The Gospel Throughout ScriptureSample

We rush past the unbearable part of David’s story because we already know how it ends. Samuel has poured oil on his head and told him he will be king, and then God sends him not to a throne but to the palace of the man whose throne he has been anointed to take—to serve that man, to play music for him, to soothe the very darkness in Saul that God Himself has allowed. David is anointed and assigned to minister to the person standing in the way of his promise, and if that does not describe something you have lived through, you have not been paying attention to your own life.

It gets worse. David serves faithfully, kills Goliath, wins the people’s love, and Saul’s response is to throw a spear at his head while he plays the harp. Twice. The boy is worshiping and dodging weapons from the same man he is called to honor, and he does not retaliate, does not quit, just keeps playing. There is a gospel buried in that music, because the true Son of David would one day enter Jerusalem to serve the very people who would call for His crucifixion, and He would not retaliate either. David in the palace teaches us something ambition will never understand: sometimes the path to your calling runs directly through faithful service to someone who wants to destroy you. Psalm 23 was born in rooms like this—a table prepared in the presence of enemies.

Bring it to life: Stream House of David - Season 2, Episode 8 on Wonder Project.