King David in the Bible: Shepherd, King, Sinner and Psalmist
Quick answer
David was the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem, a shepherd anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king of Israel. He defeated Goliath, served King Saul, and became king around 1000 BC, making Jerusalem his capital. He sinned gravely with Bathsheba, repented, and is remembered as a man after God's own heart. Many psalms are attributed to him. God promised that his throne would last forever, a promise fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of David.
Key takeaways
- Samuel anointed him as a boy, saying God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
- He killed the giant Goliath with a sling and a stone.
- After his sin with Bathsheba, he repented with the words of Psalm 50 (51).
- God's promise through the prophet Nathan points to Christ (2 Samuel 7).
David is one of the most vivid people in the whole Bible. He was a shepherd and a warrior, a poet and a king, a great sinner and a great penitent. In his story we see both human weakness and God’s faithfulness.
The Shepherd Boy
God sent the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king from among the sons of Jesse. One by one the older sons passed by, and God said no to each. “Man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). The youngest, David, was out tending sheep. He was sent for and anointed, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him.
David and Goliath
The Philistine giant Goliath challenged Israel’s army, and no one dared face him. Young David, visiting his brothers, volunteered. He refused armor and took only his sling and five smooth stones. He told Goliath that he came “in the name of the Lord of hosts.” His first stone struck the giant down (1 Samuel 17).
Saul’s Jealousy
David entered the service of King Saul, playing the harp to calm him, and became close friends with Saul’s son Jonathan. But as David’s victories grew, Saul became jealous and tried to kill him. David fled and lived as an outlaw. Twice he had the chance to kill Saul and refused, because Saul was the Lord’s anointed.
King of Israel
After Saul’s death, David became king, first of Judah, then of all Israel, around 1000 BC. He captured Jerusalem and made it his capital. He brought the Ark of the Covenant there, dancing before it with all his might.
God’s Promise
David wanted to build a temple for God. Through the prophet Nathan, God said that instead He would build David a “house,” a dynasty: “Thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever” (2 Samuel 7:16). This promise is fulfilled in Jesus, to whom the angel Gabriel said God would give “the throne of David his father” (Luke 1:32).
Sin and Repentance
David also sinned gravely. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband, Uriah. Nathan confronted him with a parable, and David confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). Psalm 50 (51), the Miserere, is traditionally his prayer of repentance:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. (Psalm 50:3, Douay-Rheims)
David suffered the consequences of his sin, including the rebellion of his son Absalom. But he never abandoned God.
The Psalmist
Many psalms bear David’s name. The Catechism calls him the first prophet of Jewish and Christian prayer (CCC 2579). When we pray the psalms, we pray with David, and with Christ, the Son of David.
A Prayer of Repentance (Original Prayer)
Lord, like David I have sinned. Create a clean heart in me, restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and make me faithful to You all my days. Amen.
Continue Reading
Read about his son King Solomon, Joshua, or our guide to the Catholic Bible.
Frequently asked questions
Is King David a saint?
Yes. The Church honors the holy men and women of the Old Testament, and David is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on December 29.
Which psalms did David write?
About seventy-three psalms carry his name in the Hebrew Bible. Tradition attributes the Book of Psalms to him as its great author and patron, though other writers contributed.
Why is Jesus called the Son of David?
Because He descended from David through Joseph, His legal father, and fulfills God's promise of an eternal king from David's line (Luke 1:32).
Sources
- 1 Samuel 16 to 1 Kings 2 (Douay-Rheims 1 Kings 16 to 3 Kings 2)
- Psalm 50 (51), Miserere (Douay-Rheims)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 709, 2579, 2585
