“You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts.” In the Bible God is responsible for the welfare of the people. However, the king acts as God’s representative in protecting the people. There is an inherent tension in the role since the king must act according to his own lights. Yet, the prophets keep telling the king what God requires. One of the reasons David is portrayed as the ideal king, despite his personal flaws, is that he truly sought to do the will of God in all circumstances. In our lives, since we don’t have prophets whispering in our ear, discerning the will of God is not easy. One reliable guidepost: do the kind and compassionate thing and you will always stay inside of the God’s will.
