King David (1010?–970? B.C.) Guerrilla warrior, despotic king, murderer of Uriah, writer of psalms. Among his sons were Solomon, who gathered scholars to create the first systematic collection of the sacred texts that would become the Bible, and Absalom, who would die leading a revolt against David. We honor this complex and contradictory character for the simple, clear devotion of his Psalm 23 and his shameless joy in dancing naked before the Ark of God.