The Life of David

As Reflected in His Psalms

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About this book

Alexander Maclaren reads David's changing fortunes through the language of the Psalms, connecting the shepherd of Bethlehem, the court musician, the exile and the king. His account combines biblical biography with an interpretation of prayer and sacred poetry. David's courage and affection appear alongside his failings and repentance, as Maclaren asks how a varied life could give expression to so many forms of devotion.

Quoted verses and close attention to individual words make the book more than a sequence of events. In the discussion of David's time in Philistine territory, Maclaren compares the historical account with a psalm's movement from fear toward confidence. Personal experience becomes an occasion to consider love, hope and courage among those who trust in God. For readers interested in the Psalms, the book offers a sustained example of reading poetry in relation to the life of its speaker.