How Could David Be Called a Man After God's Own Heart?

How could David be called a man after God's own heart? After all, he was an adulterer, a liar and a murderer. How could such a blatant sinner win God's favor?

Despite all his profound moral failures, David had a heart for God - and tremendous faith. Indeed, his unwavering faith in God gave him the confidence and courage to kill the Philistine giant Goliath. (Samuel 17).

David also revered the Word of God. Psalm 119 gives evidence of just how highly David esteemed God's Word - and how he truly hid the Word in his heart by meditating in it day and night. "for I delight in your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees." ( Psalm 119:47-48)

As well, David was profoundly repentant (Psalm 51). He recognized his wretched sinfulness and begged God for mercy.

And, to be sure, God was merciful to David. The sacrifice and obedience of David's Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, has been put to his account, and his sins have been forgiven.

God has graciously provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him - through Jesus Christ's substitutionary atoning death on the cross. By believing in Him, all our sins are forgiven - past, present and future. Indeed, when we place our trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we too become men and women after God's own heart.

I'll close with the following relevant passage from Hebrews:

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16).