MERCY. DAVID FOUND IT AFTER HE HAD FALLEN INTO GROSS SIN. Psalm 51

This much-loved Psalm began with music dedicated to the Chief Musician. David no longer hid his sin, after ’Nathan the prophet had come to him, as he had come to Bathsheba. ’

The prophet came with holy boldness, although Nathan may have trembled at its thought, while David had brazenly come to Bathsheba burning with lust. The boot was on the other foot.

Nathan obeyed in confronting the King , ’For the Lord sent him to David.’ ( 2 Samuel 12:1) He told the king a parable, ’ There were two menin one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds, But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he brought up and nourished: and it grew up together with him and his children. It ate of its own food and drank from its own cup and lay in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him.’ It was a homespun story clear to every farming community.

He told how’A traveller came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.’ David missed the reference to satan as the traveller or wayfaring man: or that he was the rich man, who had wronged the poor man. Sin had blinded his eyes. It always does.

King David pretended his disgust at all that had happened,’ David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, ‘ As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die.’ He pronounced a righteous sentence on the heartless character. That was not all, ‘He shall surely restore fourfold for the lamb because he did this thing and had no pity.’ God’s Word laid down the restoration principle.

Nathan dropped a bombshell, ’’David, you are the man.’ ’Thus said the Lord God of Israel, : I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. (v7) I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more.’

Sharper than a two-edged sword, the Lord fired the next volley, ‘Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight?’ You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword: you have taken his wife to be your wife. Then God’s solemn judgment fell on David, ’

‘Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised ME. and have taken the wife of uriah, the Hittite to be your wife.’ God continued ,’ Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; ( His sons conspired against their father ) ; continuing, he said, ’I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbours ( a dreadful expectation ) , and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of the sun.’

‘David, You did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’

God’s justice showed out on adultery. Nothing had been hidden from the Lord of glory.

Broken-hearted, sobbing, with tears coursing down his face, David said to Nathan, ‘ I have sinned against the Lord.’ The prophet spoke as the voice of the Father, ‘ The Lord also has put away your sin. You shall not die.’ David’s heart leapt with relief. Nathan further outlined, ’ However, because of this deed, you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also, who is born to you shall surely die.’ ( v14) Nathan appeared on the scene for this memorable declaration, and’ then departed to his house.’ His life work was accomplished. God has recorded his resolute character; as an example for us.

God kept HIS word in the solemn events following, for the Scripture is silent, but we presume tha Bathsheba had a good confinement and delivered a healthy child. Then, ‘The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became very ill. True to his nature David interceded for the life of this little baby, as‘ he pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.’ Truly, the wages of sin is death’, came home to him prostrate on the floor. ‘he refused all help as ‘The elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. He would not, nor did he eat food with him.’

‘In simple language the bible stated that ‘On the seventh day, itcame to pass that the child died.’ Understandably, ‘ The servants were afraid to tell him that the child had died.’ They feared for David’s mental stability when he heard the news. ‘ When David saw that his servants were whispering, he perceived that the child was dead.’ His servants answered their king’s query concerning the child, , ’Yes, the child is dead.’

Only a forgiven man could have reacted as David did after a week of lying in the dust, crying out to God for the life of this precious one. ’he arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself , and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped. ’ WE now see the true David, the man after God’s own heart.’ Then he went to his own house and when he requested, they set food before him.

How did he comfort the sorrowing heart of the mother in the loss of her precious one? Bathsheba had nurtured the infant and cuddled the little one to her breast. Did he tell of Nathan’s coming; and the announcement that ’he would not die, but judgment would fall on his wife , family, and self? We do not know. Every husband and wife share secrets that are known only to the heavenly Father. God did not reveal this in His Word.

His servants said to him,’ What is this you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.’ David replied, ‘ While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ ’Now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again?

David made this unparalleled statement. ’ I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.’

Oh, how comforting this promise proved when God called home our little son, Philip?

Bring this precious word to the sorrowing hearts of dear friends in their hour of emergency.

Do read GOD’S PLAN in your mother tongue.