How King David Faced His Sin

Practical Steps to Dealing with Sin - Lessons From The Life Of King David

 (Written by Kevin A. Hall  12.2015)

  

David had the blessing of God upon his life. He was now about 50 years old, reigning as king about 20 years, made a name for himself as a man of God, a composer of Psalms, a shepherd, a valiant warrior and leader. With so many accomplishments in his life, David began to overlook compromises in his lifestyle. His life at this point can be characterized as “a neglected sea wall standing constantly against the barrage of the tide and the waves and the ever – pounding sea"(1).

 It was during this time when his guard was down, a weak moment, that Bathsheba enters the picture and he pays a terrible price. Now, Israel had a long line of kings after David, but initially God had set a few ground rules for the king of Israel’s life:

                   God’s requirements for a King of Israel

1.      A king must not multiply horses for himself or allow his people to    return to Egypt to multiply horses

2.      A king must not multiply wives for himself

3.      A king must not greatly increase silver and gold for himself

         The hand of God was upon David and he was immensely blessed – “David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel”(2 Samuel 5:12). However, David was allowing compromises to form in his private life. These were “chinks in his armor” [1]. Compromises are easily overlooked with God’s continued blessings upon one’s life. “Meanwhile David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David”(2 Samuel 5:13). David fulfilled two of the three requirements for the king of Israel listed above. However, he consistently compromised in the call to “not multiply wives”. David thorn in the flesh was...It would seem that David thought he could satisfy his desires by adding to his harem. He was wrong. Every time he gave into his lustful desires, it only increased his desire for more.  Such was the case with Bathsheba, she was just one more. This at a time when he was weak and vulnerable. “Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all of Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem”(2 Samuel 11:1).

David simply was not where he should be. He was supposed to be in battle, not at home. His actions did not happen overnight. His compromises kept him home. Sinful indulgences will lead us to places outside of God’s will for our lives – “Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the kings house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance”(2 Samuel 11:2).

David already had a harem full of wives and concubines. Yet when put to the test with Bathsheba, his life of indulgence and compromise led him to commit adultery and murder (He killed her husband in an attempt to cover up their sin.)

What did the text mean to the biblical audience?

 In our text David is expressing the effects of sin in his life during his impenitent state. Against the broader context of the Book of Psalms, this Psalm (32) is considered to be a Penitential Psalm. It is one in which the author expresses the need for God’s forgiveness for personal sins committed against Him and the desire for a fresh renewal of hope [2].

     

David spent about one year in an unconfessed, sinful state. This text describes the state of his life during that period. It was a hard place to be – out of fellowship with God. He describes his life as shown below:

 Psalm 32:3  When I kept silent about my sin

David was in a sinful state. This was before he made mention or confessed his sin to God. He hoped the conviction would just die away; that time would relieve him of his guilt; that occupying his time with work would hide the pain. He was attempting to conceal the sin in order to hide the subject

Psalm 32:3   My body wasted away

The agonizing pain of guilt – His body felt like it began to decay with weakness. His grief was so intense. He felt like it sapped his health and energy. It was like a pestilent disease! A fire in the bones! It was horribly tormenting. A wearing out of his body.

Psalm 32:3  Through my groaning

David had periods of crying with distress because of the pain and anguish. Loud and passionate cries at the remembrance of sin and the apprehension of the wrath of God”

Psalm 32:3  All day long

Continually; without intermission.

Psalm 32:3  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me

 He tried to hide, yet he was constantly being reminded of his sin day in, day out. “Under terrors of conscience, David had little rest by night, for the grim thoughts of the day dogged him to his chambers, haunted his dreams, or else he would lie awake in a cold sweat of dread”[3]

Psalm 32:4 My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer

“The sap of his soul was dried, and the body through sympathy appeared to be bereft of its needful fluids. The oil was almost gone from the lamp of life, and the flame flickered as though it would soon expire. Unconfessed transgression, like a fierce poison, dried up the fountain of the David’s strength, and made him like a tree blasted by the lightning, or a plant withered by the scorching heat of a tropical sun”[4]

     

 The immediate context also puts his state in perspective. David was describing his state before confessing his sin to God. This was a Psalm expressing the joy of forgiveness and relief from guilt.   

Synonyms for sin and guilt in the text	Meaning
Transgression	Rebellion, revolt – rejecting God’s authority
Iniquity	Infraction, crooked behavior, perversion,  to bend, twist, distort
Sin	To miss a mark or miss the way
Deceit	Guile, fraud

What are the differences between the biblical audience and us?

David was the king of the Israelite nation. There are fewer monarchies today as compared to biblical times. While the architecture of the biblical audience is still the same in a few places, for the most part it is very different in America. Most people do not write Psalms but it is very common to keep a diary or write poems and songs about life experiences. The immediate context is very narrow, though we still feel the same pain, guilt and consequences related to sin as David did when we carry unconfessed sin. God still expects us to avoid compromise and confess sin.

What is the theological principle in this text?

Ø  When one repents of sin, God will forgive him or her of the sin, but the consequences of that sin will continue

Ø  When we sin and fail to repent, it is an affront to God and it damages our relationship with Him

Ø  God is in the business of forgiving and restoring people.

How does our theological principle fit with the rest of the Bible? Does the New Testament teaching modify or qualify the principle, and if so, how?

These principles carry over into the New Testament. Sin is still an affront to God. A life of sin ruins the relationship the believer has with God and limits fellowship with Him. The New Testament continues to declare that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23); If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to forgive us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Under the new covenant, to be forgiven for our sin, we must believe and confess that Jesus is Lord as salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.

How should individual Christians live out this modified theological principle?

In the surrounding context of Psalm 32:3 – 4, David expresses how blessed is the person whose transgression is forgiven and covered. He is expressing the joy of forgiveness knowing that his sin with Bathsheba is forgiven. Such a contrast in his outlook compared to the period in his life when he lived with unconfessed sin. Like a judge delivering the verdict in a courtroom “Not guilty!” From this text we learn a few things about the nature of God:

1.      He forgives transgressions

2.      He covers sins

3.      He doesn’t count our sins against us

4.      He restores the person who confesses their sin[6]

Christians today can live out these principles knowing that release is found through confession.  In confessing, the believer should acknowledge his or her sin and not deny that the sin occurred in their life. This is the first step to victory. New Testament scripture declares “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16). You do not have to live in guilt. The Spirit of the Living God inside of the believer makes you an overcomer. Know Jesus?

References:

1.        Charles R. Swindoll “David, A Man of Passion & Destiny” (Dallas, Texas  1997), 181

2.        John Macarthur  “The Macarthur Study Bible” (Thomas Nelson, 1997), 769

3.        Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

4.        Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

5.        Jesus Walk Bible Study Series. “Psalms: Finding Forgiveness and Restoration.”

6.        Steven J. Cole. “Psalm 32: The Blessings of Forgiveness.

7.        Dr. Ralph F. Wilson.  The Jesus Walk Bible Study Series. “Psalms: Finding Forgiveness and Restoration.”(11)

8.        J. Scott Duvall, J. Daniel Hays. “Grasping God’s Word” (Grand Rapids MI, Zondervan 2012), 411

9.        Life Application Study Bible (Zondervan, 2000), 2094

10.     Richard L. Strauss. “Caught in the Tempter’s Trap – The Story of David and Bathsheba”

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