Almost half of the Psalms in the Bible are attributed to David. He is often called “a man after God’s own heart.” But what makes him so special?

When we take a closer look, there are many reasons that speak against this title. The Psalms describe deep tensions, doubts, and times of great weakness which David experienced. His failures, like his tremendous failure with Bathsheba and the following murder of her husband certainly do not belong to the glowing moments of his life.

It is the way that he handled these failures and imperfections that made him a man after God’s heart. David had a soft heart, which always returned again to God. He didn’t hide himself from Him. He brought before God everything that moved, bothered, and distressed him. David knew that he was always in need of God’s forgiveness and grace.

In Psalm 51 after he had committed both adultery and murder, David turned to God and begged him for forgiveness and a new, clean heart.

How do you deal with your mistakes?

Applicable Bible text: Psalm 51