David's Truth: In Israel's Imagination and Memory

by Walter Brueggemann

In this completely revised edition of a true classic, Walter Brueggemann thoughtfully examines four different sets of David narratives. Each narrative reflects a particular social context, a particular social hope, and a particular community. Thus these stories offer a distinctly different "mode of truth" concerning this pivotal biblical figure. The tribe, the family, the state, and the assembly each has a different agenda and thus draws a very different portrait of the one who helps define them and is defined by them.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Theology, Christianity, Religion

153 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1985

About the author

Walter Brueggemann was an American Christian scholar and theologian who is widely considered an influential Old Testament scholar. His work often focused on the Hebrew prophetic tradition and the sociopolitical imagination of the Church. He argued that the Church must provide a counter-narrative to the dominant forces of consumerism, militarism, and nationalism.

Reviews

[Josh Fisher]

Realizing I vastly prefer Brueggemann's standalone writing to his commentaries, which tend to be a little repetitive at times. This is about as concise as it gets (I read it in two sittings) and packs a solid punch. It definitely helps to have a little background on historical-critical readings of the David story, without which it can be difficult to understand exactly how he arrives at some of his conclusions. But I found I understood and agreed with it far more after learning about the specific ways it fails as a work of history, after which it is easier to see how it functions rhetorically

[Jake Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do we do with seemingly conflicting narratives of David in the Bible as serious Bible readers that let it change us? Brueggemann doesn’t necessarily relieve this tension but weaves the tapestry of David in a way that is relatable and relevant to our time and place that will cause one to seek after the same qualities of David that have become sunken into Israel’s memory for quite a long time now. Dense, but readable. Would recommend for anyone interested in the figure of David.

[Pastor Soeurette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reading was wonderful and very uncomfortable reading; very heavy theological work. Its provocations forced me to look at David’s life with microscopic lance. The reading left me standing on my toes and challenges me to think outside my norm of scopes. The result of this reading left me with much more work to do to understand David. Brueggemann revealed so much insight into the man David and the story that was built around him. It taught me to porch David's life with a prophetic imagination that might unlock the truth about the man and his life.

[Rick Lee Lee James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The David's of scripture

David is portrayed in different ways at different times for different purposes throughout the Bible. Brueggemann helps us understand why this is and why some truths are so big that only a story can capture their reality. So much insight into the man David and the story that was built around him. It teaches us to porch David with a prophetic imagination the we might unlock Israel's truth about the man and the truth he personified.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a wonderfully uncomfortable read. It's provocations force you to be on your toes and come up with other takes if you can't buy his. It's short, very readable, and great exercise. It doesn't allow easy answers, and rather than smoothing thematic tensions it leaves them rough. The result is that the Scripture reader is left with much more work to do to understand David. Quite a ride.

[Linda Tiessen-Wiebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explores the tensions within th Samuel texts. Different emphases at different times in Israel's life. Brueggeman stresses that it is only in engaging with these textual ambiguities reflectively that we are able to take the bible "seriously but not literally", and move towards peace and justice in our own lives,

[Ned Conway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely heavy on the academic; tough to follow without full text of Samuel I & II on hand; several applications for W.B.'s thesis on the "trustful truth of the tribe"

Bottom-line: only for people with a serious interest in the story of David

[Chet Duke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating, short read on the person of King David. Brueggemann's style of writing is so engaging. He effectively constructs a mosaic of David by combining the multiple portrayals of David in the Hebrew Bible. In the end David is anything but a flat, idealistic character. Instead, Brueggemann shows the reader that David is one of the more complex characters in the Bible. The respective communities captivated by his legacy likewise shape him in their succeeding traditions. Brueggemann suggests that David speaks to the person of faith because he captures two distinct qualities: "amazing human sensitivity and profound yielding to God" (pg 116). This tension throughout the biblical portrayal of David makes him so difficult to nail down.
I would recommend this book for anyone doing a deep character study of David.