When you think of King David, what comes to mind? Perhaps you’re reminded of the frequently quoted verse that describes David as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), or his humble origin in a little town called Bethlehem. Maybe you right away jump to the famous account of David slaying Goliath, or David’s experiences when he was on the run from King Saul. If you’re one who is musically inclined, you might be especially appreciative of the many psalms that David wrote.

There’s much that can be said about this famous king in Israel’s ancient history, and today we’ll be talking about David’s journey to royalty and how that later led to the establishment of the Davidic Covenant, all of which God accomplished in a manner that defies human wisdom. Let’s begin by considering David’s conception, as he was a direct descendant of Boaz, who was from the tribe of Judah (Ruth 1:2, 2:1, 4:17-22). As you may recall from last time, the royal lineage was to be from Judah, and unlike his predecessor, David meets that most basic criterion. But there are countless other men from the tribe of Judah who could have also claimed the right to the throne, including David’s older brothers, so why David?

After King Saul’s sin of not killing the king of the Amalekites, Samuel’s search for the new king of Israel began. As 1 Samuel 16 records, the Lord sent Samuel to a place that seemed most unlikely and unfitting for a king. In a small town called Bethlehem, the Lord led Samuel to a man by the name of Jesse, since He had chosen one of his sons. At this point, Samuel knew Jesse had multiple sons but did not know which of them was the one whom God had chosen. What happens next is a familiar story to many of us: Samuel took one look at the son that seemed most “kingly” in his eyes and thought to himself, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” (v. 6). But watch what God says in response to Samuel’s presupposition: “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (v. 7).

This verse alone sets the stage for all that was to follow. God’s wisdom is different from our wisdom, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). Both Samuel and Jesse came to understand that the one God had chosen to be king wasn’t even initially presented as an option. God chose not one of the “suitable” sons, but a humble shepherd boy who was outside tending the sheep: the runt of the litter. But what man would deem as weak and unsuitable for royalty, God saw as someone who was wholly devoted to Him all the days of his life. God was looking not for a proud man that would merely wield his authority by the strength of his sword, but a shepherd who could lead His sheep. Shepherds are indeed tough men and know how to bravely face danger when protecting their flocks, but they are also characterized by their tender-heartedness and lowliness. David may be just a lad at this point in his life, but despite his seemingly youthful appearance, the narrative reminds us that he actually had a lot going for him, even physically. He was described as “ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance”  (v. 12).

In other words, if you look past his youthfulness and lowly circumstances, he actually does possess all the qualities that the people wanted in a king all along. Furthermore, David’s slaying of Goliath further solidified in the minds of the people that he was truly fit to be a warrior. His fame and popularity practically rose overnight, and women began to sing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). Saul’s disdain for David would be from that day onwards, always resenting the fact that David found favor in God’s eyes and not himself. Eventually, after many years of unsuccessful attempts to kill his arch-rival David, Saul would die, resulting in a brief civil war between the house of Saul and the house of David over who has rightful claim to the throne. But the house of David prevailed, setting everything in place for David to be Israel’s next king.

King David had many things going for him early on in his reign just as Saul did, but there are a couple of key differences. First of all, we see a pattern of David inquiring of the Lord before going to battle (2 Samuel 5:19, 23), something that was completely missing during the reign of Saul. Secondly, David’s heart was full of thanksgiving and praise, and desired to see others likewise full of adoration of the Lord their God. Saul was only concerned with checking off the boxes; David sought to know the One who made the checklist. David loved the Lord with all His heart, so much so that he wanted to build Him a house: a permanent temple, in place of the tabernacle.

This was a noble desire on the part of David, and even his prophet Nathan was fully on board with his idea. But notice what God told Nathan in response:

“Go and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” (2 Samuel 7:5-7).

Rather than build God a house, God had a different plan, a plan that would serve as the backbone of the Davidic Covenant. Next time, we will continue on with all that God said to Nathan, and further discuss what God promised to His servant David.