David (Part 7) Pertinent
Over the past 6 weeks I have been bringing you lessons on one of the most famous men in all the Bible, David, and what I believe it took for him to become a man after God’s own heart. I am spending so much time on this because I believe that we likewise can become men and women of such character if we are made aware of what pleases God and apply it to our own life.
But as you know, like us, as good as David was, he was not perfect. Like all of us, he was guilty of sinning. His most notorious sin which is remembered by all is when he used his power to seduce a woman named Bathsheba while her husband was at war on his behalf. When she was found to be with his child, David arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed in battle to cover up the matter. David was an adulterer and a murderer. And some could wonder why such a man could be even considered a man after God’s own heart. (Read the story in 2 Samuel 11 & 12)
But God said that he was. When God was directing Samuel the prophet to anoint a new king over Israel after He had rejected Saul, He told Samuel; “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7)
After David sinned, the Lord sent him Nathan the prophet to confront him. And instead of a denial or excuses, David comes clean and admits; “I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Samuel 12:13)
But if that was all we were told about the incident we would have no idea about the depth of grief he felt or the desire for repentance he sought. Actually his predecessor, King Saul, when he was confronted he also admitted that he sinned on different occasions. But our Lord God could see that which others cannot. He can see what’s going on in one’s heart. And that’s where Saul failed.
Fortunately in Psalm 51 David actually gives us a glimpse of what’s going on in his heart. In that psalm he pours his soul out before the Lord with great transparency and brokenness of spirit.
So despite his sin, God still loved David. I believe in David we have a glimpse into the heart which God so treasured when we read Psalm 51. It is a prayer of repentance and is truly one of the great prayers of the Bible. READ: Psalm 51
– In this psalm David asks God to do a number of things. First he asks that He would have mercy on him or show him grace. Not so much of because of who he was , but rather because of who God was, one who has unfailing love and because He can show great compassion. David knew he messed up, and he also knew that God could totally destroy him. God was not one to mess with. But more importantly despite the fact he knew he was a sinner from his youth he understood that our God is a loving God, and will He will show compassion on those who humbly seek it. We need to understand that as well.
– And because of that David goes on to ask God to blot out his sin and transgressions. We all know what it is to blot out a stain or smudge. We may drop something like food on our shirt, pants, or even table cloth… at least I do. And when I do I take a clean cloth, wet it a little and wipe or try to blot out that stain before it sets in.
In verse 1 and 2 David prays “Blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” And then in verse 7 he prays “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”
Hyssop or better known as Ezov was used for religious ritual purification. When the death angel was about to pass through Egypt and kill all the first born, God instructed Moses to take Hyssop branches and dip them in the sacrificed lamb’s blood and sprinkle it on their door entry ways so that they would be passed over. Likewise David wanted to become ceremonially clean and passed over by God’s righteous judgment.
After knowing what he did, and how much it displeased God, David himself felt real bad and was filled with guilt. When you hurt someone you really love it does that; you feel guilty and even miserable until you make it right.
David really cared about what God thought of him showing that he really was a man after God’s own heart. But sad to say a person can get to the point where they no longer feel guilt for sinning any more. They don’t even think about it, or maybe they don’t even care about how God looks at their actions. The Bible implies that such a person’s heart has become hard. These people just make excuse for those actions. Some even try to justify sinful actions.
What about you? Do you make excuses or try to justify an action that you know may displease God?
So the next thing I see David asking for here in this psalm is to have that terrible feeling of guilt removed, to be freed of it and to feel joy again and to feel God Spirit restored in Him.
In Vs. 8 he prays, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.”
Vss. 10-12 says “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
And finally he comes to the point in Vs. 14 when he prays, “Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior”
Beyond being forgiven and cleansed, David wanted restoration. This is something we should all seek. He does not want to be stuck in (or with) the guilt of his sin as he moves into the future. David wants to repent and be done with it all. Knowing God has removed his sin from him, David wants to experience joy again.
This is a wonderful hallmark of forgiveness from the Lord. If we truly repent, he removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. (See Psalm 103:12-17) We are free to move forward as if the sin never existed at all.
We don’t have to wallow in and keep feeling guilty for forgiven sin. If we do not let the guilt and despair go after we have repented it can cripple us. Yes we are to learn from our mistakes but also we need to move on from them. I am again reminded of the Apostle Paul. Yes he sinned against Jesus by persecuting the early Christians, and yes he felt bad about it. But then after he was forgiven he moved on and did his best to serve Jesus.
Likewise David said in this Psalm vss. 12-13 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.”
What freedom! That release from guilt is what enabled people like David and Paul able to give back to the Lord.
Have you ever noticed that those who have truly repented and received complete forgiveness are usually open and forthright about their past sin? Some will even stand up and publicly tell the stories of their lives as alcoholics, adulterers, thieves, drug traffickers and more.
This week I read the remarkable testimony of David Berkowitz, the notorious “Son of Sam” serial killer who terrorized New York in the 1970s. The transforming power and grace of Jesus Christ touched his life and he tells his story without hesitation.
Paul did not hide the fact that he persecuted the church in his early years, rather he spoke of it and how God forgave him to exemplify God’s grace which is for all.
When people listen to stories of God’s great grace they often feel that their own case is not hopeless and their own sin not unforgivable. The same thing happened to the apostle Paul. People saw the joy on the face of this former sinner and they wanted the same. And God is still there to offer it.
As you read Psalm 51, what do you find you identify with the most? Is there a hidden sin that you need to repent of with the same heart David had?
Do you find you haven’t been completely honest with God?
Are you willing to accept the deep cleansing David desired?
Do you need to have the joy of God’s salvation restored to you?
Do you desire to have your testimony of God’s grace touch the lives of others?
David’s prayer of repentance in Psalm 51 is one of the great prayers of the Bible. After you read it, it isn’t so hard anymore to understand why David was a man after God’s own heart. You and I can hold that same title; we can be men and women after God’s own heart. Repentance is the entryway. I what to close with what David realized and prayed toward the of this Psalm, in vss. 16-17. He said
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart…”
You and I can also become a man or woman after God’s own heart; but its takes developing an unyielding faith and love for God and His word. It not only about being faithful, loyal, courageous, and thankful, God loves a humble soft heart that is willing to repent and learn from one’s mistake. I pray that you may develop such a heart so that you can be one with Him!
(Some of this Sermon is Based on an article by B. Lardinais)
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566