Good morning, everyone. Open up your Bibles, your copy of God's Word to 1 Samuel, chapter 16.
! Today, if you're here for the first time or haven't been back in a while, like perfect timing, we're about to start a new series that will last anywhere from six to seven weeks on the life of King David.
And I've been very excited about this. David is one of my favorite Bible characters, always kind of has been one of the most intriguing men that we read about in the Scripture, for sure.
His character in the Scripture is very, very worth our time looking at and studying and learning from.
So, oddly enough, I mean, I'm not surprised to hear this, but the life of David is mentioned or recorded roughly 66 chapters of the Divine Word.
That's more than Abraham, more than Moses, more than Joseph, more than Isaiah, a lot.
He's also mentioned about 59 times just in the New Testament alone, so a huge, daunting thing.
So, God definitely, without question, when God brings something back up over and over and over, He wants us to learn from His providential interactions with David.
And the things that He accomplished through him were immense.
Just to give you a really quick rundown, this is not even half of what you could say,
but He united all the twelve tribes of Israel, and He brought them together into a single kingdom, which is no easy task.
He conquered Jerusalem, and He made Jerusalem the capital of Israel's political and spiritual life.
He defeated all of Israel's enemies, namely, particularly the Philistines, and protected their borders from these pagan enemies,
and actually became the overlord of a lot of those enemies, where they had to pay tribute and obey what David said.
He expanded the borders of the nation.
He annexed the coastal regions.
He also wrote the Psalms, as we're aware, about 73 of them, and He sang them.
And then, of course, who can forget the epic, legendary showdown between David and Goliath,
something that most of us learn about when we were children, teaching us about faith and bravery and trust in God.
Even now, one of my girls' favorite Bible stories is David and Goliath, and that's when we bust out the foam swords,
and they attack me, and they call me Goliath every time, so I've had my head cut off quite a few times lately.
So, one day I'll get to be David, maybe.
But more importantly, I guess one of the biggest things is the Davidic covenant.
2 Samuel 7, God promised to give David an everlasting house,
that one of his descendants would sit on the throne and reign forever.
And this would be, as we know, our Lord Jesus.
So, much to say about David.
So, just pray quickly.
Lord, help me to, in some small way, be used today by pointing to your Word,
and that your Word would have its desired effect upon our hearts,
that your Holy Spirit would apply its truth to our souls,
and it would work.
You'd be the spiritual surgeon upon our souls and our hearts today.
I just ask that in Jesus' name. Amen.
So, really quick, just some of the context in which we're going to land today in 1 Samuel 16.
You have a struggling nation.
The nation of Israel is not doing well.
They're marked by a lot of internal strife,
this loose confederation of tribes seeking to unify,
working together as a single nation,
a lot of them looking out for their own interests,
and also just concerned about the other tribes' ambitions.
A faulty priesthood was also there, given into immorality and corruption,
characterized by Eli and his sons.
And going on from there, as we'll look at more next week,
instead of looking to God for leadership and for God to help them,
they wanted to have a king like the pagan nations around them.
And Saul was that first king.
And with some initial success, as we all know the story,
eventually he turned from God and began to not obey God,
and despite giving numerous chances to repent,
never fully came around.
And we'll look at that later on next week.
But earlier in chapter 13 and 15,
Saul was told by the prophet Samuel that his dynasty,
his kingdom was going to be torn from him.
Like, that's it.
God's done with you.
Very scary words.
And that his kingdom would be given to a neighbor.
And that neighbor would be David, a son of Jesse of Bethlehem.
So today, this is the first text that we see David's entrance
onto the scene of God's redemptive story.
So 1 Samuel 16, we're just going to, like, go through it piece by piece and unpack it.
So just kind of walking through the text.
Verse 1, chapter 16.
The Lord said to Samuel,
How long will you grieve over Saul,
since I have rejected him from being the king over Israel?
Fill your horn with oil and go.
I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite,
for I have provided myself a king among his sons.
And Samuel said, How can I go?
If Saul hears it, he will kill me.
And the Lord said, Take a heifer with you and say,
I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.
And invite Jesse to sacrifice.
And I will show you what you shall do.
And you shall anoint for me him who I have declared to you.
Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem.
The elders of the city came out to meet him trembling
and said, Do you come peacefully?
And he said, Peacefully.
I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.
Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.
And he consecrated Jesse and his sons
and invited them to the sacrifice.
Truly quickly, just walking through this text,
you immediately catch Samuel grieving.
It says, so he's extremely saddened
over the sin and failures of King Saul.
Some people think that he's like whining and complaining.
I don't think that's really the case at all.
I think that he spent so much time investing in this all,
leading him, counseling him,
days praying for him,
serving alongside him,
really hoping that he would be the king that the nation needed.
And he failed.
Miserably failed.
Despite all that Samuel had done to help him,
he was rejected by God.
And so Samuel was grieving over this,
just wondering what God is going to do next.
So some of us have been there before.
Have you?
I have.
Just spent countless hours loving, serving,
counseling, discipling someone,
and then kind of have that person reject those things
that you've invested into them.
So it's painful.
So he's wondering what is God going to do?
And so God comes to his servants with a new direction,
new orders.
Here's what you're going to do.
You're going to find and anoint a new king over the nation.
And that new king would be Jesse,
as we see in our text,
a descendant of Judah and Tamar,
who was also a grandson of Ruth and Boaz,
Bethlehem and Judah,
Bethlehem Ephratah and Micah,
as Cody read earlier specifically.
And Samuel, we see is afraid.
He's like, well, if Saul hears about this out of jealousy,
he may just kill me.
Like if he knows I'm back to anoint a new king,
kind of behind his back.
But God encourages him to go,
says you're going to offer a sacrifice.
And so that's what he did.
He went to offer a sacrifice.
And he shows up at the gates,
and they're scared because he's the prophet.
And they're like, what have we done wrong?
Is somebody about to die?
And so he's like, no, no, no.
I'll come peacefully.
I'll come to offer a sacrifice.
And he goes.
And he doesn't hide his intention in being there.
He's walking in obedience to God.
And so very often, really small lesson here,
whenever we're overwhelmed,
feeling just stressed out,
can't see what to do next,
usually it's just taking the very simple step
of faithful obedience,
like the very next thing.
Do the next thing.
Be faithful to God and what he tells you to do.
And this is what Samuel is doing.
He goes without question.
He obeys God.
He does all that God requires.
And so that's what it says.
He obeyed and came to Bethlehem.
And so he got there.
He's like, hey, consecrate yourselves.
Get yourselves ready for the sacrifice,
which more than likely meant washing themselves,
perhaps their clothes for the sacrifice.
And then we get to the next section of this,
and we see Samuel scoping out the sons of Jesse,
just wondering who it is.
I know it's one of these guys,
but I don't know who it is.
And God's response to him,
I think,
is one of the most underrated verses in the Scripture.
But look at verse 6.
When they came,
he looked at Elab and thought,
surely the Lord's anointed is before him.
But the Lord said to Samuel,
do not look on his outward appearance
or on the height of his stature,
because I have rejected him.
For the Lord sees,
not as man sees.
Man looks on the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks on the heart.
Then Jesus called Abinadab
and made him pass before Samuel.
And he said,
neither has the Lord chosen this one.
Then Jesse made Shammah pass by.
And he said,
neither has the Lord chosen this one.
And Jesse made seven of his sons
pass before Samuel.
And Samuel said to Jesse,
the Lord has not chosen these.
Then Jesse made Shammah pass by.
And he said,
neither has the Lord chosen this one.
And Jesse made the seven sons
pass before Samuel.
He has not chosen any of these.
And so here's what's going on.
Like, you know,
Jesse thinks,
surely it's got to be one of my bigger boys,
one of my best looking boys.
He just makes him kind of walk by.
Samuel and Samuel is going,
nope.
The Lord has rejected him.
The Lord has not chosen him.
So what's going on here
is Samuel is being fooled
into thinking that God will choose
the biggest,
strongest,
best looking,
pretty much in the same way
that Saul was chosen.
If you remember,
in 1 Samuel 9,
1 and 2,
Saul came from a wealthy family.
It says that Saul was a handsome man.
There was not a man among the people
more handsome than he,
that his shoulders up,
from his shoulders upward,
he was taller than any of the other people.
So Saul was a very physically impressive man.
And so Samuel's already thinking
that it's got to be similar.
And God's saying no.
Because despite all the material
and physical advantages Saul had,
we all see that it afforded him
no benefit at all
because his heart was full of vanity,
pride,
and sin
did not help.
God says to him,
verse 7,
underline it in your Bible,
memorize it,
do not look on his outward height
or stature
because the Lord has rejected him.
For the Lord sees,
not as man sees.
Man looks on the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks on the heart.
What a remarkable verse.
More on this later,
but simply,
what he's trying to say is,
man wrongfully judges
in ways others
created in God's image
merely by the outward appearance.
But God is more focused
on the heart,
the inner person.
And so basically,
Jesse's like,
I mean,
excuse me,
Samuel,
look,
is that it?
Is that all your sons?
So after inspecting them,
doesn't find one.
As we get to verse 11,
then Samuel said to Jesse,
are all your sons here?
And he said,
there remains yet the youngest,
but behold,
he is keeping the sheep.
And Samuel said to Jesse,
send and get him,
for we will not sit down
until he comes here.
And he sent and brought him in.
Now he was ruddy
and had beautiful eyes
and was handsome.
And the Lord said,
arise,
anoint him,
for this is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil
and anointed him
in the midst of his brothers.
And the spirit of the Lord
rushed upon David
from that day forward.
And Samuel rose up
and went to Ramah.
Just one more verse.
Now the spirit of the Lord
departed from Saul
and a harmful spirit
from the Lord
tormented him.
So we see in verse 11,
he basically is just saying,
hey, is this it?
Is there any other sons
that you have?
And Jesse may have just been
sort of downplaying it
because parents
sinfully can sometimes
have favorites
and maybe David wasn't his.
We don't know.
But he's like,
yeah, there's another one.
I forgot to mention him.
He's keeping the sheep.
No big deal.
And Samuel's like,
well, go get them then.
We'll stand right here
and won't get started
until he shows up.
Go fetch him.
So he does that.
So we get a brief
physical description
of David
when he arrives on the scene.
And God says,
this is the one
that I have chosen.
And you see in verse 13,
immediately,
Samuel anoints David
with oil,
which is symbolic
of the Holy Spirit,
who descends on him.
It says,
the Spirit of the Lord
rushed,
or meaning,
it came down mightily
and effectively
upon David.
So in the Old Testament,
as most of us know,
the Spirit came
and rested on
chosen individuals
that God empowered
to carry out
the specific things
He gave them to do.
And it's no different
than David.
And notice that
the Spirit left Saul.
And very,
very scary.
So,
he had this anointing
before his whole family.
There was three more
anointings that came.
One before the family,
one before the tribe
of Judah,
and then another anointing
as the whole nation's
king that came later.
But in verse 14,
yeah,
it leaves Saul.
Because without
the Holy Spirit,
Saul can no longer
be any kind of
an effective king
for the nation.
And a harmful,
distressing spirit
came from the Lord
to torment him.
So something very
scary and tragic.
So,
let's just get into
some of the questions.
That's sort of our,
the overview of our text.
Let's just walk through
this with questions.
So a lot of this
will be just background,
things about David,
but then getting into
some other stuff.
So what was
David's background?
His Hebrew name,
David,
beloved one,
which means strength,
favor.
Born roughly
around 1040 B.C.,
so a very long time ago
in Bethlehem.
His father was Jesse.
The scripture doesn't
mention his mother,
but the Talmud
mentions his mother.
He also had two sisters.
The Bible doesn't
name his mother,
like I said,
but I think she was
significant in raising
these men.
He lived roughly
70 years,
dying around
970 B.C.
So we get a description
of him here,
his character,
his physical physique.
So,
look at 1612.
We see that David
was ruddy.
And that means
like a reddish
or brownish color.
It can mean
red hair,
ginger.
It was also
used of Esau,
the same word,
Genesis 25,
25.
More than likely,
though,
is denoting
that he was
physically fit,
healthy,
strong,
kind of the opposite
of like pale,
frail,
weak,
just full of
life.
And he had
beautiful
or bright
eyes.
So,
this means
that he had
like this sparkle
in his eye,
this alertness,
this vitality,
and that
not just
of one
who's strong
physically,
but one
who's well
spiritually too.
As we know
that Jesus said
in Matthew 6,
the eye is the
lamp of the body.
So if your eyes
are healthy,
your whole body
will be full
of light.
So this was
the description
of David,
like he had
a clear conscience,
a genuine
relationship
before God,
and you can see
it in his
demeanor,
in his eyes.
So,
brought by
a genuine
relationship
with God.
And next
it says
he was
handsome.
So,
appealing
or good
looking
to the
eyes.
But it
doesn't just
mean,
it does
mean that,
but it
also just
means that
he had a
very pleasant
demeanor.
His countenance
was attractive.
He just
entered the room
and you felt
at ease.
You felt
welcomed.
You felt
loved,
easy to be
around.
So later
on in chapter
16,
verse 18,
we learn
that David
was also,
Saul's servant
gives a description
of David,
and it says
that he was
prudent
in speech,
meaning that
he was careful,
he was well-spoken,
he spoke very
clearly,
articulate,
and he was
also,
that servant
says,
a man of
good presence,
a calmly one.
Again,
like you felt
at ease when you
were in his
presence.
So that's
his physical
descriptions of
his character.
Then he had a
lot of
capabilities.
Alright,
so he was a
very gifted
man and he
developed all
these skills
that God
had given
him just
by being
faithful,
hear me
now,
being faithful
in everyday
obedience and
the concept
that the
western mind
today,
the western
men particularly
today,
but think
don't go
together.
Like,
you're either
this or
you're that.
And David
doesn't quite
fit that.
So,
he was.
We have
the tough
guy,
the man's
man.
He shoots
guns,
he hunts,
he fishes,
he knows how
to survive
in the
wilderness,
he boxes,
goes to the
gym,
wrestles,
fixes his
own cars,
and he watches
war movies
and westerns.
So,
he had like
that side
of him.
On the
other hand,
he was a
very sensitive
compassionate
guy,
sensitive,
bookworm,
writes poems
and stories.
He watches
rom-coms and
dramas.
He likes
to bake.
So,
the British
baking show,
there is one
guy in episode
three or four,
and he's like a
really good
baker,
but he was
like in the
elite British
regiment,
the Cold
Stream Guard.
He could just
see Paul
insulting him,
and he would
just be like,
I don't care
what you're
saying.
So,
probably that
kind of
baker if
he was
one.
So,
moving on.
So,
no matter
what,
in David's
life,
there is
something that
appealed to
each man in
here,
particularly men,
I'll just
say,
something for
us to
relate to.
So,
some of
these
capabilities,
one,
he was a
shepherd.
That was
one of the
first things
mentioned
about him.
He's
keeping the
sheep,
he's guarding
and watching
over the
sheep,
the youngest.
So,
that means
that his
father trusted
him to
watch over
the sheep.
It could
be kind
of like
grunt work
a little
bit too,
but it
was an
important
thing,
and the
flock had
to be
kept intact
and protected
from predators,
moved from
pasture to
pasture.
And it
says in
1 Samuel 17
that David
protected the
sheep by
striking down
lions and
bears.
Have any
ever run
into a
bear in the
woods?
I have.
It's a pretty
scary thing,
especially in
the dark.
It's very,
so he would
just go toe
to toe with
these things
and wouldn't
hesitate to
face them.
So he had
serious guts.
And furthermore,
something you
might think
about is being
a shepherd out
in the hills,
out in the
wilderness,
it afforded
him a lot
of time to
think,
reflect,
pray,
to spend
that time
thinking about
the shepherd
metaphor and
how God
relates to
his people
as a shepherd
and promises
to lead,
provide,
and protect
his people.
As he later
wrote in
Psalm 23,
the Lord is
my shepherd.
I shall not
want.
He makes me
lie down
in green
pastures.
He leaves me
beside the
still waters.
He restores
my soul.
He leaves me
in paths of
righteousness
for his
name's sake.
So he was
a shepherd
at heart.
Secondly,
we learn
that he was
a singer
and poet.
David is
referred to
in 1618
as he is
skillful
in playing
on the
harp.
So skillful
was he in
playing that
he actually
brought refreshment
to Saul's
distressed
soul that
tormented
him.
And in a
manner that
in this way
God used
the evil
of Saul
to bring
David actually
into the
court of the
king and
the washful
eyes of the
army.
Elsewhere
in 2 Samuel
David is
referred to
as the
sweet
psalmist
or singer
of Israel.
So he
showed immense
sensitivity
the right
expression
of emotion
in the
psalms that
he wrote
and sang.
He truly
believed that
God's gifts
and God's
endowments
were to be
developed
and used
in a way
that honored
God and
that served
other people
around him.
And then
thirdly
another
characteristic
or I
guess
trait
would be
that he
was a
soldier.
It's usually
singer
poet
soldier
doesn't
quite
go together.
In this
case it
does.
He was
like the
epic
warrior
poet.
So we
get this
image of
David being
this ragtag
inexperienced
green kid
that shows
up to
fight but
that's not
how he's
described.
he's
referred to
by Saul's
servants
in 1618
as a man
of valor
a man
of war.
A term
biblically
meaning that
he was
brave
courageously
fierce to
fight
in hand to
hand combat
a man of
war meaning
someone who
was trained
in the
weapons of
that day
in a very
well you know
capable fighter
in any
situation
fighting
warrior
and then
following that
time after
he fought
Goliath
he only
grew in
that
ability
he only
grew in
that skill
to be a
warrior on
the battlefield
and so
legendary
was his
fighting ability
that later
the women
sang
in 1
Samuel 18
7
they sang
to one
another
and celebrated
Saul
has struck
down
thousands
but David
tens of
thousands
so his
prowess on
the battlefield
meant also
that he
drew
naturally
drew
the best
fighters
of his
day
they wanted
to be
around him
they loved
him
and respected
him
so the
seals
the rangers
the delta
force
the SAS
guys
they all
wanted to
hang out
with David
and fight
alongside
him
so he
could take
any guy
in this
room
easily
so record
all his
greatest
battles
or seen
in 2 Samuel
chapter 8
just a list
of all his
victories
in a time
where warfare
was close
and personal
so that's
his background
it's a little
bit about
him
but secondly
all those
things are
cool
interesting
whatever
but this
is the
second
question
what was
David's
distinguishing
trait
in God's
eyes
alright
and the
simple
answer
is
his
heart
was
God's
in our
context
today
in verse
7
you see
Samuel
inspecting
Jesse's
sons
and
surely
this is
the Lord's
anointing
and God
says
no
and again
do not
look at
his
outward
appearance
man
looks at
the
outward
appearance
but God
looks
at
the
heart
so if
we in
our
culture
we
worship
I mean
worship
outward
beauty
physical
attractiveness
youthful
allure
and our
culture
pushes
and pressures
particularly
girls
and women
guys
aren't
excluded
but just
women
particularly
just hear
me on
this
they push
you so
hard
to look
outwardly
attractive
and if
you could
only let
that deep
profound
truth
just sink
in
how
different
would
your
life
be
how
much
of your
anxiety
and fear
of like
other
people
judging
you
be removed
if you
just
understood
that
that's
not
what
God
really
cares
about
that's
not
what
he
looks
at
James
Montgomery
Boyce
wrote about
this text
these words
are not
only a
statement
of the
clearness
of God's
vision
and his
capacity
to judge
they're also
a statement
of our
limitations
and of
course
the crux
this is of
course
the crux
of the
problem
it is not
just that
God can
see clearly
it is that
God alone
can see
clearly
at best
we only
see the
outward
appearance
God looks
upon
the heart
so the
heart
is used
roughly
a thousand
times
or more
in the
scripture
making it
one of the
most common
terms
about humans
in the
scripture
God
created our
hearts
to be the
center
of our
emotions
our
affections
our
desires
our
intellectual
moral
activity
a vital
part of
our
spiritual
makeup
and the
scripture
says a lot
about the
heart
Proverbs
27
19
as in
water
face
reflects
face
so the
heart
of a
man
reflects
the
man
meaning
that the
heart
reflects
the
person's
true
nature
God
ultimately
cares
very little
about our
outward
appearance
and this
isn't a
license
just to
be
nasty
and sloppy
that's not
what we're
saying
most of
you are
mature
enough
to know
what we're
aiming at
I know
some
people
dress
down
on purpose
because
they want
people
to think
that they
don't
care
about
their
outward
appearance
and they
really
do
also
the
wisdom
writer
wrote
keep
guard
over
your
heart
with
all
vigilance
for
from
it
flows
springs
of
life
and
Jesus
indicated
to
those
who
rejected
him
you
are
the
ones
who
justify
yourselves
before
men
but
God
knows
your
heart
does that
make you
scared
God
knows
your
heart
he
sees
past
what
man
cares
about
so
in
summary
outward
looks
and
appearances
are
an
inadequate
measuring
scales
to weigh
someone's
true love
and devotion
to God
inadequate
outward
appearances
cannot
rightly
predict
someone's
love
for God
or their
inner
beauty
or anything
else
some of
the most
attractive
people
some of
us
know
are some
of the
ugliest
people
we
know
very
true
so
don't
be
fooled
spend
less
time
on your
outward
appearance
if we're
coming
here
and more
time
on your
soul
coming
here
each
day
think
of
these
things
they
cannot
accurately
predict
someone's
faithfulness
to God
as Jesus
said
because
from the
heart
overflows
!
our
actions
right
that's
Mark
7
21
the
Bible
informs
us
that
the
Lord
weighs
the
heart
Proverbs
21
2
he
considers
he
examines
he
judges
the
heart
so
referring
this
is
I need
to make
clarification
when we're
talking about
David's
heart
or our
heart
we're
talking
about
the
regenerated
saved
heart
someone
who's
been
born
again
not
the
fallen
corruptible
heart
so
that's
kind of
what we're
focusing
on
today
but
one of
my
favorite
verses
that I
learned
as an
early
believer
2nd
Chronicles
16
9
for the
eyes
of the
Lord
roam
to and
fro
over all
the earth
to show
himself
strong
on behalf
of those
whose hearts
are fully
devoted
to him
so
examine
yourself
as I've
had to do
some this
past week
do you
value
your outward
appearance
over the
state of
your own
heart
and your
soul
what is
your time
and your
money
and your
attitude
reflect
are you
aware that
vanity
is a
sin
and to
live in
front of
a mirror
is probably
the saddest
place
to be
be more
concerned
about your
soul
and furthermore
don't overlook
other people
or underestimate
other people
whose outward
features may
not be
exactly what
you think
are attractive
because that
person could
very well
be someone
meaningful in
your life
very important
so what was
it about
David's heart
well in
first Samuel
just flip from
chapter 16
really quick
three chapters
back
first Samuel
13
we'll look
more at this
passage next
week but
this is when
God has
rejected Saul
he tells
Samuel
he's done
and God
says this
to Samuel
first
Samuel 13
verse 13
Samuel said
to Saul
you have
done
foolishly
you have
not kept
the commandment
of the
Lord your
God
with which
he commanded
you
for then
the Lord
has
established
your
kingdom
over
Israel
forever
but now
your kingdom
shall not
continue
now here
it is
listen
the Lord
has sought
out a man
after his
own heart
that is
speaking of
David
so what does
it mean
to be someone
after God's
own heart
quickly
what it
definitely
doesn't mean
I think you
all would
know this
is it
doesn't mean
perfection
it doesn't
mean
sinlessness
it also
isn't this
like high
spiritual
state
of like
nirvana
that you
reach
either
and it's
also not
something
that you're
just born
with
it's not
a natural
trait
but this
is a huge
distinguishing
character
despite all
of David's
son
and failures
later on
Paul addressed
the Jews
in Antioch
in Acts
13
and he said
he raised
up David
to be their
king
of whom
he testified
and said
I have found
in David
the son
of Jesse
a man
after my
own heart
who will
do all
my will
so what
on earth
does it
mean again
to be a
man or
woman
after God's
own heart
well
after hearing
a lot of
bad
reading a lot
of I didn't
think helpful
things
reading some
of the old
dead guys
looking at
the language
I'm going
to define
it
it's just
very simple
foundation
this way
a man
or woman
after God's
own heart
is
one
whose
deepest
heart
desires
and longings
are for
his God
shown
or revealed
in how
one
lives
one
whose
deepest
heart
desires
and longings
are for
his God
shown
or revealed
in how
one
lives
alright
so remember
David wasn't
perfect
he had
massive
sins
we'll read
about
later
but this
is how
God
chose
to define
him
and have
him
remembered
by
as one
who
was
after
his
own
heart
and this
just really
means that the
overall bent
of his
heart
was towards
God
that his
great love
and desire
for God
was the
overall
trajectory
of his
life
Jonathan Edwards
wrote
heart
of a
man
cannot
be
brought
to a
higher
excellency
than to
have
delight
in God
and
complacency
or satisfaction
in the
divine
excellency
and glory
and this
is what
David
wanted
he wanted
to be
in God's
presence
he wanted
to behold
God's
glory
so this
is a
zealous
spiritual
passion
for God
whose
life
is in
harmony
with
God's
heart
very
simple
just
follow me
it just
means like
one that
loves
what God
loves
one that
hates
what God
hates
one that
gets angry
about what
God
gets angry
over
one who
loves the
purposes
of God
his heart
is in
agreement
and in
one accord
with God
that's what
we're talking
about here
his heart
beats
with God
David
wrote in
Psalm 27
he says
one thing
think about
all the
times you
pray
and ask
God
for things
one thing
have I
asked
of the
Lord
that I
would
seek
after
that I
may
dwell
in the
house
of the
Lord
all my
days
of my
life
to gaze
upon
the
beauty
of the
Lord
and to
inquire
in his
temple
so how
would you
finish
that sentence
or start
that sentence
one thing
I have
desired
the
Lord
that which
I seek
after
fill in
the blank
and in
that answer
reveals much
about the
choices and
priorities about
the way we
live and
respond to
things
David's answer
reveals why
God says
this man's
heart beats
after mine
so what does
that look
like
and again
it's shown
in how we
live and
how that's
manifested
this joyful
obedience
to God's
commands
to be
satisfied
in God
himself
not just
the gifts
that God
gives us
or the good
things he
blesses us
with
but each
gift
makes you
love the
giver
more
a posture
of gratitude
and thankfulness
towards God
so loving
him
it's really
just a picture
of the great
commandment
to love
him
while our
heart
soul
mind
and strength
really quickly
I think it's
important to
say this
we're not
talking about
just passionate
mere emotionalism
okay
being passed
off as true
spiritual passion
we're talking
about passion
that's rooted
in the knowledge
of the truth
the Bible
warns such a
person
desire without
knowledge is not
good
Proverbs 19
2
on the other
hand we don't
want to swing
the pendulum
the other
direction
and just say
hey we want
to get away
from the
rah rah
rah
emotional crowd
like we just
want to be
thinkers
alone
want to
ignore
emotion
and push
back
against
emotion
men
particularly
you have
emotions
I don't care
how tough
or how
you try
not to
show them
you have
them
and they're
either going
to control
you or
you can
learn to
control
them
with God's
help
that's just
how it is
and so we
we kind of
push back
against both
camps
a little bit
so we're
talking about
right thinking
and right
feeling
in accordance
with that
but see
the overall
it means
to ask this
question
what was it
about David
like why
did God
love him
so much
I gotta
put things
in perspective
very clearly
it says
in 1st
Samuel
16
18
that
Saul's
servant
he makes
all these
things
he's a
man of
war
he's
skillful
etc
but then
he says
the Lord
is with
him
that's
like the
distinguishing
thing here
David
loved God
so much
because God
loved David
first
and was
with him
and had
chosen
him
first
or excuse me
Psalm 78
verse 70
this is a
characteristic
because we
can't fall
into this
trap of like
David was
just this
awesome guy
and God
said you
know what
I'm just
so moved
by David
I'm gonna
do something
David was
a terrible
sinner
just like
us
but God
chose
out of
his grace
Psalm 78
says he
chose
or he
elected
David
his servant
and took
him from
the sheep
folds
from
following
the nursing
ooze
he brought
him to
shepherd
Jacob
his people
Israel
his inheritance
so out
of sovereign
grace
God
chose
David
and used
him
and anointed
him
so again
a picture
of what
it means
to be a
person
after
God's
own
heart
so we
see that
he was a
man after
God's
own
heart
because
God's
heart
was with
him
he chose
him
out of
his
grace
so
remember
just a
few
characteristics
here
and we're
getting close
on time
but
to remember
this means
ones whose
deepest
heart
desires
and longings
are for
his
God
all right
scripture
tells us
much about
the heart
of David
all right
so ask
God to
give you
a heart
like this
this is
just four
characteristics
so this
could be
application
but
first of
all it
means
integrity
of heart
it says
in first
kings
nine
four
David
your
father
walked
with
integrity
of
heart
and
uprightness
doing
all
according
that
I
had
commanded
him
in
keeping
my
statutes
and
rules
integrity
in this
context
just simply
means
a
being
complete
or
undivided
all right
in
contrast
to
David's
heart
Solomon
it says
when he
was old
turned away
from the
Lord
it says
his heart
turned
after
other
gods
because
his heart
was not
fully
or wholly
gods
like his
father
David
so meaning
that
the idols
in our
hearts
can chop
up and
divide
our heart
so that
it's not
whole
before
God
so do
you have
a heart
marked
by
integrity
or wholeness
towards
God
or have
you given
it
to idols
that you
love more
so integrity
of heart
openness
of heart
is the
second
one
David
prayed
in
psalm
26
vindicate
me
oh
lord
for I
have
walked
in
my
integrity
and I
have
trusted
in
the
lord
without
wavering
prove
me
oh
lord
and
try
me
test
my
heart
and
my
mind
so
meaning
his
heart
was
open
and
transparent
before
God
I
know
it
sounds
silly
but
some
of us
live
as if
God
doesn't
know
our
heart
like
we
don't
really
act
like
he
doesn't
see
what
we're
doing
and
he
really
doesn't
David
didn't
live
that
way
he
was
honest
and
open
and
transparent
about
his
heart
before
God
so
do
you
live
as if
God
doesn't
see
your
sin
or
isn't
aware
of
the
condition
of
your
heart
are
you
open
and
transparent
about
your
relationship
with
him
are
you
open
thirdly
it
means
brokenness
of
heart
psalm 51
17
David
wrote
the
sacrifices
of
God
are
a
broken
spirit
a
broken
and
contrite
heart
oh
God
you
will
not
despise
to
mean
that
David
was
very
sorrowful
and
repentant
over
his
sin
it
broke
his
heart
because
he
sinned
against
God
so
is
your
heart
filled
with
a
godly
sorrow
a
godly
brokenness
before
God
when
you
sinned
against
him
saying
you
and
you
alone
have
sinned
against
and
done
what
is
evil
in
your
sight
then
fourthly
and
lastly
it
means
truthfulness
of
heart
David
prayed
psalm
15
1
and
2
oh
lord
who
shall
sojourn
in
your
tent
who
shall
dwell
on
your
holy
hill
he
who
walks
blamelessly
and
does
what's
right
and
speaks
the
truth
in
his
heart
alright
so
we
all
know
what
this
means
it
means
that
a
true
worshiper
of
God
treasures
God's
truth
and
his
inward
parts
in
his
heart
so
do
you
confess
to
God
just
with
your
lips
or
also
with
your
heart
is
God's
truth
not
just
on
your
lips
!
treasured
!
in
your
heart
your
regenerated
heart
and
then
lastly
and
we're
done
but
in
our
text
today
what
do
we
learn
like
what
is
David
pointing
forward
to
so
think
on
it
David
was
contrasted
with
the
people
looking
on
his
outward
appearance
we
tend
to
overlook
God's
wonders
all the
time
because
that
is
our
focus
instead
of
the
heart
so
this
looks
forward
and
prefigures
the
one
who
would
come
in
David's
line
Christ
rejection
and
humility
as
we're
aware
Isaiah
53
3
and
4
he
was
despised
and
rejected
by
men
a man
of
sorrows
acquainted
with
grief
as
one
from
whom
men
hid
their
faces
and
he
was
despised
and
we
esteemed
him
not
surely
he
has
borne
our
griefs
and
carried
our
sorrows
yet
we
esteemed
him
stricken
smitten
by
God
and
afflicted
so
Jesus
our
Lord
was
not
the
Messiah
that
most
of
those
people
were
looking
for
they
were
looking
for
an
outward
impressive
warrior
king
physically
strong
that
would
unite
the
people
drive out
the
Roman
invaders
and
reestablish
national
pride
and
respect
here
great
again
is
what
they
were
expecting
that
is
expecting
honestly
however
God
has
chosen
his
own
agenda
not
man's
agenda
and he
sent
his
son
knowing
that
he
would
be
despised
and
rejected
there
is
nothing
in
our
sinful
flesh
that
was
looking
upon
Jesus
with
awe
nothing
no
outward
glory
at
all
that
we
would
be
drawn
to
him
Jesus suffered greatly and was abused internally on our behalf.
And he was overlooked.
God the Father, though, found him beautiful and delighted in him because of who he was.
And Christ accomplished our great salvation.
Pray with me.
God, we're...