A little of David in all of us

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Francis Gonsalves [1]

David and Goliath are among the most popular pairs in the Bible. While Goliath is considered the embodiment of evil, David is an enigmatic hero. The name David, meaning “beloved”, appears a thousand times in the Bible. Judaism and Islam, too, regard David or Dawud, as Yahweh’s or Allah’s favoured king and prophet.
The story of David slaying the gigantic Goliath is well known. When King Saul tries to arm the boy David with armour and helmet, David pleads: “Remove these, for I’m not used to them!” (1 Samuel 17:39) Then, approaching Goliath, he says defiantly: “You come to me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come to you armed with the name of God.” David’s slingshot seems a ridiculous mismatch for Goliath’s sword and shield. Yet, David wins.

The moral of David’s story in the Bible and Quran is the same: ultimate power comes from God/Allah. This is well expressed in the Surat al-Baqara (2:251) wherein we find the Qur’anic version of the story: “Dawud slew Jalut; and Allah gave him power and wisdom and taught him whatever else He willed.”
Being a man of many roles — shepherd, hunter, fugitive, king, poet, musician, liberator, prophet, harpist, warrior, friend, lover and father –– David evokes our admiration and affection. There’s something of David in you and me. And, we’d like to think that godless Goliath is “out there”: tyrannical king, unjust businessman, corrupt politician, hypocritical priest, dominating dad and so on. But isn’t there a “dark side” within each one of us?
The Bible also shows David’s “dark side” as sinner, adulterer and murderer. Moreover, David is unique among biblical characters because he’s known to us both from the “outside” and the “inside”: outside, from the stories of his exploits and escapades; inside, since the Bible records his poems, which echo poignant repentance — “Create a new heart for me, O God.”
The greatest wars are fought on the battleground of one’s heart. The Kurukshetra of the Mahabharata is a classic example of the ceaseless conflict between good and evil. Besides his army, Arjuna’s greatest armoury is the divine charioteer, Lord Krishna, who guides him along the path of nishkama karma.
David’s life is both heroic and tragic, like yours and mine. He provides hope for humanity since he is the epitome of the powerless made powerful by trusting God. David shows us that no matter how tragic life becomes, God never forsakes us. Heroic in destroying Goliath, David struggles with greater adversaries in his heart. God blesses him, for “God doesn’t see as man does; man judges by outward appearances, but God looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Francis Gonsalves can be contacted at fragons@gmail.com