Although the Scriptures give a very full account of David's life, but little is told us of his early days. We know, however, that these were spent at Bethlehem, and he is first brought before us as a shepherd, minding his father's sheep.
Bethlehem was a small town, built on one of the highest hills in Palestine, about four miles to the south of Jerusalem. Its name signifies "The House of Bread," and was probably bestowed on it on account of the fertility of the surrounding country. Even at the present time, visitors to the place report that fruit trees and vineyards abound, and that the neighborhood of Bethlehem is not surpassed by any in Palestine for luxuriance and beauty.
It was an ancient city in David's time. The patriarch Jacob had sojourned there in his wanderings and it was near by that Rachel had died and was buried. The monument erected by Jacob to the memory of his beloved wife was still standing. It was in Bethlehem, too, that David's great grand-parents, Ruth and Boaz, had their homes; and it was there, a thousand years later, that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was manifested in sinful flesh to save His people from their sins. "But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel." (Micah 5:2)
Jesse, David's father, was counted a very old man. He had eight sons, of whom David was the youngest, and two daughters, both of whom had children of their own. These, although David's nephews, were about the same age as himself. They were doubtless among his youthful companions, and we can imagine how, as they minded their sheep together, or practiced with their slings, they would talk of what they hoped to do when they grew to be men.
It is not likely, however, that they anticipated becoming so famous as they afterwards did. One of them became a great king, and all grew up to be famous warriors. Joab, the great general and statesman, brave but crafty and unscrupulous; Abishai, the mighty men of valor; Asahel, "as light of foot as a wild roe;" (2 Samuel 2:18) and Amasa, who afterwards commanded the army of Absalom and was slain by Joab in treachery, were among these nephews of David. Then there was Elhanan who became one of the chief mighty men of Israel. He also lived at Bethlehem.
It must have been a cause of sadness to David in after life to know that so many of the playmates of his youth should destroy one another, and to find them siding with his enemies against him. It was an experience of this kind that made him write the 41st Psalm. "Yea, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." (Psalm 41:9)
David was not only a shepherd boy, able to run races with the fleet-footed Asahel, and to sling stones like Joab and the others, but was also a musician and a poet. As he listened to the voice of Nature, speaking all around him, and thought upon the Word of God, he sang psalms to his Maker, and made sweet music on the harp. He had carefully stored up the instruction received from his father Jesse, Samuel the prophet, and other good men, and had hidden the words of God in his heart that he might not sin against Him.
We do not know whether any of the Psalms contained in the Bible were written by David at this time, but it is very likely that some of them were, and even if they were written in after years, we know that the thoughts in them came to him in those early shepherd days. It was then he had the blessed experience of which he sang in the 32nd Psalm: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputes not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. ... I acknowledged my sin unto You, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin." (Psalm 32:1-2,5)
The shepherd's work was not done at sunset. The sheep had to be guarded from the attacks of hungry wild beasts, or these would come and destroy the flock, so that David sometimes had to remain out at night, and watch the sheepfold. It was not always pleasant, but instead of complaining, he composed verses on the beauties of the star-lit heavens. The 8th Psalm was one of the songs he wrote on this subject. "O Lord our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth! who has set your glory above the heavens. ... When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man, that You are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:1,3-4)
David knew that although he was young and simple, the Lord could reveal in him the same glory that made the heavens beautiful, and so we find these words in the same psalm: "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings have You established strength." (Psalm 8:2,RV)
When Jesus reminded the Jews of these words He said, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings You have perfected praise;" (Matthew 21:16) so that when God was doing this with David, He was "establishing strength" in him. That this was a real strength was seen in David's case. More than once while he was guarding the sheep at night, fierce beasts came prowling round, and on one occasion a lion, emboldened by hunger, seized one of the lambs, and was dragging it away.
David might have thought of the great danger he would run by interfering with the lion, and perhaps reason that he could not hope to save the lamb, and his own life was more precious. But no, he had the true shepherd heart. He loved his sheep, and his only thought was that the lamb was in danger and must be rescued. Besides, God was his strength, and even though the lion was much stronger than himself, God was stronger still.
So he went in God's strength to do his duty, taking only a shepherd's staff. He overtook the lion and struck it until it dropped the lamb and turned on David. Then it was seen that God really girded him with strength, (Psalm 18:39) for in spite of its superior strength the lion was slain. Another time a bear attacked the fold, but David pursued it and fought it with the same result. He must have had this in mind when he wrote the 17th Psalm. "He is like a lion that is greedy of prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. Arise, O Lord. Confront him, cast him down: Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword; From men, by your hand, O Lord." (Psalm 17:12-14,RV)
In after years when crafty enemies were about him, trying to lure him into wrong paths that he might fall into evil and be ruined, he remembered how the Lord had upheld him as he climbed from crag to crag of the limestone rocks of Bethlehem, making him sure-footed and keeping him from falling. So when he was at last delivered from the persecutions of Saul, he sang in the 18th Psalm: "He makes my feet like hind's feet: and sets me upon my high places. ... Your right hand has held me up, and your gentleness has made me great. You have enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped." (Psalm 18:33,35-36)
David knew what it was to be tired and hungry and thirsty. In the hot summer days how he liked to lead the flock to the well which was by the gate of Bethlehem, where they could quench their thirst with the clear, cold water. Many years after, when the Philistines invaded the land, and had taken possession of Bethlehem, David and his men were in a fortress not far off. They ran short of water, and David could not help thinking of the cool, delicious draughts he used to get at the old well. "And David longed and said, Oh that one would give me a drink of the water of the well Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" (2 Samuel 23:15)
When some of his mighty man heard that, three of them went down to Bethlehem, broke through the Philistine host, drew water at the well and brought it back to David. He did not like to drink water that had been procured at such a risk, so he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. We learn from the incident, however, how highly he had learned to prize the well in his earlier life, and this helps us to appreciate more fully the words of the 63rd Psalm, which he wrote at the time just referred to: "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You: my soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You, in a dry and weary land, where no water is." (Psalm 63:1)
In all the experiences of his life the youthful shepherd learned to see the working of God. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses also, had tended sheep, and as David studied the records of the past, he saw how all men were like sheep, and God was a great Shepherd, feeding and guiding His flock, and leading them to the fountain of the water of life. So he sang in the 95th Psalm: "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker: For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." (Psalm 95:6-7,RV)
He knew how the very helplessness of the sheep appealed to his own heart, and how carefully he sought to lead them where the pasturage was best and the way was easiest. So the Lord was guiding him, only with infinitely greater love and wisdom, and the joyful realization of this thought found expression in the beautiful "Shepherd Psalm," which has gladdened the heart of every believer who has read it, and will continue to inspire rejoicing till we all enter the heavenly fold. "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me besidethe still waters. ... Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:1-2,4)
So the shepherd boy was learning the ways of the Lord. By faithfulness in the discharge of the duties allotted to him, he was developing a character that God could use anywhere. One who does everything to the glory of God, even if it be only minding sheep, is achieving true and lasting greatness, and as we follow the history of God's dealings with him, we shall see how. "He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheep-folds: From following the ewes that give suck He brought him to feedJacob His people, and Israel His inheritance." (Psalm 78:70-71)--Present Truth, May 5, 1898--1 Samuel 16 (David's early life).