Why didn't David ascend into Heaven?

Question

Acts 2:34 NKJV:

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘ The LORD said to my Lord,“ Sit at My right

Why didn't David ascend to heaven? Is this past tense? Is David in heaven now, or has he just never ascended into heaven all at?

Answer 1

This verse is contrasting Jesus and David. Jesus ascended:

Luke 24:51

While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

David went to heaven the old fashioned way: by dying first.

This is evidenced by David's body being buried:

Acts 2:29

“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.

By contrast, Jesus was not "abandoned" (left) in the grave:

Acts 2:31

Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.

That David is in heaven is clear from Hebrews 11:32-40. David is named in verse 32 with other faith heroes. Then in verse 40 it says, "together with us would they be made perfect" (since they can only be perfected in heaven).