February 15

1 Samuel 13:14
“The Lord hath sought Him a man after His own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over His people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee” — 1 Samuel 13:1414But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee. (1 Samuel 13:14).
IT was in his confident trust that David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:1414But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee. (1 Samuel 13:14)). He was in himself a sinner like all others (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), but he repented bitterly of his failures, which brought him so much unhappiness, and which entailed grave dishonor upon the sacred name so dear to him. He rested at last upon “the sure mercies of David” (Isa. 55:33Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. (Isaiah 55:3)), that is, the divine promises, and his songs of joyous confidence in the God of his salvation have become the models for all true praise and worship, and have been loved by both pious Jews and devout Christians throughout all the centuries since he sang them in Judea so long ago.
“Thou Holy One of God!
The Father rests in Thee;
And in the savor of that blood
That speaks to Him for me,
The curse is gone—through Thee I’m blest,
God rests in Thee—in Thee I rest.
The slave of sin and fear,
Thy truth my bondage broke;
My willing spirit loves to bear
Thy light and easy yoke:
The love that fills my grateful breast,
Makes duty joy, and labor rest.
Soon the bright, glorious day,
The rest of God shall come!
Sorrow and sin shall pass away,
And I shall reach my home!
Then, of the promised land possessed,
My soul shall know eternal rest!”
—J. C. Deck.