Confession and Forgiveness

II Samuel 12:13, 14; Psalms 51:1-3, 9-13; 32:5

GOLDEN TEXT: “Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.”—James 5:16

GREAT prosperity did not work to King David’s personal development. After years of phenomenal success, his heart seems to have begun to gravitate toward earthly pleasures, and he fell into sins which appear more black in contrast with the high moral character shown in his earlier life. The story of his sins, how he became enamored of Bathsheba, and subsequently, to shield himself, caused her husband Uriah to be placed in the forefront of the battle that he might be killed by the enemy, involving the loss of several other lives as well, is told in the Scriptures in a most straightforward manner, without the slightest effort to condone the king’s wrong-doing. No excuses are offered in connection with the account; the full weight of these awful crimes is laid directly on the king’s head.

David, we are to remember, did not belong to the spiritual house of sons, and hence had a far less clear view of such matters than that which would properly belong to every member of the house of sons, begotten of the spirit and “taught of God.” We are not, therefore, to draw a lesson for ourselves, merely along similar lines, but rather to remember the higher interpretation of adultery and murder set forth in the New Testament. There we are told that whoever desires adultery, and is merely restrained from it by outward circumstances or fears, is really an adulterer in his heart (Matt. 5:28); that he that is angry with his brother, he who hates his brother, is a murderer—because the spirit of anger is that which, unrestrained, would lead to murder (Matt. 5:22); and that the person who covets the things of another and is merely restrained from taking them for lack of opportunity or fear of consequences, is at heart a thief.

The 51st Psalm is generally recognized as being the one in which the Psalmist expresses to God his contrition for his sins, and the fact that it is dedicated to the Chief Musician implies that it was the king’s intention that it, in common with others of the Psalms, should be chanted in the Tabernacle services. We thus perceive that if the sin was flagrant and gross, the atonement which the king endeavored to make was a most public one. The influence of the king’s sinful course must have been very injurious in the nation; and now in his public acknowledgment and his prayer for divine forgiveness, the king would undo so far as possible the injury he had inflicted upon his own conscience and the conscience of the people of Israel, on the subjects of adultery and murder.

In his repentance we may see one of the reasons why David was described as a man after God’s own heart. His sins must have been detestable to God; but David’s later recognition of their enormity and hearty repentance therefore to the Lord and his desire to be cleansed from every evil way, were pleasing to the Lord. Here we have an illustration of how all things may work together for good to those who love God. By reason of his heart-loyalty to God and the principles of righteousness, even these terrible sins resulted in bringing a great blessing to David’s own heart in humbling him and giving him an appreciation of his weakness and littleness, and the need to abide close to the Lord and His law, if he would have the Lord’s blessing and fellowship, and be safe from the temptations of his own fallen flesh. So, too, with the new creation. How many of them have gained profitable lessons and blessings out of some of their stumblings—when rightly exercised by them to humility, repentance and reformation.

In verse 13, the Psalmist suggests that his experience—his humiliation, confession and restoration to God’s, favor—may be used for the instruction of others, to show transgressors the Lord’s ways and to turn them from their evil course. The 14th verse repeats the same thought in different form. If the Lord will deliver him from his guilt in connection with his sin, his tongue shall thereafter sing loudly the Lord’s righteousness—not David’s righteousness.

Let us ever keep in memory that a broken and contrite heart the Lord never despises, will never spurn. There is a sin unto death—unto the second death—from which there will be no recovery; but those who have broken and contrite hearts on account of their sins may know that they have not committed “the sin unto death,” for, the Apostle declares, “It is impossible to renew them again unto repentance.” (I John 5:16,17; Heb. 6:4-6) “If any man [of the church stumble into] sin [through weakness and temptation—not intentionally], we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (I John 2:1) Such, therefore, may come with faith to the throne of the heavenly grace that they may obtain mercy and find grace to help in every [future] time of need. (Heb. 4:16) But, like David, their prayers and hopes should be for a restoration of divine favor and not for escape from chastisements needful to their correction. God forgave David, but also chastened him.—II Sam. 12:11-14

The thought of our Golden Text, that sins should be confessed to one another as well as to God, is an important one. Where a wrong course has been taken which has injured another, or has hindered our testimony as a follower of the Lord, true repentance will prompt to acknowledgment of the sin, restitution so far as possible, and asking forgiveness not only of our Heavenly Father, but also of the ones who have been injured. And such faithfulness to the Lord’s instructions is sure to bring an added blessing to our own heart and character.—Prov. 28:13

QUESTIONS:

Did David’s prosperity work to his advantage in bringing him nearer to the Lord, and to a keener appreciation of the divine law?

In view of David’s great sin, how can it properly he said that he was a main after God’s own heart?

Upon what basis did God forgive David’s sin? Are the same divine principles operative in connection with the Lord’s people today?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |