PSALM 51
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (10)
2 Samuel 11-12:13 David’s Sin with Bathsheba
David tarries (1)
And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
David’s adultery (3-5)
2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
David’s Coverup (6-13)
6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. 13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
Death of Uriah (14-17)
14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
Bathsheba mourns Uriah’s death (26)
26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
God is displeased with David (27)
27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
2 Samuel 12:1-13 David repents
Story of the rich man (1-6)
And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
David’s punishment (7-13)
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
God’s Bio
Omniscience, all knowing
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.” (Psalm 139:1-4)
Omnipresent, He is everywhere
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7-10)
Omnipotent, all powerful
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Revelation 19:6)
Holy
“Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)
Love
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)
Mercy
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3)
Grace
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8)
Peace
“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
Longsuffering
“The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” (Psalms 145:8)
David interacts with God (Psalm 51)
David’s repentance (1-12)
David’s repentance and request for mercy (1-4)
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
David acknowledges he was shapen in iniquity (5-6)
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
David’s request for God to make him clean, to hear joy and gladness, create in him a clean heart, God’s presence, the Holy Spirit, joy of salvation (7-12)
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
CHALLENGE
Unconfessed sin will cause you to wither away. We must deal with unconfessed sin in the same way David did. REPENT and sincerely, humbly, come to the foot of the cross and allow Jesus to deal with our sin. First John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
David’s prayer in Psalm 51 helps us to see what it means to repent and humble ourselves before God.
David gets right with God (13-19)
Results of getting right with God (13-19)
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
CONCLUSION
David’s interaction with God was a prayer of repentance. Then a prayer of action. Whenever we sin and repent, there should be a desire to serve God. Not works because we have to, but out of love for our Savior.
Had David:
Been at his appointed place
Been careful what he looked at
Not allowed temptation to become sin
Not tried to cover up his sin. Cover ups are always exposed by God
David would not have had to:
Suffer the punishment of sin which is always greater than the enjoyment of the sin
Repent
Seek God’s mercy
David’s desire after his repentance:
Continue to minister for God
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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