Walk with David — shepherd, psalmist, and the man after God’s own heart.
A 30-day Bible study devotional following David from shepherd boy to anointed king, pairing each daily Bible reading with an honest look at his triumphs and failures, a meditation on one of his own psalms, and a practical way to apply his story to your own walk with God.
What you’ll experience each day
- A suggested Bible reading about an incident in the life of David.
- An in-depth, candid Bible study on what you just read.
- Practical application — how to take what you learned about David and apply it to your own life.
- A meditation on one of David’s Psalms, paired with that day’s reading.
- Related Scripture verses to deepen the day’s lesson.
- A guided prayer to help you internalize what God wants to teach you.
What readers are saying
“This book is a refreshing 30 day devotional and will delight the soul. It is an easy read for the ‘seasoned’ saint, ‘new believer,’ as well as the ‘non-believer’ seeking to learn more about the life of this shepherd boy David and how he became king.”
— CS, Nevada“Mrs. Humes’ devotional is unlike any other devotional I have ever written. The carefully layered parts of each day make this a delight to read. Her doctrine is strong.”
— Pastor Kevin Kline, Victory Bible ChurchAbout the author
Mary Jane Humes
Mary Jane Humes has been teaching the Bible in various capacities since 1988. She reads, studies, and teaches exclusively from the King James Version of the Bible. After graduating from a Christian academy, she went to college to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology, and graduated with honors in Anthropology.
Mary Jane is the author of The Faith Series Devotionals, a series of 30-day KJV Bible devotionals that combine in-depth Bible study with daily devotional reading. Currently she teaches children’s Sunday school, plays the piano in worship services, and is a frequent speaker at ladies’ church events.
Her passion is making God’s Word accessible, joyful, and practical for everyday Christian living — which is exactly what BibleStudyJoy.com was created to do.
Not sure yet? Read Day 1 first.
Here’s the complete first day — Bible reading, Bible lesson, application, a meditation on Psalm 8, and the closing prayer — exactly as it appears in the book.
Read Day 1 of David’s Faith
David-A Man After God’s Own Heart
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1–13 and Psalm 8
Today’s Verse
“The Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) (KJV)
Bible Lesson
This is the chapter in which we are introduced to David. God sent the prophet Samuel to the family of Jesse to find the next king. God told Samuel He was going to take the kingdom of Israel away from King Saul and give it to a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22). Samuel’s job was to find the future king and anoint him.
Jesse had eight sons. Samuel started with the oldest of Jesse’s sons, Eliab, who presented himself before Samuel. He was tall, good-looking, and no doubt had a kingly bearing. Samuel thought, This must be the one, but God said, “No, I have refused him: for the Lord … looketh on the heart” (v. 7). This same scenario was repeated six more times, with Samuel inspecting each of the young men. After the last one was rejected, Samuel must have thought either God made a mistake or there was another son who had not been brought before him.
Out of desperation, Samuel asked Jesse the obvious question, “Are here all thy children?” (v. 11). Jesse admitted his youngest was keeping the sheep. Obviously, Jesse considered the youngest member of his family as not important enough, or just plain too young; but Samuel said, “Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither” (v. 11). Samuel was probably thinking something to the effect of, This has to be the one; there’s no one else left.
God confirmed to Samuel that this young man, the eighth son of Jesse—David by name—was the one chosen by Him to be the future king of Israel. He was, we find out, the man after God’s own heart.
At this first meeting of David, an understanding of David’s heart is not obvious. However, as we study the life, actions, and words of David contained in Psalms, the focus of his heart becomes quite evident. As he matured in years and experiences, he never stopped trusting in God, even in times of extreme personal grief and disappointment.
Ponderings of a Woman after God’s Heart
David was the eighth son of Jesse. According to Bible scholars, the number eight in the Bible is the number of new beginnings. David was the start of a new line of kings in Israel, a line of kings God promised would continue “forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). This promise God gave David was a forward look to the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, at his second advent.
If you are reading this devotional, you obviously desire to learn how to be a woman after God’s own heart. Once you have accepted the free gift of God’s great salvation through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23; 10:9–10), you are commanded to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Here are the three basics of becoming a woman after God’s own heart:
- Daily prayer — This devotional has suggested prayers based on each daily topic; however, use these only as a tiny supplement to your prayer life. Learn to develop a daily prayer time when you can communicate all the desires of your heart to God.
- Daily Bible reading — If you have not yet cultivated the habit of reading the Bible daily, this devotional is designed to help you. Each day there is a portion of Scripture concerning David and one of his psalms for you to read.
- Regular church attendance — It is very important that you attend a church that faithfully teaches and preaches the Bible. Regular fellowship with other Christians is not only important to your daily walk with God; it is commanded by Him: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another” (Hebrews 10:25).
Thoughts on Psalm 8
This psalm may have been written by David as a very young man, a shepherd boy, before he was anointed king. Perhaps David wrote this particular psalm when he had to stay awake at night and watch the sheep. He may have been referring to himself when he said, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength” (v. 2).
In this glorious psalm, David praised God because of His wonderful creation. David realized the vastness of God’s power, and he marveled that God even thinks of mankind. David knew God gave man the responsibility to care for His beautiful creation. David also seemed to know something about the angelic realm, because he said God made man a little lower than the angels (v. 5).
If this psalm was written by David at a very young age, it shows David truly had a heart for God and for the things of God. The next time you take in the beauty of nature, I encourage you to remember this psalm and to praise God for His wonderful creation.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I thank You that You look on the heart and not my appearance. Help me to have a heart for You that I may live my life pleasing to You in all my ways. When I sin against You, help me to quickly come to You to confess my sin, knowing You will forgive me. Help me to serve You by regularly praying, reading Your Word, and attending Your house of worship. In Christ’s name, amen.
Common questions
What Bible translation does David’s Faith use?
Every study is written from the King James Version. Author Mary Jane Humes reads, studies, and teaches exclusively from the KJV.
How long does each day’s study take?
About 9 minutes a day, covering a Bible reading, a Bible lesson, a meditation on one of David’s psalms, application, related Scripture, and a guided prayer.
Is David’s Faith written for women or men?
It was written with a female audience in mind, and many of the reflections use a woman’s point of view. That said, plenty of men have read and enjoyed it too — the Bible study itself applies to any believer.
What bonus content is included?
A 31st-day epilogue for months with an extra day, and a glossary to help track the many people and places in David’s story.
Where does David’s Faith fit in the Faith Series?
It’s the very first book in the series — the original devotional that started it all, followed by Naaman’s Faith, Esther’s Faith, Joseph’s Faith, Abraham’s Faith, and Jonah’s Faith.
Complete the Faith Series
David’s Faith is the first devotional in the series. Every title is available in paperback and e-book.
Begin your 30 days with David
Every day pairs Scripture with one of David’s own psalms and a prayer to draw you closer to God — start today, in paperback or e-book.