The Heart of King David Revealed in Psalm 119

King David has always been one of my favorite characters in the Tanakh [Old Testament]. King David had a heart for the Almighty, and was even called "a man after Elohim's own heart." It is my prayer that the Ruach Ha Kodesh [The Holy Spirit] would use  this expose' on Psalm 119,  to open your eyes, to the kind of man David was, and what his attitude was when it came to approaching the Almighty. I believe it is a model for what our heavenly Father desires for us to be in His sight. I will be using the King James version for this expose' simply because of its poetic nature. I have always thought that the Psalms sounded their best from this version. I will not touch on every verse, as I believe the Ruach is only wanting to present David's character. What exactly was it about David that made him a man after our heavenly Father's own heart? I believe it was a combination of many things that included his heart attitude toward Elohim, his humility, his fear and his trust. I will attempt to glean some of these characteristics from the passages of Psalm 119 that are attributed to him.

Verse one starts with David writing these words, " Blessed [are] the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD."  David knew that there was a blessing to all who walked undefiled in the law of the Adonai. Yah's law, to David was more than strict regulations and ridged burdensome commandments. David understood that Yah's laws were for his own good, and were given by a loving Father, who had his best interest in mind. David explains his understanding in verse 2, where he declares, "Blessed [are] they that keep his testimonies, [and that] seek him with the whole heart."  David understood that keeping the testimonies of the Almighty was something, that originated in the heart. He sought after the Father in heaven with his whole heart. David acknowledges in verse 5 that there is a power greater than him ordering his steps when he says,

"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes. In verse 10 & 11, David reminds God, "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."

I find it interesting, that starting in verse 12, David starts a sequence of making some profound statements that really show us his heart for the Almighty.

"Blessed [art] thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes"  David is asking Yah to teach him. He is not seeking man to teach him, He is asking Yah to teach him His statutes, for he knows Yah is able to teach him. All too often, we seek men to teach us our Father's ways, and what we end up with, is a head full of the teachings of men, and nothing from our Father in heaven. Then in verse 17,  David says, "Deal bountifully with thy servant, [that] I may live, and keep thy word."  Did you catch that? Deal bountifully with thy servant. David is saying, test me. He is asking Elohim to deal with him, to try his heart. He is asking much more than just learning the ways of the Father, and having them in his mind. He is asking Elohim to deal with him, in such a way, that his life would prove the things he learned were applied to his life, and not just knowledge in his mind. Then in verse 18, David says, "Open thou my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." David is pleading that Father would open his eyes. He wants nothing of Yah to be hidden from his sight. He is hungry for Yah to reveal the benefits of keeping his commandments. In verse 25, David says, "My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken me according to thy word." David knows that his life will end one day, but he knows that his soul will be quickened by the word, which he has hidden in his heart. Again in verse 26, he says, "teach me thy statutes."

David says something a little different in verse 27. He says, "Make me to understand the way of thy precepts." Here, he is acknowledging that understanding comes from the Father. He is not saying, help me to understand. He is saying, make me to understand. The pattern of requests that David follows in several of the following verses, reveals volumes about the character of David:

vs. 28: "Strengthen thou me according unto thy word."

vs. 29: "Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously."

vs.31: "O LORD, put me not to shame."

vs.33: "Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes."

vs.34: "Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law."

vs.35: "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments."

vs.36: "Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness."

vs.37: "Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity;  quicken thou me in thy way. "

vs.38: "Stablish thy word unto thy servant."

vs.39: "Turn away my reproach which I fear."

vs.40: "Quicken me in thy righteousness."

When I compare these few verses with what David wrote in Psalm 143, there is a distinct pattern that emerges. Reading in Psalm 143:8 - 11 it says;

"Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble."

Do you notice anything common about all of these verses? In every case, David is depending upon the heavenly Father to perform everything. David does not seem to consider himself able to perform anything apart from Him. I find it strange, that not one time does David say, help me, as if he was able to accomplish anything on his own. He was constantly asking Elohim to perform the work in him. That is a true understanding of Grace. It is our heavenly Father working in us, both to will, and to do His will. I pray we can all come to this understanding.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

Shalom Ahlaychem,

Barry W. Gaugler