God described David as ‘a man after mine own heart which shall fulfil all my will’, Acts 13. 22. Today’s readings illustrate the lovely characteristics of this man:
His shepherd heart. The first thing we are told is, ‘he … the sheep’, 16. 11. Saul spoke of ‘David thy son, which is with the sheep’, 16. 19. He was usually with the flock, but if he was ever absent he ‘left the sheep with a keeper’, 17. 20. He cared for each one of them. He told Saul, ‘… there came a lion and a bear , and took a lamb out of the flock: and I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it’, 17. 34-45. He never forgot that the sheep belonged to his father, ‘Thy servant kept his father’s sheep’, 17. 34. He reminds us of the Good Shepherd who said, ‘I lay down my life for the sheep … I know them, … they shall never perish … my Father which gave them me’, John 10.
His fine appearance. He was ‘ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance’, 16. 12. The outward appearance reflected the inward state of his heart. The Scriptures portray Christ as He that is ‘white and ruddy … his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars’, S. of S. 5. 10, 15; ‘Thou art fairer than the children of men’, Ps. 45. 2.
His sweet singing. ‘… cunning (skilful) in playing’, 16. 18. ‘… the sweet psalmist of Israel’, 2 Sam. 23. 1. David wrote, ‘… upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee’, Ps. 144. 9. He could calm the most troubled heart, 16. 23. The Lord sung with His disciples before His death and He still leads the praise. ‘… in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee’, Heb. 2. 12 (a quote from David’s song, Ps. 22).
His mighty power. '… a mighty valiant man, and a man of war’, 16. 18. Eliab accused him of coming down to ‘see the battle’, 17. 28, but he had come down to ‘fight this Philistine’, 17. 32. The Lord came down from heaven, took the battle into enemy territory at Calvary and triumphed gloriously!
His wise speech. '… prudent in matters (speech)’, 16. 18. Every word he spoke bore testimony to a man who was in touch with God. They said of the Lord Jesus, ‘Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?’, Matt. 13. 54.
