David’s story begins when God told the prophet Samuel to go to Bethlehem and anoint a new king to replace Saul. Samuel was sent to the house of a man named Jesse, who had many sons. When Samuel saw the oldest son, he thought, “This must be the one!” But God told Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance. I don’t see people the way humans do—I look at the heart.” One by one, Jesse’s sons passed before Samuel, but none of them was chosen by God.
Finally, Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all your sons?” Jesse said, “There is still the youngest, but he is out in the fields taking care of the sheep.” That boy was David. When David came in, God told Samuel, “This is the one.” So, Samuel anointed David with oil, and from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord was with David.
Though David was anointed, he did not become king right away. He went back to his work as a shepherd, protecting his sheep from lions and bears. David was also a musician, and King Saul’s servants heard of his talent. Saul was troubled by an evil spirit, so they brought David to play music for him. David’s music soothed Saul, and David became a part of the king’s court.
David’s greatest early success came when the Israelites were at war with the Philistines. The Philistine army had a champion named Goliath, a giant who terrified the Israelites. Goliath challenged anyone to fight him, but no one was brave enough—until David arrived. Though he was just a boy, David believed that God would give him the strength to defeat Goliath. Armed only with a sling and five smooth stones, David faced the giant. With great faith, David said to Goliath, “You come against me with a sword and spear, but I come against you in the name of the Lord.” David slung a stone, hitting Goliath in the forehead, and the giant fell to the ground. David became a hero that day.
As David grew older, his fame spread throughout Israel. He became a warrior and led Saul’s army to many victories. The people loved David, and they even sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands.” This made King Saul very jealous. Saul became so jealous that he tried to kill David multiple times, but David escaped and went into hiding.
Even though Saul was hunting him, David refused to harm the king. Twice, David had the chance to kill Saul, but he didn’t. David said, “I will not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.” Instead, David trusted God to handle the situation. Eventually, Saul’s reign came to an end, and after Saul’s death, David became the king of Israel, just as God had promised.
As king, David united the tribes of Israel and brought the Ark of the Covenant—the special box that held the Ten Commandments—back to Jerusalem, making it the center of worship. David loved God deeply, and he wrote many psalms, which are songs of praise and prayer. David’s relationship with God was the foundation of his life, and God blessed him with many victories.
However, David’s life was not without mistakes. One of his biggest failures was when he sinned by taking another man’s wife, Bathsheba, and arranging for her husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle. When the prophet Nathan confronted David, he realized the seriousness of his sin. David was heartbroken and prayed to God for forgiveness. God forgave David, but there were still consequences for his actions. David’s family experienced many troubles afterward, but through it all, David continued to trust in God.
Even with his mistakes, David’s heart remained devoted to God. God promised David that one of his descendants would be an eternal king. This promise was fulfilled through Jesus, who is called the “Son of David.”
David’s story teaches us about bravery, faith, and repentance. He wasn’t perfect, but his love for God and willingness to admit his mistakes made him a man after God’s own heart. Through his victories and failures, David showed that trusting God and following Him is the key to a life of purpose and blessing.
