How do you compare David and Paul in the Bible?

Answer 1

I know that Paul was a real person and that he dedicated much of his life to a religious cause. There is no real reason to doubt what we learn about Paul in his own epistles, although Acts of the Apostles differs very significantly form Paul's own account, even attributing miracles to him.

There is strong doubt whether David really existed. If he existed, his concerns were more with the role and advantages of being king. Much of what is written about him in the Deuteronomic History (Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings) seems legendary and even mythical. In fact, the somewhat later Books of Chronicles seems to have shared that scepticism and removed or altered much of the legendary material.

Compared to David, Paul seems the more noble.