WHY WAS DAVID SUCCESSFUL? Part 3

WHY WAS DAVID SUCCESSFUL? Part 3

          We know from the Bible account in I Samuel that both Saul and David received God’s anointing. Saul received the anointing of Jehovah.  I Samuel 10:1 states, "Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his [Saul's] head, and kissed him, and said, It is not because the LORD hath anointed (mashach 4886) thee to be captain over his inheritance?"  Verse six of the same chapter tells us that Saul received a peculiar divine assistance because Samuel stated, ". . . the spirit (7307) of the LORD will come upon thee. . ."

          David also received this peculiar divine influence upon his life.  I Samuel 16:13 states that "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed [4886] him in the midst of his brethren:  and the Spirit (7307) of the LORD came upon David from that day forward."  So, even though Saul and David were both anointed, Saul eventually failed and David became the "man after God's own heart" and the "sweet psalmist of Israel."

          We know that David was chosen to play for Saul because he was a skillful musician.  Now let us look at some other considerations of David's life that caused him to succeed.  In I Samuel 16:18b one of Saul's servants said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite that is cunning in playing [see Chapter I] and a might valiant (chayil 2428)^A man, and a man of war, and prudent (biyn 995) in matters (dabar 1697), and a comely (toar 8389) person, and the LORD is with him."

          So, he was a skillful player, a man of substance or virtue, a military man, and a man who could distinguish mentally in matters of communication or speech (Cambridge A.V. margin).  We know that David was skillful in language and communication from his master works in the Book of Psalms.  Thompson reminds us that "His musical and poetic gifts were great and they were consecrated (as such gifts should be) to the glory of God and to the good of men."