Fear of the Lord

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God called David "a man after His own heart" because David's heart was after, or in pursuit of, God. David understood the fear of the Lord, and what it produced in a man's heart. Having "the fear of the Lord" meant David was loyal to God, seeking His opinion above all others. David said this is what made Him "clean", and God, by His words about David, demonstrated David got this right:

Psalm 19: 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

David said the fear of the Lord helped Him love God's opinions (judgments) which are completely true and righteous.

What set David apart was His loyalty to God's opinions. People are tempted to "give-in" to what others think of them, even being willing to be fake before the unseen God for a moment, in an effort to not disappoint men who they can see right in front of them. Men whose opinions they fear or want to influence. David would say this leaves a man unclean. God would agree with David.

If you know anything about David's life, you know for him to claim to have "clean hands" would be laughable, even by today's lax moral standards...but the Bible attests to the fact that David knew how God saw him. What I can learn from David is that when I am fiercely loyal to God's opinion, I don't "put His statutes away from me," even temporarily. Many do this in an effort to not disappoint people, or to increase their own influence, or because they think God will not notice, but David did not give in to this temptation. He kept re-aligning himself with God's opinion:

Psalm 18: 20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God. 22 For all His judgments were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. 23 I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. 24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

David made many mistakes. But His heart was loyal to God's opinion above men. When David realized He was in the wrong, He didn't make an excuse for why it was okay...He didn't give himself grace to let His mistake override God's truth, even temporarily. He admitted his fault before God, and agreed that God was right. This is called repentance in the Bible, agreeing with God. He didn't put God's statutes away from himself, he continually re-aligned with them. Because He knew God's heart for grace and mercy, He ran to God when He messed up, and not from God. How much more should I, with confidence that Jesus' blood instantly cleans me, enabling me to be restored to His leadership instantly?

This interaction between David and God produced a fierce loyalty to God in David's heart. From the time He was young, David took risks in fierce loyalty to God:

1 Samuel 17:34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David's loyalty to God, His name, and everything associated with Him, drove David to the heights of encounter with God, on God's terms. This loyalty to God gave David an indisputable history of victory over whatever opposed him, be it lion, bear, or giant! I want the heights of encounter with God. I want an indisputable history of victory over whatever opposes me!

A defiant child may say all the right things, but lack loyalty in his heart for his father. Saying the right things, and appearing the right way before men may leave me looking good before everyone else, but God sees obedience and loyalty when no one else can. I want to be like David and make God's opinion the only one that matters.

One day soon, I will stand before Him. From that day forward, for billions and trillions of years, I will realize that God's assessment of my loyalty to Him was always the only one that mattered!

Revelation 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

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