Look Up: 35 Days to Finding Hope in Dark PlacesSample

David was the second king of ancient Israel. He founded the Judaean dynasty and united all the tribes of Israel under a single monarch. His son Solomon expanded the empire that David built. 

The primary evidence for David’s career consists of several chapters in the books 1 and 2 Samuel in the Old Testament. The Psalms are also attributed to him, a tribute to his legendary skill as a poet and hymnodist. 

The youngest son of Jesse, David began his career as an aide at the court of Saul, Israel’s first king. He so distinguished himself as a warrior against the Philistines that his popularity aroused Saul’s jealousy, and a plot was made to kill him. He fled into southern Judah and Philistia, on the coastal plain of Palestine, where, with great judgment and foresight, he began to lay the foundations of his career.

As an outlaw with a price on his head, David led the life of a Robin Hood on the desert frontier of his tribal domain in Judah. He became the leader and organizer of a group of other outlaws and refugees, who progressively won over the local population by protecting them from other bandits or, in case they had been raided, by pursuing the raiders and restoring the possessions that had been taken. Those actions eventually ensured that he would be invited to become king as the true successor of Saul after the latter was slain in battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa.

David’s great success as a warrior and empire builder was marred by interconnected family disagreements and political revolts. To tie together the various groups that constituted his kingdom, David took wives from them and created a harem. 

The authors of the biblical accounts (in 1 and 2 Samuel) of David’s political career display a deep insight into the character of a man who could make an unforgettable personal impression in a specific situation.

This week, we're going to spend time studying the life of David and the "pit" of loneliness.