A Man After God’s Own Heart?
by Brian Clark
I drive a 14-year-old car. When I bought the car, it was 2 years old and had relatively low miles. Overall, I would say the car has been fairly reliable. I’ve added over 150,000 miles to it, and other than routine maintenance, I’ve not had to put much money into the car. At 14 years old, it has the squeaks and shakes commensurate with its age, but I still consider it to be a solid vehicle. That is, except for this one issue. About a year into owning the vehicle, the check engine light came on one day along with two other warning lights. The car drove fine, so I determined to have it looked at next time it was convenient. To my surprise, the lights went off after a day or two. I dismissed the problem as a fluke and didn’t think about it again. That is, until they came back on. Again, the warning lights were on for a few days then shut off. This pattern has continued for years. I’ve had the car to both certified mechanics and private mechanics, and no one can tell me why they come on, why they go away, or what to replace to fix the issue. After 12 years, I know the lights will come on for a while and then turn off. If you were looking at a similar car and asked me about my experience, I would say, “It’s been a great car, except for this one thing.”
Often, I hear people describe King David with the same sentiment that I would describe my car. “David, he’s a man after God’s own heart; He’s just got this one thing.” I speak, of course, of David’s disastrous adultery with Bathsheba. Many books, sermons, and lectures have been given concerning this time in David’s life. Perhaps this sin has been highlighted more times than any other in human history. I don’t know of any way of quantifying such a thought. But I’ve heard enough people speak of David being a man after God’s own heart juxtaposed with his adultery to know that I am not the first to relate David’s life to something like my car. That is to say he’s like, “A really good car, except for this one thing.” But I question whether this is the best way to describe David. Is he a man after God’s own heart, except for this one thing. Or is there a better way to consider the character of King David?
Recently, I was reading Psalms for my own study. I read from Psalm 40 where David recalls that God has lifted him from the slimy pit and set his feet on solid rock (vs 2). He speaks of God’s faithfulness and provision (vs 3). He recalls the wonders of God and all His mighty acts (vs 5). This pattern continues as David acknowledges and thanks the Lord. As I read this passage, I must admit, I was on autopilot, just breezing through the text. That changed, however, when I got to verse 12.
For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs on my head, and my heart fails within me.
Psalm 40:12 NIV
David suddenly acknowledged that his sins were greater than the hairs on his head. Immediately I began to consider David as a man after God’s own heart, except for that one thing. As I read David’s humble words, I realized how wrong my thinking was. David isn’t a man after God’s own heart, except for that one thing. He’s a man after God’s own heart, despite ALL those things. David admittedly knows his sins are many, too many to count, which means the proclamation made over David was not ascribed based on the sum total of David’s sins. Some other metrics must have been considered when David’s character was evaluated. I contend that we see a glimpse of what God saw in the verse which follows David’s humble admission. He says, “Be pleased to save me, LORD; come quickly, LORD, to help me” (Psalm 40:13, NIV). David, perhaps more than any other Old Testament writer, exemplifies the faith he has in God’s gracious forgiveness. In fact, you could close your eyes and read many of David’s psalms and think you’re reading a New Testament passage (i.e., Ps 65:3; Ps 86:5, etc). David seemed to have a unique and spirit-led understanding of God’s grace and forgiveness, and he trusted in it when his guilt weighed heavily on his heart.
The good news for us today is we can have the same spirit-led understanding of God’s grace and forgiveness. If David was encouraged by his faith in the promised Messiah who was to come; how much more can you and I be encouraged by the promised Messiah who HAS come? David was a man after God’s own heart not because the sum of his sins was less than the people around him, but rather because David understood that his many sins would be forgiven through the gracious Lord. David’s character was not without its flaws, but David trusted in the flawless, matchless name of the Lord. John’s words perfectly describe for us today what David trusted.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
1 John 2:1 NIV
Might we, as the people of God, live with Godly character. And when we inevitably fall short, may we, as the people of God, give thanks that we have an advocate, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
