David was thirty years old when he began his reign; he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. (2 Samuel 5:4-5)
This is the moment we’ve been waiting for: the coronation of King David. But it’s not the unadulterated joy we were hoping for.
In the chaos and confusion following the death of King Saul, David clearly sought the Lord’s direction, provision, and protection. But as things began to move more in his favor, David began to lean on his own understanding once again.
Before Israel ever made it to the Promised Land, God set out his expectations for every future king, saying “He must not acquire many horses for himself… He must not acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won’t go astray. He must not acquire very large amounts of silver and gold for himself” (Deut. 17:16-17).
In today’s reading, David is completely disregarding those commands. We see him taking many wives and concubines. We see him building up wealth and power through seizure. Why? Because that’s what kings do (as Samuel warned in 2 Sam 8:11-17). David is oppressing God’s people in a misguided attempt to build God’s kingdom.
We often think God needs our help to accomplish his plan, even if our “help” goes against his Word. Instead, let’s trust God’s sovereignty and passionately pursue his commands.