The Man After God's Own Heart

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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Samuel's famous dictum that “to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:2222And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)) will never be forgotten. If Saul learned nothing from the prophet's words, multitudes have profited by them since his day. “To obey,'” and “to hearken” give the essence of holy living. The most costly sacrifices are no substitute for “obeying the voice of the Lord.”
The willful King—the man of the people's choice—being divinely rejected, the Lord brought forward the “man after His own heart.” How different David was from Saul may be seen in Psalm 119 (which, being an amplification of Psalm 19, is almost certainly from the pen of David): “Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight” (Psa. 119:3535Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. (Psalm 119:35)). “I will delight myself in Thy commandments, which I have loved“ (Psa. 119:4747And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. (Psalm 119:47)). “I love Thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold” (Psa. 119: 127). “I opened my mouth and panted: for I longed for Thy commandments” (Psa. 119:131131I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. (Psalm 119:131)). Oh, that there were such a spirit in each of us.