Of the more than 70 psalms attributed to David, at least 14 of them are connected with specific events in his life. From them we see an outline of a growing relationship with God. They are listed here, roughly in chronological order.
| Event in David’s Life | What David Learned about God |
| When Saul sent men to David’s home to kill him (1 Samuel 19) | Psalm 59: God is my refuge. |
| While running from Saul (1 Samuel 21) | Psalm 34: I will praise the Lord at all times. |
| While running from Saul (1 Samuel 21) | Psalm 56: When I am afraid, I put my trust in God. |
| While hiding in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22) | Psalm 142: God is my refuge. |
| After learning that Doeg had murdered 85 priests and their families (1 Samuel 22) | Psalm 52: God will strike down evil people. |
| When the Ziphites tried to betray him (1 Samuel 23) | Psalm 54: God is my helper. |
| While hiding in a cave (1 Samuel 24) | Psalm 57: I will hide in the shadow of God’s wings until the danger has passed. |
| While hiding in the wilderness of En-gedi (1 Samuel 24) | Psalm 63: My soul thirsts for God; his right hand holds me securely. |
| When Saul’s pursuit was over (2 Samuel 22) | Psalm 18: To the faithful, God shows himself faithful. |
| After being confronted about his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12) | Psalm 51: The sacrifices God desires are a broken spirit; a broken and repentant heart he will not reject. |
| During Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15) | Psalm 3: Victory comes from the Lord. |
| During Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15) | Psalm 7: He is a righteous God who searches minds and hearts and can bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. |