WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22
Psalm 51:1-19
2 Samuel 12:1-13

“… Thou art the man …”

“THOU ART THE MAN!”

David, the “man after his (God’s) own heart” (1 Sam 13:14), had fallen into sin with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite. What doubly aggravates the adultery was that, in order to cover up his sin, David sent this loyal officer to the war-front to be killed. Floating with Bathsheba on a rosy cloud of sensuality, David was oblivious to the scarlet nakedness of his crime. John Calvin says that while all with objectivity condemn adultery, one who is involved in it will approve of it. It was after Nathan the prophet had brought the king to his senses by catching him unawares with the parable of the rich man eating his poor neighbour’s ewe lamb that David was led to sentence himself! But, while David had fallen so deeply into sin, what won back God’s mercy and favour was his childlike docility. When the prophet declared, “Thou art the man,” he did not react like the bad kings after him did by throwing the prophet into prison, or stoning him. He fell immediately before God to plead for mercy. Are we as childlike?

Spurgeon says, “The great sin of David is not to be excused, but it is well to remember that his case has an exceptional collection of specialities in it. He was a man of very strong passions, a soldier, and an Oriental monarch having despotic power, no other king of his time would have felt any compunction for having acted as he did. … He never hints at any form of extenuation, nor do we mention these facts in order to apologise for his sin, which was detestable to the last degree; but for the warning of others, that they reflect that the licentiousness in themselves at this day might have even a graver guilt in it than in the erring King of Israel. When we remember his sin, let us dwell most upon his penitence, and upon (don’t forget!) the long series of chastisements which rendered the after part of his life such a mournful history.”

This Psalm divides into two parts: The first twelve verses tell of the penitent’s confession and plea for pardon. The last seven verses tell of his gratitude in anticipation and the way he resolves to show it.

THOUGHT: What must I do when I have sinned against God?
PRAYER: Father, may I be very sensitive to the sins in my life.