The Sages describe the daily routine of David king of Israel; his engagement in Torah study; and his dedication to judging and instructing the people and seeing to their needs.

A lyre was suspended over David’s bed, and when midnight arrived, a northern wind would come and blow on it and cause the lyre to play on its own. David would immediately rise and study Torah until the first rays of dawn. When dawn arrived, the Sages of Israel entered and said to him: Our lord the king, your nation requires sustenance. He replied: Go and sustain one another [by trading with each other]. They responded with a parable: A single handful of food does not satisfy a lion, and a pit will not be filled from its own dirt. David instructed them: Go and take up arms with the troops. The Sages immediately sought advice from Ahitofel [an advisor to King David], consulted the Sanhedrin, and inquired of the Urim and the Tumim.…

The verse states: “A prayer by David…Watch over me, for I am pious” (Psalms 86:1–2). Levi and Rabbi Yitzhak disagreed as to how David’s piety was manifest. One said: This is what David said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, am I not pious? All the kings of the East and the West sleep until the third hour of the day, but I, “at midnight, I rise to give thanks to You” (Psalms 119:62).

And the other Sage said: This is what David said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, am I not pious? All of the kings of the East and the West sit in groups [with other members of the royal and aristocratic classes] befitting their honor, but my hands become soiled with blood to determine whether it is menstrual blood, with a miscarried fetus, and with a placenta, in order to render a woman ritually pure and consequently be permitted to her husband. Moreover, I consult my teacher, Mefivoshet [a grandson of King Saul], with regard to everything that I do. I say to him: Mefivoshet my teacher, did I decide properly? Did I judge as liable properly? Did I judge as exempt properly? Did I rule that an item is ritually pure properly? Did I rule that an item is ritually impure properly? I was not embarrassed to seek counsel. (Berakhot 3b–4a)