner of the Spirit. And that's exactly what David was doing.
David relied on God entirely to guide him and, most importantly, to enable him. What he was saying in this fifth stanza of this Psalm was: “Please teach me, O Lord, and I shall keep it. Please give me understanding, and I shall observe it. Please make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for that is what I delight in, etcetera." David had a heart toward God but knew all too well his own human weakness, his own inability. And that is why he turned to God to supply what he knew he couldn't but that God could. In fact, he not only knew that God could ... but that God would. Otherwise He would not have prayed to God to do so.
Let us be of the same mind. Let us be men and women after God's own heart: knowing not only our weaknesses but calling on God to give us the victory, rather than trying harder and harder ourselves. And, like David, when God gives us a victory that we have asked for, let us not take it for granted and continue to sin in the belief that where sin abounds God's grace will much more abound (Romans 6:1-2). God forbid! Like David, when God teaches us let's us take what he teaches to heart. When He gives us understanding and wisdom, let us observe it. For when we truly delight in His way, God will always enable us to walk in the path of His commandments The more we obey and seek Him and His righteousness, the more we will receive and the more we will come to walk in victory ... with the glory going to Him, and not to our efforts.
When we truly long for His precepts, we can be absolutely assured that He will revive us through His righteousness. And what could be greater on this earth than that?
I pray this helps someone today.
