And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly! You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God which He commanded you; for the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever; 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue; the Lord has sought out [David] a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince and ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you. 

1 Samuel 13:13-14 AMP

 

When Saul disobeyed God, He told him that his kingdom would not continue – his sons would never reign in his stead. God had already chosen a man after His own heart – David.

 

But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 AMP

 

Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen any of these.

 

11 Then [he] said to Jesse, Are all your sons here? [Jesse] said, There is yet the youngest; he is tending the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send for him; for we will not sit down to eat until he is here.

 

12 Jesse sent and brought him. David had a healthy reddish complexion and beautiful eyes, and was fine-looking. The Lord said [to Samuel], Arise, anoint him; this is he.

 

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.  1 Samuel 16:10-13 AMP

 

David was a shepherd boy who loved to worship God. He was not a big man and was not highly regarded even by his own family. Jesse was David’s father. When the prophet came to his house to anoint one of his sons as king, Jesse did not even think of calling David. Only after God rejected one son after the other, did Jesse remember that he had one more son. No one but God saw David’s potential. His strength was not in his natural ability, but in his humility and his whole-hearted commitment to God.

 

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.

 

2 Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!

 

3 For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me.

 

4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment.

 

5 Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful].

 

6 Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart

 

7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean [ceremonially]; wash me, and I shall [in reality] be whiter than snow.

 

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness and be satisfied; let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

 

9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my guilt and iniquities.

 

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.

 

11 Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

 

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.

 

13 Then will I teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted and return to You.

 

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness and death, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness (Your rightness and Your justice).

 

15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise

 

16 For You delight not in sacrifice, or else would I give it; You find no pleasure in burnt offering. 

 

17 My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.

 

18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

 

19 Then will You delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, justice, and right, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then bullocks will be offered upon Your altar. 

Psalms 51:1-52:1 AMP

 

Saul disobeyed God when God told him to wipe the Amalekites off of the face of the earth – he allowed the king and the healthy animals to live – and then he had the audacity to defend his actions, deny his disobedience and blame the people.

 

Because of it, God rejected him from being king. David was entirely different. When he sinned and God confronted him over it, he was relieved – He was tired of being out of fellowship with God. He immediately repented and offered no excuses. He submitted to the will of God and asked for forgiveness. 

 

Saul thought that a sacrifice could make up for his rebellion and disobedience, but David knew that no sacrifice can take the place of a heart that is submitted completely to God. Even though David made a serious mistake, because of his repentant heart, he reigned with honor until he died and his sons and grandsons reigned after him. Jesus, Himself, came from the lineage of David