In Psalm 144, David had progressed from the time Saul was trying to kill him. He had been king of Judah for seven years and then king of the united nation. Yet he still had problems to overcome.
Fortunately because of the years of trials, David’s faith had continued to strengthen. In verses 1 and 2, David wrote, “Praise the Lord, Who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle. He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in Him. He makes nations submit to me.”
But after naming the blessings God had given him, he asked a great question. “O Lord, what are human beings that You should notice them, mere mortals that You should think about them? For they are like a breath of air; their days are like a passing shadow.” I think David was asking about himself: “Lord, why did You choose to love me?” Can any of us look at ourselves and not ask that question?
Paul picked up this theme in Hebrews 2 when he wrote, “But we have not yet seen all things put under their (human) authority. What we do see is Jesus, Who for a little while was given a position ‘a little lower than the angels’ (He became a human); and because He suffered death for us, He is now ‘crowned with glory and honor’. Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for Whom and through Whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that He should make Jesus, through His suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. So now Jesus and the ones He makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters. For He said to God, ‘I will proclaim Your name to My brothers and sisters. I will praise You among Your assembled people’.”
Yes, David had a glimpse of what God would do. God created humans to become His children. God wants to share with us eternal life. Jesus Himself told us, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).