Worship in Word:
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Of David. A maskil. Title: Probably a literary or musical term 3 When
I kept silent, my
bones wasted away through
my groaning all day long. 4 For
day and night your
hand was heavy on me; my
strength was sapped as
in the heat of summer. NIV (2011) |
Ps 32 A Maskil of David. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as
by the heat of summer. Selah ESV
(2016) |
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Ps 32 A Psalm of David, Mas'-chil. 3 When I kept silence, my bones
waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was
heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. KJV |
Ps 32 A psalm of David. 3 When
I refused to confess my sin, my
body wasted away, and
I groaned all day long. 4 Day
and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My
strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude Holy Bible: New Living Translation Tyndale House
Publishers. (2015). |
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II. Conviction – vv. 3-4 III. Confession – v. 5 IV. Call – v. 6 V. Confidence – v. 7 V. Counsel – vv. 8-9 VI. Contrast – v. 10 VII. Celebrate! – v. 11
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Blessed
– vv. 1-2 Lament/Languish
– vv. 3-4 Exonerate
– v 5 Seek
– v. 6 Shelter/security
– v. 7 Educate
– v. 8-10 Delight
– v. 11 |
II. Conviction/ Lament/Languish – vv. 3-4
Looking
at David’s life, some may question how God could say that David was “a man
after His own heart”(see 1 Sam. 13:14, Acts 13:22). Yet Psalm 32
actually gives credence to this descriptor. How so, you may ask. To defend
my claim about Psalm 32 and answer the question that may arise from such a
claim, let us look at the passage from which this phrase originated. I suggest
you read 1 Samuel 13:1-14 if you are unfamiliar with or need to
refresh your memory on the particular situation leading up to this declaration
in verse 14.
In 1 Samuel 13:14, Samuel said that God had “sought for
Himself a man after His own heart.” The person he was addressing God’s message
to when he said this was King Saul. The person he was referring to by the
descriptor “a man after His own heart” was David. Though, Samuel doesn’t learn
that specifically until later (see 1 Sam. 16). Samuel went on to declare that God was taking the kingdom from Saul
and giving it to a God-desiring and God-appointed man. Space doesn’t allow me
to go into detail on the sin that Saul had committed that led to Samuel’s stern
utterance. Suffice it to say that his sin demonstrated a lack of trust and
obedience.
And space
won’t allow me to go into depth concerning the differences between Saul and
David. Therefore I will only compare Saul’s response in this passage with the
darkest time in David’s life, which causes many to question the truthfulness of
how God calls David “a man after His own heart.” The time when David committed
adultery and, with the help Of Joab, committed murder (for the details, see 2 Sam. 11).
When Samuel
confronted Saul about his sin, we see that Saul only offered excuses. On the
other hand, when confronted by Nathan concerning his sins, David offered no
excuses (see 2 Sam. 12:1-13). Instead, he confessed and repented of
his sins (see also Ps. 51). As an aside, anyone familiar with David’s life following this will
know that though God forgave him, David still suffered many repercussions in
his life and reign as king as a result of these sins.
Before
proceeding any further, I think sharing how others have approached this dilemma
is only fair. Many commentators try to avoid the problem raised in some
readers' minds by relegating this phrase, “a man after God’s own heart,” to David’s
administration as the king of Israel. One such commentator says:
*Great offence has often been taken
at the character here ascribed to the man who was to fill the throne after
Saul—“The Lord hath sought Him a man after His own heart.” Was David, the
adulterer, the traitor, the murderer, a man after God’s own heart? But surely
it is not meant to be affirmed that David was such a man in every aspect, in
every particular... That which stood out most fully in the public character of
David was the honour which he paid to God, the constancy with which he
consulted His will, the prevailing desire he had to rule the kingdom in His
fear and for His glory.
(from The Expositor’s Bible, PC
Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2013 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved.
THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL By The
Rev. Professor W. G. Blaikie, D.D., Ll.D., NEW COLLEGE, EDINBURGH. 1888.)
Certainly,
there is much merit to Blaikie’s contention here about the meaning of this
phrase. I think what he says is very
helpful in understanding who David was. But it is at least implied that the
public administration of the kingdom was chief in his mind as to the meaning of
God’s description of David. Another commentary is more blunt in its assessment.
*But the phrase, "a man after
God's own heart," has no reference to the piety
or virtues of private and personal character[emphasis added]... It is used solely
with regard to official fidelity in the service of Yahweh in Israel (cf. 1 Sam
2:35)
(from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997-2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All
rights reserved.)
*The complete paragraphs from
which I excerpted these quotes can be found in the Notes section at the end of
this journal entry.
However,
may I humbly offer my own two cents here? Yes, it is true; we can point out
various times when David failed morally in his personal life. But were not the
psalms David wrote also personal? Do they not reflect his “piety or virtues of
private and personal character?”
And can
we not also point out times when David missed the mark in his official capacity
as king (see especially 2 Sam 24 & 1 Chron. 21). Therefore, I don’t think this phrase
should be pushed to the point of perfection in either David’s personal or
professional life. That goes not only for David but for any believer. I’m sure
the commentators would agree, as well.
At the
risk of oversimplifying the matter, let me say that one of the fundamental
differences between someone who “seeks after God’s own heart” and one who is
self-willed – who follows the sinful and selfish dictates of their own heart-
is this: When confronted by the truth the authentic
believer will immediately or eventually recognize and confess their sin. The mere professing “believer” or unbeliever probably won’t.
Having
pointed these things out, I believe I can confidently say that Psalm 32 reveals
that David was a man with “a heart after” God’s “own heart. “How so?” In this psalm,
we see the heart of a man struggling with unconfessed sin. In the end, he
offers no excuse but a heartfelt confession.
In my
next journal entry, we will look more closely at the verses that demonstrate
the point I have been trying to make. It will illustrate my axiom: "When
confronted by the truth, the authentic believer will ... eventually recognize
and confess their sin.”
Worship
in Witness:
The previous
section was quite lengthy. Therefore, I won’t take up much space here. Instead,
I will ask this one question for us to ponder—a question of introspection. Is
there unconfessed sin in our life? Perhaps, no indeed, now is the time to
confess it, repent, and ask for God’s forgiveness. And we have this promise
when we do:
If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us
from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
NIV
And God will
do this through our “advocate ... Jesus Christ the righteous” because ”He is
the propitiation for our sins”(excerpted from 1 John2:1-2 ESV).
Worship
in Promise, Prayer, Poem, and Praise
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How to Deal with Guilt*
There are two ways we can deal
With the guilt that we feel.
One is to follow man’s ways.
The other is to do what God says.
When we break God’s Law
We can deny, decry, hem, and haw.
And our innocence we can feign
But in our guilt, we will remain.
Or we can confess, and our sins
recognize
And freedom from guilt will be our
prize.
It is clear from this which way to
choose
With God, we win, and with man, we
lose.
*I realize that I use the word “feel”
in reference to “guilt.” However, I do not want to be misunderstood here. Though
I am referring to the psychological burden, we feel when we sin, that guilty
feeling points to something more substantive. If I break the speed limit, I may feel “guilty,”
but if I get a ticket and pay a fine, I am “guilty” of breaking
the law. So it is when I sin against God. I may feel guilty, but I also stand
guilty before God, the righteous judge, whose law I have broken. And though one
might infer from the poem that just confessing our sin releases us from our
guilty standing before God, the truth is, the mere “confessing of our sin” does
not alleviate our guilt before our holy God. No, it is only through the “advocate...
Jesus Christ the righteous” whom God Himself appointed as the “propitiation for
our sins" that true freedom from guilt is found. That is the truth I shared
in the previous section above. The psychological burden of guilt can only be
lifted when the real guilt is removed.
God,
Be Merciful to Me by
1 God, be merciful to me,
on Thy grace I rest my plea;
plenteous in compassion Thou,
blot out my transgressions now;
wash me, make me pure within,
cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.
2 My
transgressions I confess,
grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against Thy grace
and provoked Thee to Thy face;
I confess Thy judgment just,
speechless, I Thy mercy trust.
3 I am evil,
born in sin;
Thou desirest truth within.
Thou alone my Savior art,
teach Thy wisdom to my heart;
make me pure, Thy grace bestow,
wash me whiter than the snow.
4 Broken,
humbled to the dust
by Thy wrath and judgment just,
let my contrite heart rejoice
and in gladness hear Thy voice;
from my sins O hide Thy face,
blot them out in boundless grace.
5 Gracious
God, my heart renew,
make my spirit right and true;
cast me not away from Thee,
let Thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation's joy impart,
steadfast make my willing heart.
6 Sinners
then shall learn from me
and return, O God, to Thee;
Savior, all my guilt remove,
and my tongue shall sing Thy love;
touch my silent lips, O Lord,
and my mouth shall praise accord.
7 Not the
formal sacrifice
hath acceptance in Thy eyes;
broken hearts are in Thy sight
more than sacrificial rite;
contrite spirit, pleading cries,
Thou, O God, wilt not despise.
8 Prosper
Zion in Thy grace
and her broken walls replace;
then our righteous sacrifice
shall delight Thy holy eyes;
free-will offerings, gladly made,
on Thy altar shall be laid.
Source: Psalms and Hymns to
the Living God #51
This hymn
beautifully puts Psalm 51 in poetic prose. The video below is an arrangement that
includes verses 1-6. I could not find any version with as many verses of the
hymn as this rendition by Indelible Grace. Be aware that the song seems to end
after verse 3 as the music pauses briefly. However, the music begins again, and
verses three through six are sung.
Video: https://youtu.be/TF8jJTSNyzo
Notes:
1 Samuel
13:1-23
Great offence has often been taken at the character here
ascribed to the man who was to fill the throne after Saul—“The Lord hath sought
Him a man after His own heart.” Was David, the adulterer, the traitor, the
murderer, a man after God’s own heart? But surely it is not meant to be
affirmed that David was such a man in every aspect, in every particular. The point on which the emphasis
should rest must surely be that David was such a man in that feature in which
Saul was so wanting. And undoubtedly this was eminently true of him. That which stood out most fully in the public character of
David was the honour which he paid to God, the constancy with which he
consulted His will, the prevailing desire he had to rule the kingdom in His fear
and for His glory. If God was but a form to Saul, He was an intense reality
to David. If Saul could not get it into his mind that he ought to rule for God,
David could not have got it out of his mind if he had tried. That David’s
character was deformed in many ways cannot be denied; he had not only
infirmities, but tumours, blotches, defilements, most distressing to behold;
but in this one thing he left an example to all of us, and especially to
rulers, which it would be well for all of us to ponder deeply: that the whole
business of government is to be carried on in the spirit of regard to the will
of God; that the welfare of the people is ever to be consulted in preference to
the interests of the prince; that for nations, as for individuals, God’s favour
is life, and His frown ruin.
1 Samuel
13:14
But the phrase,
"a man after God's own heart," has no reference to the piety or
virtues of private and personal character; because no mere man in that respect
has come up to the standard of the divine law. It
is used solely with regard to official fidelity in the service of Yahweh in
Israel (cf. 1 Sam 2:35); and David was certainly entitled to be
characterized as "a man after God's own heart," from his ardent zeal
and undeviating exertions for the interests of the true religion, in opposition
to idolatry.
