“Have
mercy on me, O God,
according
to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot
out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and
cleanse me from my sin. For
I know my transgressions,
and my sin
is always before me. Against you,
you only, have I sinned
and done
what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and
justified when you judge.” Psalm 51:1-41
The judgment
passed on King David for his adulterous actions with Bathsheba was the death of
the son born as a result of their lying together. David gave into lustful temptation and paid
dearly for it (2 Samuel 12:14-19). In
the end he knew his God was faithful to forgive. Here we see him plead with the Lord for mercy
and compassion. He acknowledges that
God’s verdict against him was right and justified. He never blames the Lord for his son’s death,
understanding that the death of his seven day old son was due to his own
transgression.
It’s difficult for us to grasp the
importance of some of the decisions we make.
This is evidenced by the glib way we make some of them. God wishes for us to be at peace and blessed
but we need to live our lives knowing that there is a price to pay for our
blessings. While salvation is and always
shall be free of charge, we’re expected to be changed as a result. To continue on living as if nothing has
happened to us is short sighted. In
spite of ourselves God chooses to forgive and bless us. He freely doles out His mercy and compassion
on all who passionately seek it.
God is never wrong with His judgment. The fault is always with us. When we make an error in judgment, be quick
to accept responsibility and take God’s verdict in stride. His judgments are meant to teach us, not
punish us. Instead of blaming God, be
like David and say “Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil
in your sight.” Take ownership of your
misdeed and give yourself over to God’s mercy.
Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!
1 A
psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed
adultery with Bathsheba.
