David: A Zeal That Pursued God’s Heart

In Psalm 63:1, David pours his heart out to God with this passionate yearning:

O God, You are my God; early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You,
My flesh longs for You
in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”

In Psalm 27, he penned:

One thing I have desired of the Lord…
to behold the beauty of the Lord.”

In Psalm 42, David captures his deep longing for the Lord with this beautiful analogy.

“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
so pants my soul for You, O God.”

In these Psalms and many others, we feel David’s fervent passion in his relationship with the Lord. This is not a ritual. It’s not an obligation. It’s not liturgical recitation. It’s not blind, misguided religiosity. This is Divine desire. A sacred longing. A sanctified craving. A holy hunger. A zeal for holiness.

We often think of David with the moniker “A man after God ‘s own heart.” We conjure up an image of the Shepherd boy. The sweet singer of Israel. The courageous lad who killed Goliath. And the mighty King of Israel, who was a fearless warrior. In all of these images, we see a heart, as one writer expressed it, that “burns with a passionate pursuit of the Lord that continues to inspire believers today.

It’s been correctly observed that David’s zeal “was not loud self-promotion or emotional hype, but a steady flame that shaped his decisions, empowered his obedience, and restored him when he fell.”

David’s zeal was anchored in at least three guiding principles.

#1 David’s zeal was firmly rooted in his realization of God’s abiding presence.

From his earliest days tending his father’s sheep, David acknowledged the hand of God in his life, guiding, protecting, and leading him. The famous Shepherd’s Psalm speaks to that awareness. “The Lord is my Shepherd.” For David, this was personal. Special. And intimate.

Being zealous begins with the right relationship with the Lord. It’s not about bombastic boasts. Or self-promotion. Or emotional hype. It’s empowered by a steady flame that’s fueled by the Father in every aspect of our lives. “Zeal for God wrote J. C. Ryle “is the burning desire to please Him, to honor Him, and to promote His glory in the world.”

#2 David’s zeal for the Lord was demonstrated in his worship of God.

In Psalm 122:1, David exclaimed his joy in public worship. “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’”

Worship for David wasn’t a ritualistic rite, but an opportunity for cherished communion. In Psalm 26:8, he proclaimed, “Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells.”

In Psalm 103, we feel his gratitude as expressed in heartfelt, overflowing worship. “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

You will never feel passionate for the Lord or find the zeal for His work and way apart from genuine, heartfelt worship. Make worship a priority in your life.

#3 David’s zeal was fueled by love for God’s Word.

When you read Psalm 119, you cannot help but be impressed and have your heart stirred by David’s passion for hearing, reading, and meditating on the Word of the Lord. Note just a few expressions.

• “I delight in Your statutes” — Psalm 119:16
• “Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law” — v. 18
• “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.” — v. 62
• “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors” — v.24
• “I delight in Your commandments, which I love” — v. 47

God’s Word is the bread of life that satisfies our hunger. It is the compass that directs our path. It is the light that dispels darkness and shows us the way. And it is the anchor that provides stability in an unstable world.

Without refueling your spiritual tank with God’s Word, you will soon be running on empty, lose your fervor, and ultimately your faith.

Want to be like David, a man after God’s own heart? Want to imbibe his passion? Want to embody his character, courage, and zeal? Then draw closer to God, worship Him “in spirit and in Truth,” and become immersed in His Word.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman