Psalm 51 David and Everyone Else. King David committed adultery and murder. Would you or I forgive him? God did.
Most of us know the story: David spotted the beautiful Bathsheba taking a bath and began an adulterous affair with her. Some modern (Me too) folk contextualize it by insisting that David forced himself upon her (rape). For various reasons—aside from the fact that we’re not given more details—I doubt it.
But whatever the case, she (inconveniently) got pregnant. The King then tried to get her husband Uriah (one of the Mighty men) to sleep with her in order to cover up the sin. Uriah wouldn’t, because of loyalty to his men. I like him. So David had him placed him in a position where he was likely to be killed. And he was. Problem solved.
But God saw it all.
Scripture
Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb which he bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.
“Now a traveler came to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. And he must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”
Nathan then said to David, “You are the man!” 2 Sam 12:1-7
For the choir director: A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for I know my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. Psalm 51:1-3
Further thoughts
I briefly wrote about Grace and Forgiveness in a previous post. That post focused on Nazis.
As a married male, I personalize the situation, and find it challenging. What if I was Uriah, and I survived, and I found out that my wife became pregnant with the King’s child while I was risking my life in the front? How could I possibly forgive them?
How many of us males could be a David given certain circumstances? How many women might be a Bathsheba? Or worse! Do any of us want all our sins exposed for everyone else to see?
None of us deserve forgiveness. Yet I’m comforted in the knowledge that God freely forgives, even where I struggle.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 1Tim 1:15-16
Maranatha!
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