Summary: When Israel was first established, there was no king in the traditional sense: God held that role. The Israelites looked at their neighbors, however, and saw human kings, ultimately demanding one of their own. God obliged, and Saul was anointed king by Samuel, but it was not to last, as Saul was not a man after God's own heart. His successor, David, was a different story. David reminds us that God judges based on what is inside a person, not looks or skills. David responded to God with praise in the face of victory and repentance in the face of sin. He made God the hero instead of himself, and in his life we see foreshadowing of how Jesus, the perfect king, would act. David was far from perfect, but he served as a reminder that our perceptions of power and greatness are shortsighted compared to God's ability to recognize those who truly put him first.
