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[[Image:David.jpg|right|thumb|King David, perhaps the greatest ruler of Israel and ancestor of the [[Jesus Christ|Lord]].]] The holy and righteous '''King David''' was the second king of all Israel, after [[Saul]], around approximately 1000 B.C. He was also a [[prophet]], having written a great number of the [[Psalter|Psalms]], and one of the Forefathers of [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]. The Church commemorates him together with all the ancestors of Christ on the [[Sunday of the Forefathers]] (December 11-17, depending on the day on which the [[Nativity]] falls, ) and also on the first Sunday after the Nativity, along with [[Joseph the Betrothed]] and the [[Apostle James the Just]].
==His story==
A complete account of the life of King David can be found in the [[Old Testament]] starting in 1 [[I Kingdoms|1 Samuel]] 16, the entire book of [[II Kingdoms|2 Samuel]], and [[III Kingdoms|1 Kings ]] 1-2. A slightly edited version of this story, along with some additional specifics of the Kingking's reign, is also found in [[I Paraleipomenon|1 Chronicles]], particularly beginning in Chapter 11.
===Youth===
David was born in Bethlehem as the eighth and youngest son of Jesse. After [[Saul]]'s disobedience to God (see 1 Sam 15), the Lord ordered the [[Prophet ]] [[Samuel]] to Bethlehem to visit Jesse and anoint one of his son's as the new king. As the youngest, David was left in the fields to tend the sheep while the holy man was visiting his father; however, the Lord revealed to Samuel that none of the first seven sons was his Chosen One, and Samuel inquired of Jesse whether he had another son. Then David was called, and Samuel was told to anoint him. A notable quote quotation concerning David's righteousness occurs in this passage:
:But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his [i.e. Eliab, another of Jesse's sons] height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Sam 16:7) {{ref|1}}
King David prefigures our Lord [[Jesus Christ]] in numerous ways. He was the Lord's Anointed One, or Messiah, a now title applied almost exclusively to [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]. Also, David was a shepherd before he was called to be king; likewise, Christ used herding imagery often in his earthly ministry, as in the Parables of the Good Shepherd, of the Lost Sheep, and of the separation of the sheep and the goats at the [[Last Judgment]]. When David was fleeing from Saul, he was an illustration of the Suffering Servant, most famously described in [[Isaiah]] 53; afterwards, though, he became the victorious king, gaining control over all Israel and defeating its enemies with ease. David’s story is mirrored by Christ's persecution by the Jews and [[Crucifixion]], followed by his glorious [[Pascha|Resurrection]] and his eventual [[Second Coming]]. David's humble origins and the fact that he was the least imposing son of Jesse when Samuel anointed him also parallel Christ's humble earthly status.
Furthermore, David's consistently relied on the Lord and thus served as a model king. The Scripture accounts regarding David go out of their way to show his sense of fairness and justice. For example, David rewards all of his men equally, even those too exhausted to continue the chase, after his great victory over the Amakelites (1 Sam 30:23). This episode may be seen as reminiscent of Christ's Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 20). He refused to ever touch his adversary King Saul, was furious about the rape of Tamar, and lamented the death of his rebellious son Absalom, whom he had ordered that no one injure, etc.
===As forefather of Christ===
===As musician: The [[Psalter|Psalms]]===
Besides his role as Saul's harpist, David composed a large number of the Psalms; whether every single one was written by the king is uncertain. Most of the psalms are prefaced by a few words in both the [[Septuagint]] and Masoretic texts, and 73 of the 150 (or 151, if the one [[Deuterocanon|deuterocanonical ]] psalm is included) explicitly name David as their author. Other introductions give even more detail. For example, Psalm 51 (50 in the Septuagint), our most famous psalm of repentance, is said to have been written by David after Nathan confronted him about his affair with Bathsheba. In any case, David’s contribution to church music and liturgics cannot be ignored, as the Psalms figure prominently in Orthodox worship.
[[Image:Templeofsolomon.jpg|left|thumb|A reconstruction of what Solomon's Temple might have looked like.]]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David wikipedia:David]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_in_Jerusalem wikipedia: Temple in Jerusalem]
* [http://www.comeandseeicons.com/d/saintsd.htm Come and see icons: Listings for David] (Great icons of King David.)
* [http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/messiah/david.shtml The Prophecies of King David]
* [http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LGOT/david.shtml King David]
[[Category:Biblical Saints]]
[[Category:Prophets]]
[[ro:David]]
