David's Heart

When Samuel announced Saul's rejection as king, Samuel revealed that God would seek a new king who had an important distinction from Saul. "The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart" (I Samuel 13:14). The very choosing of David revealed the importance of the heart. "For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (I Samuel 16:7). God later confirmed that David had, in fact, met His heart requirement. "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will" (Acts 13:22).

II Samuel 24 provides some insight into what a man after God's heart looks like. Late in his life, David made the mistake of numbering the people of Israel. God intended for such a census to happen only at His instruction, and with important accompanying offerings in order to avoid serious consequences (Exodus 30:12). The intent seems to be that God wanted His people to rely on Him rather than on their own strength or numbers.

The first insight about a man after God's heart is that he is not perfect. While David was incited by Satan to take the census (I Chronicles 21:1), and while God used the situation to bring His intended wrath on Israel (II Samuel 24:1), still David bears the responsibility for his own action. He did something that he should not have done. Furthermore, he ignored the caution of Joab, who urged David not to perform the census (II Samuel 24:3). Sadly, even the most godly and mature Christian is not perfect. The struggle with the flesh continues. The fact that a Christian sins, however, does not of necessity mean that his heart is not rightly inclined toward God. David, a man after God's heart, sinned greatly even as an aged follower of God.

A second insight about a God-hearted man is that he repented before he was confronted. "Now David's heart troubled him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done'" (II Samuel 24:10). David admitted his foolish action and asked for forgiveness. He did this without the prompting of others and without any confrontation by anyone else. Because his heart was in tune with God, his own heart confronted him. This godly man did not suppress his heart promptings. He did not linger in sin. He did not defend himself. He immediately repented. This man with a heart like God's was sensitive to his sin and quick to repent without needing external confrontation.

Third, this man after God's heart believed in the mercy of God. David had to face a punishment, and that punishment would affect all of Israel. God sent a prophet to offer David three choices: famine, enemy attack, or pestilence. David considered the options and answered, "Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man" (II Samuel 24:14). David knew God well enough to know God's heart. He knew that his loving God might take pity and might restrain His hand of judgment. David had no such confidence in men. He chose God's personal hand through pestilence, and it turns out that David was right to believe God's mercy. God did restrain His hand and curtail the judgment (v. 16).

Fourth, the man whose heart beat like God's took personal responsibility for his actions. As David saw the destruction happening around him, he called out, "Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me and against my father's house" (II Samuel 24:17). David did not want others to suffer for his mistake. He wanted to personally reap the consequences of his own actions. He did not seek to share the blame or include others when he knew his own actions were wrong.

Fifth, the man after God's heart paid a price for his worship. David was instructed to build an altar so that God could be entreated for the healing of the people. Because of his position as king, David could have appropriated the necessary facilities. In fact, the owner of the land offered to freely give David not only the threshing floor as a location, but also his own oxen to be used in the sacrifice and his own instruments as the fuel for the fire (vs. 22-23). David would not accept this offer. Instead he insisted, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing" (II Samuel 24:24). This offering was serious and heart-felt, and David wanted it to be his personal offering, something that required him to give of himself.

Do men after God's heart sin? Indeed, they do. Their response to that sin reveals the depth of their hearts. A man with a God-like heart repents, throws himself on God's mercy, refrains from implicating others, and offers sincere and even sacrificial worship to God. Such a man's response reveals that his heart is truly in tune with his God; the response shows that he desires to quickly restore the blessed fellowship with which he is accustomed.