Despite his imperfections and failures, King David will always be remembered as the man after God's own heart. What was it about him that God so loved? Here is a prayer that David prayed after collecting a generous offering for the Temple which his son, Solomon would build:
David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.” [1 Chron. 29:10-19. NLT]
What do you notice about David? What character qualities emerge in his prayer? What do you learn about his inner world – his heart?
I observe: loving devotion to God, gratitude, humility, sincerity and an eternal perspective on life.
May we too be people after God's own heart today.
Well said. You certainly have a knack for that.
I love David’s surrendered heart.
He did not place a single demand on God, or remind God of all of the hard things he went through to get to that place. I tend to whine way too much and call it honesty with God, which it is not, it is called whining.