Today we commemorate and remember King David. David’s life is well documented in Scripture, from his great faith and loyalty to God to his great sins — in particular, his adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of Uriah. His cries of repentance and prayers for mercy in Psalm 51 are familiar words in the liturgy: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (verses 11 and 12).
There’s another pretty obvious reason we commemorate David, especially this close to Christmas. Christ is the Son of David, promised to us from of old. From “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” in the Holy Week section of the LSB, number 442, verse 1:
All glory, laud, and honor
To You, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
You are the King of Israel
And David’s royal Son,
Now in the Lord’s name coming,
Our King and Blessed One.