In our past devotions, we looked at King David’s career. He had great success and blockbuster failures. We also noted that the Lord did not throw David to the trash-heap, though he deeply hurt the Lord. Remember, the Lord is not immune to our sin. Every person’s sin leaves a mark. Not collective sin, each individual sin!
The Lord doesn’t act like the Incredible Hulk, storming into our lives, nostrils flaring, a scowl on his face, and wanting to smash us to bits when we morally fail. David notes three things about God: 1) You are a hiding place for me; 2) you preserve me from trouble; 3) you surround me with shouts of deliverance. (Ps. 32:7). These are fantastic characteristics that give us confidence and assure us of safety and comfort in the Lord, even after epic fails.
After David sexually abused a married woman (Bathsheba), then had her husband (Uriah) killed, he tried to hide the affair.Trying to fool an omniscient God is a silly idea to be sure. “Be sure your sin will find you out.” (Num. 32:23). The consequences of sin will somehow, someway, seep into your life. The longer sin is ignored, the deeper its roots, the more uncomfortable it is when the Lord identifies and begins to deal with it.
Yet David notes something fantastic: “Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD” (Ps. 32:10). If you are a genuine believer in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you have an advocate, someone who is on your side. He doesn’t overlook your sin, he helps you conquer it. The way he starts the process is to assure you that: “steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.” The Lord is not tired of your moral failures, they don’t exhaust him. But he will not allow them to let them rule your life. Every day he works with you to purify you. It’s not instantaneous, it’s a process.
You may punish yourself with shame and guilt when you fail, but he won’t. That doesn’t mean that he won’t use pressure or crushing force to get your attention, but he uses force that shepherds you towards victorious living. David notes this: “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice” (Ps. 51:8). Whaaat!?
Let the bones that you have broken rejoice?! Alarm bells should be going off here. Broken bones?! Really? This is a loving God?
David is using symbolic language from his old profession of shepherding. When a shepherd had a headstrong lamb that kept wandering away, the shepherd took that lamb and broke its two front legs. Then he would set the bones, place the lamb around his neck, carrying it, wherever he took the flock. The lamb became attached to the shepherd, then trusted the shepherd, learning to delight in the nurture and care of the shepherd. The shepherd and the rebel lamb would bond. When the broken bones of the lamb mended and were strong, the shepherd put the lamb down, and the lamb would never again leave the shepherds side.
Will the Lord do that with you? Yep. He loves you too much to watch you self-destruct!
“You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him” (Deut. 13:4). He’s already got a sure and steady grip on you, now you must hold onto him. What happens when you hold on?
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6). You and he are joined at the hip. What then? “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deut. 31:8). The little lamb turns into a lion.
Then, David warns us to not be spiritually obtuse. He uses another animal metaphor: “Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you” (Ps. 32:9). You can be a spiritual doorknob. You can live life virtually unaware, going through the motions of living, like a horse or a mule. You can live life without insight, being spiritually mindless. We all know people like this. Religious matters are fairytales to them. These people are empty spiritual vessels. David begs us to be spiritually dynamic, to be forward leaning in sacred matters.
In the early part of the Bible, Moses wanted the Lord to give a description of himself. “The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…” (Exod. 34:6). Libraries of books can be written about this one verse.
Merciful and gracious are the first attributes listed. Mercy is not giving you what you do deserve. Grace is giving you what you don’t deserve. That’s the best deal in the Universe! Sin clouds your mind, deceiving you into believing that you can manage your life and future. Forget that nonsense. Take the mercy and grace – it’s free to you. It costs the Lord dearly, but He pays an exorbitant price for you.
The Lord goes on describing himself: “keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty;” (Exod. 34:7). He keeps on keeping on you, loving you, even when you do what David did. He desires to forgive. But if there is no repentance? Who will by no means clear the guilty. The Lord is just, because He is holy, and his holiness will not let his love supersede purity.
David got to the place of repentance. Again, read Psalms 32, and 51.
David recognized his own moral failures and spiritual weaknesses. David let his desires rule his decision-making process. He lived for the moment, thinking he would be satisfied with carnal pleasures. Sin does have an immediate payback, but the consequences are eternal. Will you settle for short term gratification? Or: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Ps. 51:10). Choose the latter – you’ll never be sorry.
“I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live” (Deut. 30:19). The Lord gives a choice and whispers the answer: CHOOSE LIFE!!!! Don’t choose death! It’s not rocket science.
