18th century Russian icon of David

“Great David’s greater Son” is a series of Sunday sermons on the beginnings of the kingship in ancient Israel – Samuel, Saul, David and Solomon. The readings will be largely taken from the Revised Common Lectionary but will not correspond directly to the set timing of those readings: we’ll end up quite out of sync with the lectionary.

There are a number of resources which might be helpful to you as you participate in the Sunday services.

Howard Wallace’s Sunday commentaries on the Old Testament for each week will be helpful historical background to most of the particular texts we’ll be considering. The dates in Howard’s listings are correct for the RCL itself but won’t correspond to our dates; just scroll down his page until you find the reading for the next week.

Walter Brueggemann has made many helpful contributions to scholarship on the life of David. In man we trust: the neglected side of biblical faith is a very accessible text on the kingship in Israel, as is David’s truth: in Israel’s imagination and memory. 

For a very different “take” on the life of David, Joseph Heller’s anachronistic “autobiography” of David, God knows, is an entertaining bed-time reading version of the story.

Apart from these, it will be helpful simply to read through the story of David a couple of times – 1 and 2 Samuel, and then 1 Kings to the end of the Story of Solomon. Suggested readings will also be provide in the pew sheet each week.