March 11, 2015 – Wednesday

Start Time: 6:34 AM

End Time:   7:42 AM

Title: For the Director of Music.  A Psalm of David.  When the Prophet Nathan Came To Him After David Had Committed Adultery With Bathsheba.

Scripture: Psalm 51:1 – 19

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ This is a psalm David wrote after he realized the sin he did (Adultery).  David has been very close with God over the years and his relationship with the Lord is not a secret!  His wisdom and strength are known to all men because God is with him.  But at times, when we are at the peak of our life, in the successful place of our time, we tend to relax and go easy too.  As we know, David saw Bathsheba bathing at night primarily because he stayed behind.  There was war yet, he decided to send his men and stay home.  So David was resting and feeling comfortable at home and that's when the temptation strikes, out of the blue, David saw Bathsheba bathing and we all know what happened next.  So it is in our comfort zone that we are most likely blindsided by the devil and presents us with a tempting proposition that we tend to succumb to because we are too comforted and ease.  So at this point, David sinned and he wrote this chapter as soon as Nathan, the prophet, came to show him his error.  Another thought that we can learn from this is that, at times, the leaders God placed in our lives are instruments of showing our errors but our respect and love for God and men should allow us to see and understand the error of our ways and humbled down before God, which could mean humbling before the man of God.  So let's proceed to chapter 51.

David started the chapter directly asking God for mercy, no more beating around the bush, David opened the Psalm with a request for mercy and an admission of his sin.  But note that when he requested for mercy to God, again, he highlighted that God is to give it according to His unfailing love and not with David's own confession or previous good works or because he was chosen.  The basis of God's mercy on David is because of God's compassion and love.  That's the only reason why God washes our sins away and cleanses us.  In verse 3, David admitted that he sinned and knew now what he did wrong.  Note that this is important because it showed humility.  After David committed adultery, he was living life normally like nothing ever happened yet when Nathan showed him his error, he then recognized that it was God who is showing him the error of his ways so he came to God and boldly admitted his fault and said "I Know" my transgressions... so this is a recognition of God's rebuke and David's foolishness.  Note that in verse 4, David emphasized that his sin was against God and God alone.  David clearly hurt and betrayed Uriah and even Bathsheba. We understand why this act was against Uriah and maybe you're confused why it is against Bathsheba when she could have said no.  Well, she did but note that she is always a subject to the King and in their culture, a King is a King and everyone else is subject to him.  So Bathsheba had no intent of cheating with her husband, I believe she loved her husband dearly but when your king comes to you, she is obligated to give what the king asked.  So that's why i say that David's sin was also against Bathsheba.  However note that David only declared this sin to be against God and Him alone; because in the true sense, a King only needs to explain himself to someone above him, not the people below or under him.  But note that David then recognized and illustrated himself as a sinner to God, one who sins from birth yet God desired his faithfulness even when he was still in his mother's womb.  Note in verse 6, David said at the last line, "you taught me wisdom in that secret place" - Highlight on the "secret place".  God and David had their own secret place. We too can have a special place with God so start looking for your secret place with the Lord if you don't have one yet :)

Now, in verse 7, David continued on asking for cleansing but i want to direct your attention to verse 8, David said, "Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice." After realizing the truth, David was crushed and was not hearing joy or gladness.  Note, sin can and will take away your joy and gladness.  It will crush both your spirit and bones.  So do not dwell on it - sin may give you temporary enjoyment but in return it will crush your bones and true joy and gladness for a long long time so it's not worth it!

In verse 10, David asked God to create in him a pure heart and renew his spirit within him.  Clearly David was no longer confident of himself and do not trust his own heart.  So he asked God to create one for him, one that he knows he can trust for it comes from God.  Again a lesson we ought to learn; our hearts and our spirits are not to be trusted unless it is one that God created but if it is one that originally God created yet we tried to take control of, then clearly, our hearts and spirits are tarnished.  So stick to a heart and spirit that God controls.  In verse 11, David's long for God's presence and His Spirit within him because he knew that upon realizing the truth of what he did, His presence may have left or hid.  David cannot leave without Him and in verse 12, David asked God to restore his joy of God's salvation and to give him a willing spirit to sustain him.  Now note that sin robs us from our joy but it also robs us of a "willing spirit" - so it's possible that this is the reason why we start to rebel!  Sin does that my friend.

In verse 13, David moved on by declaring what he can do after God has given him a pure heart and a steadfast spirit.  He can then teach transgressors God's ways so the sinners can return to God.  God's deliverance will then lead his tongue to sing of God's righteousness; his lips and mouth declaring Praises to God; and check out verse 16, David knew that God has never delighted in sacrifices - not that He doesn't want them; but it is not something He asks of us.  These sacrifices are wealth, effort, like what we do for the Lord.  But look at what David sacrificed instead, in verse 17, David said, My sacrifice is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart and God will not despise it. Wow what a revelation!  So God does not delight on the sacrifices we made or the things we do for Him but God delights in our brokenness and weaknesses - this only shows that God delights in our humility!  Hallelujah! 

In verse 18 and 19, David ended his psalm with the hope of pleasing God in the prosperity of their city.  Only then will God delights in the sacrifices we do for Him!  When we first offer our brokenness and weaknesses to Him - in short, ourselves!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for a wonderful time and a much needed wisdom added to me today.  Lord help me to absorb all the things I learned today and focus on Your Grace and love, understanding that our errors are revealed so we can humble ourselves down.  Help me to practice this in my life and apply everything with a willing spirit.  Help me Lord to sacrifice my weaknesses, my brokenness, my whole being to You as a whole, giving You full control and not holding on to my works or the things I do for You.  Remind me of this every day Lord and give me an understanding to know what is pure, right and Your will.  In Jesus' Name, Amen!