SERIES: David: A Person After God’s Heart
He Said He Was Wrong
SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus
Introduction: John R. W. Stott, one of the great evangelical thinkers of our day, has stated, “Christianity is the only religion in the world which takes sin seriously and offers a satisfactory remedy for it.” I believe that is true. Examine the great religions of the world–Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, spiritism–and none even comes close to the moral standards set down in the Bible or offers a solution to the guilt that is inevitable from violating those standards.
The reason the guilt is inevitable is that God has written His standards, not only in His Word but also on every person’s heart. Furthermore, the Bible is the only book in the world whose authors are willing to be totally honest about their own sin. Psalm 51 is the premier exhibit in all of Scripture of these truths.
Last Lord’s Day I spoke on “Caring Enough to Confront.” Nathan’s bold but discerning approach to King David after his sin with Bathsheba was the focal point of the message, but we also examined several New Testament passages to determine a Biblical theology of confrontation. I shared practical suggestions as to how to confront a fellow-believer with sin in his life. Today I want to review a few of the salient points of 2 Samuel 12.
David is confronted with his sin. 2 Sam. 12:1-14
A courageous prophet of God approaches the king with great wisdom. (1-4) It took enormous courage to even approach a powerful king regarding sin in his life, but Nathan had the authority of God behind him, and he did not shrink from his duty. Neither, however, did he charge into the king’s presence and boldly rebuke him. Nathan knew such an approach would likely have resulted in an angry denial. Instead, he told a story: “David, did you hear the one about the man who had a pet lamb?”
David unwittingly passes sentence upon himself. (5-6) He exhibits an extremely harsh attitude toward the man in Nathan’s story. The Law did not say anything about a thief being executed, although he was required to restore fourfold for what he stole. But David declared that a man who would steal a pet lamb and butcher it should be killed as well. At that the words of the Prophet stung like a whip, “You are the man,” and Nathan proceeded to pronounce the judgment of God.
Have you observed that when we excuse or hide sin in our own life, we often become very critical of it in other people’s lives? Could that be why some of us are so merciless with the Christian who falls? Is that why we have no grace for the believer who is tripped up? It may be that we condemn others, not because we are so holy, but because we are so unholy.
God’s judgment is pronounced. (7-14) The judgment is severe–calamity, humiliation, rebellion in his own family, and death for his infant son. We will examine some of those consequences in detail in a future sermon.
Let me ask you a question: Wherein lies the uniqueness of this man David? Is it in the heights to which he climbed in service to God? No, others have reached equal heights. Is it in the depths to which he fell? Certainly not. Other great men have equaled David in his degradation, even surpassed him. Is it in the way in which he was restored to usefulness? No, others too have found the moral cleansing and healing of God and have returned to useful service.
No, I think the uniqueness of David lies in the simple, honest, humble, and public way in which he said he was wrong. He said it, first of all, in 2 Sam. 12:13: “I have sinned against the Lord.” But if that is all we had it would be impossible to know to what extent David’s repentance was real. But we have more. We have the 51st Psalm, which is one of the great classics in all of literature, and certainly one of the most profound passages in the Bible.
The remainder of our time this morning will be devoted to an examination of this great Psalm. It is my hope and prayer that someone here this morning, maybe more than one, will find the forgiveness you so desperately need and want. But it won’t happen without confession and repentance. So, let’s read Psalm 51 and ask the Spirit of God to drive His Word home to our hearts.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
According to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the
inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter
than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to
sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
I would like to ask you to compare the response of David here to the response of President Nixon when caught in the tangled web of Watergate. Compare it to President Clinton’s when he was caught in Monica-gate. Compare it to the response of the leaders of the United Nations when caught with their hands in the till of the Oil for Food program. Compare it to how Dan Rather reacted when he was caught peddling phony documents. Compare it to the response of some very visible Christian leaders whose moral failures have been paraded before the public. More importantly, compare it to your own reaction when last you were caught in some sin.
What makes David’s words so amazing is that he had everything to lose and nothing to gain (on the human level) by acknowledging his guilt. He was the King of Israel and perhaps the most powerful political figure of his day. He had a reputation as a prophet and was the recognized spiritual leader of his people. To admit guilt would be to humiliate himself in front of the entire world! Besides, what he had done wasn’t out of the ordinary. He lived in a day and time when kings took what they wanted and had virtual absolute authority over their subjects.
Yet despite these roadblocks to confession, we find David admitting his sin, plainly and without excuse, and pleading for pardon as few have ever done.
David pleads for pardon. (Psalm 51:1-5)
I believe it is significant that the very first word in this Psalm is a verb which highlights the character of God: “Have mercy,” or “Be gracious.” Immediately we are faced with this principle:
Pardon is possible because of the character of God. (1) Three great attributes of God are mentioned in the first verse, attributes which are veritable lifesavers to sinful men: mercy, unfailing love, and great compassion. Mercy or grace is “undeserved kindness.” Some people are never able to realize forgiveness for the simple reason that they think they are good enough to deserve it. Therefore, they are never quite able to cast themselves upon the grace and mercy of God.
Others are never able to realize forgiveness because they think they are too bad to deserve it. Well, in a sense they are right, because we will never deserve the mercy of God, but what we must learn about Him is that He specializes in sinners, and there is no sin we can commit that He cannot forgive, except the sin of unbelief. That’s the nature of mercy–to reach out to those who are hopeless and condemned and undeserving. What a tragedy when someone refuses to accept God’s mercy because they think they are too bad!
David realized that God owed him nothing at all and was not in the slightest obligated to forgive him. But he also knew enough about God’s character to know that his sin did not make him hopeless.
The second attribute, “loyal love,” refers to the fact that God’s love for his children is unconditional and permanent. He sets His affections on them and pursues them until they are finally ushered into His presence. It’s like the loyal love David showed to Mephibosheth.
Third, David speaks of the lavish greatness of God’s “compassion.” He is not a penny pincher. He doesn’t dole out bits of compassion to see if we respond properly and then dole out a little more.
Always we must begin with the character of God when it comes to finding forgiveness. If it weren’t for His character, seeking us out in holy love, all our efforts to find relief from guilt would be utterly futile.
Pardon is needed because of the nature of sin. (2) Pardon is possible because of God’s character. Pardon is needed because sin is so sinful. This fact is seen, I believe, in the three different words David uses for sin in verses 1-2. He calls it “transgression,” “iniquity,” and “sin.” All three words are very picturesque in Hebrew. When David refers to his action as “transgression,” he is making it analogous to “a criminal record which must be expunged or blotted out.” When he refers to it as “iniquity,” he is likening it to a polluted robe which must be thoroughly washed. The third word, “sin,” recalls a fatal disease, from which one must be cured.
David piles these expressions upon one another to stress the fact that his sin is inexcusable. He was not like the man who wrote to the I.R.S. confessing, “I haven’t been able to sleep because last year, when I filed my income tax report, I deliberately misrepresented my income. I am enclosing a money order for $150, and if I still can’t sleep, I’ll send you the rest.” David says, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. Blot out my transgression.” He isn’t interested in any half-hearted measures. He knows he desperately needs pardon from God.
Pardon is available only through confession. In verses 3-5 David clearly and openly confesses three things about his sin–the fact of it, the nature of it, and the source of it.
1. He confesses the fact of sin. (3) Verse 3 reads, “For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.” David is through trying to cover up. Nor does he blame God. He doesn’t say, “You made me this way, God; it’s not my fault that the blood in my veins runs a little hotter than most.” Or, “You allowed me to see this woman and you didn’t stop me when I decided to take her.” In fact, David doesn’t even try a favorite tactic many of us use, i.e., try to make sin sound a little nicer by calling it something else, like “a mistake,” “a problem,” “an unfortunate circumstance,” or “a disease.”
One of the ploys modern social science employs to uphold the essential goodness of man is to label every defect a disease, so that we have the disease of alcoholism, the disease of gambling, various eating disorders, etc. I grant you these things share some characteristics of physical disease; that shouldn’t surprise us because our bodies, minds and spirits are so closely connected. But as far as the Bible is concerned, there is only one disease that explains why human beings violate the moral law of God–and that’s SIN.
Of course, social science lately has been going even further. Instead of just labeling sin as disease, it has been labeling it as good. Thus, we have many sins moving from the “disease” column to the “normal” column.
If we are going to defend ourselves by blaming others, or by renaming sin as something less serious, or by calling evil “good,” then we will never be able to enjoy the services of our court-appointed attorney. Jesus Christ is ready and willing to be our Advocate, but He will not defend us if we insist on defending ourselves. David was willing to confess the fact of his sin.
2. He confesses the nature of sin. (4) “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.” When David confesses that God is the only one against whom he has sinned, he is using a common Middle Eastern figure of speech. One way to stress the importance of a particular factor is to call it the onlyfactor. It’s a legitimate form of poetic exaggeration.
David is certainly aware that he has wronged many others besides God. There is Uriah, on whom he put out a contract. He has wronged Bathsheba; her reputation was sullied, her marriage broken, her husband killed, her child taken–all because of David’s sin. Then there was Joab, who carried out David’s murderous plot. There was the nation, which suffered greatly because of his sin. But sin is first and foremost an injury and an insult to God. It is His moral law that has been broken. It is His love and aid that has been spurned. David saw the essential nature of sin as an act of rebellion against God.
3. He confesses the source of sin. (5) Verse 5 reads, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” It is possible to misunderstand David’s point here, especially if reading the KJV, which says, “in sin did my mother conceive me.” He is not saying that his mother was unmarried when he was conceived or that the act which produced him was a sinful act. Nor is he trying to excuse his behavior. What he is saying is that the act of conception introduced him into a sinful humanity. He is denying the commonly held view that children are born with basically good natures and that their environment corrupts them. David is teaching here that unpopular but biblical doctrine of “original sin.” Another way to put it is, “Sin is not just a surface problem.” Its source reaches back to our very conception and extends to the very warp and woof of our being.
Well, so much for the problem. David has not minced any words. He has told it like it is and it isn’t very pretty. Is there any hope? Can anything be done to help such a thorough-going sinner? David thinks so.
David requests restoration. (6-17)
The first step to restoration of fellowship with God is, I believe, a recognition of exactly what God demands in our lives, namely absolute integrity, and David accepts that demand.
He accepts God’s demand for absolute integrity. (6) Verse 6 reads, “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts.” Friends, we can all fake it at church. We can develop and nurture a spotless reputation in front of our fellow-workers. It’s possible to even fool our families for a long time, all the while there is rottenness and corruption inside, where no human can see. God wants truth in the innermost part of us! If we’re right on the inside, we’re going to be right on the outside.
But becoming a person of absolute integrity is not a simple process. There are some extensive steps to achieving God’s standard, and David acknowledges those.
He acknowledges the steps to achieving God’s standard. (7-12) Observe the verbs David uses in 7-12: “Cleanse, wash, hide, blot out, create, renew, restore, sustain.” These are not steps which David takes, but rather actions he must allow God to take, if he is to experience restoration. First, when David asks God in verse 7 to cleanse him with hyssop and to wash him clean, he is really declaring the need for a blood sacrifice. Hyssop is a sponge-like plant used to apply the blood of the offering to the altar. David is acknowledging here that sin is so deeply imbedded that it cannot be eradicated by anything but death. Graciously God allows for a substitute sacrifice. In the OT a perfect lamb was allowed to serve that purpose, but only because that blood was symbolic of the blood of the perfect Lamb of God who would come to take away the sins of the world.
Secondly, David asks in verse 8 that God might restore joy and gladness and rejoicing to his life. Sin always destroys joy. There is amusement in sin. There is sometimes temporary satisfaction. There can even be wild ecstasy. But there is never joy. Joy is a level of happiness that is not dependent upon circumstances but upon who God is and what He has done for us in Christ. This is what David longs for, knowing its power comes only with a clean conscience.
Third, in verse 9 David sees that something must be done about his past. Even if he receives cleansing and has his joy restored, what is to be done with those awful sins charged to his account. So, he dares to ask God to hide His face and to blot out those sins. Is that possible? Is God willing to expunge the record? Well, in another Psalm David says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (103:12) How far is the east from the west? Well, think about it this way: how far east do you have to go before you start going west? It will never happen.
The prophet Micah adds (7:18-19), “Who is a God like You, who pardons sins and forgives the transgression…? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” A modern-day scribe has added to that last phrase, “God has hurled all our iniquities into the depths of the sea and has posted a sign which says, ‘No Fishing.’” Do not go down there and try to fish out old sins which God has already dealt with.
Fourth, in verse 10 David mentions still another step in the process of restoration: “Create in me a clean heart.” Sin has so devastated his life that a new act of creation needs to take place. But that’s OK, because God is a creator God. He created us in the first place, and He can create a new heart for us. That fits well with 2 Cor. 5:17 in the NT, which says that when a man accepts Christ, he becomes a new creation.
Fifth, assurance of God’s continued presence is needed. In verse 11 David prays, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” I’m sure you’ve heard preachers say that this is one part of David’s prayer we do not need to pray today, for Jesus promised just before His death that He would send another Comforter in His place, who would be with us forever. In fact, I have preached that.
But I wonder if we haven’t been too careless with David’s words here. Yes, the Holy Spirit indwells believers permanently today, and He does not abandon us when we sin. But there is certainly a sense in which we can grieve or quench the Holy Spirit and diminish His power in our lives. If the focus of David’s prayer is a plea for continued fellowship with God, then that is one we can pray as well.
Finally, in verse 12 David prays for the restoration of the joy of God’s salvation and for a spirit willing to do God’s bidding. Let me ask you a question. Do you remember the joy that filled your heart when you first experienced the forgiveness of sins? Do you recall the tremendous relief you experienced when you first realized that your slate was clean? Well, says David, it’s possible to experience that again, no matter how sinful you’ve been. And it’s possible to have a spirit that wills to avoid sin and wills to please God.
But it can’t happen without confession–full and complete confession.
He anticipates the results of God’s restoration. (13-17)
Freedom in ministry. (13) Verse 13 reads, “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.” Dr. Haddon Robinson used to say in our seminary class, “God will not take the clean water of salvation to a thirsty soul in a dirty pitcher.” I know what he’s talking about. There was a time early in my ministry life when I just went through the motions, performing my duties instead of really preaching the Word because of sin in my own life. And the results were zero. What an empty feeling!
Do you want to experience the privilege of leading others to Christ or helping fellow believers deal with their own sin problems? Don’t expect it if there is unconfessed sin in your own heart. Freedom in ministry can only happen when we have experienced God’s forgiveness and restoration. Interestingly, and gloriously, David has fulfilled the desire he expressed in verse 13 through the millions and millions of people who have read this Psalm. He has taught transgressors God’s ways, and many have turned back to Him.
Freedom in worship. (14-17) Verse 14-15: “Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” Every Sunday I see some in the congregation who do not sing. Sometimes there is anger or bitterness on their faces. Perhaps there is a broken relationship with husband or wife. Maybe there’s just a dry spell in the spiritual sojourn. Of course, in a few cases they may just be showing mercy to those around them by not singing.
Friends, there’s a very common misconception that when we have lost our freedom in worship, the remedy is to improve our church attendance, increase our giving, perhaps even take on another job in the church. But look at verses 16-17: “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Do you want freedom in worship again? Do you want to be able to sing joyfully and praise God from the depths of your being? You can, but only when you have demonstrated a heart of confession and experienced God’s forgiveness and restoration.
David prays for the people affected by his sin. (Psalm 51:18-19)
On Highway 23 south of Eureka Springs, AR is a place where kudzu has taken over. Do you know what kudzu is? It’s a plant that was imported into the United States as ground cover because it grows incredibly fast. The problem is that it doesn’t just cover the ground–it covers the trees and the telephone poles and the mailboxes. It covers porches and old cars. I think it would cover the dog if he stood in one place too long. Sin is like kudzu in that its influence just keeps spreading. It’s probably impossible to commit any sin that affects only oneself. David recognizes this, and so he prays for all those affected by his sin.
Verse 18 reads, “In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.” David’s sphere of influence was the entire nation, and the sin of the king had had a devastating effect upon the people. The spiritual walls had started to crumble, and you can understand why. A commoner looking for an excuse for his own immorality would jump at the chance to say, “If our spiritual leader can do it, then so can I.” That’s why God puts a higher standard upon leaders–pastors, elders, deacons–than upon others, because their lives are watched and they do have enormous influence for good or for evil. In a sense, though, every one of us is a King over some kingdom.[i]
David prays for his people that God would in His grace minimize the evil impact of his own sin upon the nation, so that (verse 19) “then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.” Have you ever prayed that God would not only forgive your guilt but also minimize the effects of your sin upon your children, your wife, your classmates, or others? I think David’s concern about others, even in the middle of grief for his own sin, is one of the key factors that earned him the title, “a man after God’s heart.”
Conclusion: Will you turn with me to Psalm 32, a passage we referred to briefly last Sunday to show the awful effects of unconfessed sin in a believer’s life? Let’s read the first seven verses of this Psalm:
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day
long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”—
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found;
surely when the might waters rise, they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
The key phrase I want to draw attention to is found in verse 7: “You are my hiding place.” No one can appreciate that statement like the person who has seen his life turn into chaos because of sin. God is a hiding place from the torment of a guilty conscience. He is a hiding place from the cutting comments of judgmental people. He is a hiding place from the pain of the consequences of our sin. But before David could enjoy safety in God’s presence, he had to say he was wrong; he had to repent; and he had to accept God’s forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 is the NT counterpart to Psalm 51: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I would like for us to close with a brief time of confession. You may not have sin of the magnitude of David’s to confess; on the other hand, you may be guilty of something worse. I’ll tell you something worse–the sin of rejecting God’s one and only sacrifice for sin–His Son, Jesus, who died for you. Confess your sin of unbelief and put your trust in Jesus Christ. He will forgive you and of all your sin and give you a new heart. Will you bow quietly with me and take whatever is weighing on your heart to God, our Father and heavenly hiding place?
DATE: March 13, 2005
Tags:
Confrontation
Judgment
Sin
Confession
Restoration
[i] In this morning’s newspaper (March 13, 2005) there is an article about Harry Stonecipher, the CEO of Boeing, who was fired last week for having an affair with another executive in the company. The article reveals that less than a month before, he severely criticized two of his employees for their ethical lapses:
“In a Feb. 18 memo to all Boeing employees, Stonecipher expressed dismay over the actions of former Boeing employees Michael Sears and Darleen Druyun, who were fired for ethics violations as the controversy over an Air Force tanker contract erupted.
Duryun already had been sentenced to prison. Stonecipher’s memo followed Sears’ sentencing.
“It makes me sick to think of the pain Sears and Druyun have put this company through,” Stonecipher wrote. “We’ve learned some harsh lessons from this case: When a Boeing person–especially a senior leader–chooses to disregard either government laws or company policies, there are tremendous personal and legal consequences. Worse, the consequences extend well beyond the individual who commits such acts. The mud splashes on the entire company and its people.”