Dying is easy, its living that's hard

Psalm 51

1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will return to you.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;

19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Thoughts:

Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

and blameless in your judgment. Psalm 51: 4

Verse 4

David confessed that he sinned against GOD and only GOD. Which begs the question, what about:

- Uriah?

- Bathsheba?

- Ahithophel?

- thier families?

- Joab?

GOD's justice is always perfect. David would have been accepting of his own death as punishment as seen in his response to Nathan the prophet about "the man".

2 Samuel 12:5 — Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 

but GOD would not let him off that easy. 

John's Revelation 6:10 is an example of people crying out to GOD for justice — They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 

(context - I believe this is a scene witnessed by John in heaven after the return of the captives, but that's just my personal opinion.)

I can well imagine Uriah the Hittite sharing similar frustrations with father Abraham in Sheol and I also have no doubt GOD was aware. There will need to be many similar reconciliations made in heaven for deeds done in the body. Uriah and David would have had a conversation in Paradise long before the captives were set free.

GOD's justice served on David:

- The sword would not depart from his household. This strikes at what David holds dear ➡️ his family.

- The evil would come from his own house.

He certainly wasn't the best father, but he loved his kids. Again it stikes at David's heart ➡️ his family. 

- GOD would punish David through his wives, by allowing his son Absolom to usurp his authority by sleeping with his wives in public display where David chose to do his in secret. This was a common old testament times power play. See Ham, Reuben andAbner. This would wound David's heart because he loved Absolom. ➡️ his family 

- finally GOD would take David's child away from him and Bathsheba. Which wounded David's heart because of his love for his family and another person lost thier life (like Uriah) because of his choices. In the end David would have Uriah's wife, but Uriah would have David's child. (he would be in Sheol with Uriah). You can just image the conversations between David and Uriah in Sheol, not to mention with the child that died. Relationships don't magically get repaired, it requires putting in the hard work.

I Almost forgot to mention the pain he endured with Absolom's death. 

2 Samuel 18:33 — And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 

We mistakenly assume for serious crimes the ultimate justice served as a death sentence to be the best form of punishment, but sometimes life is a far worse punishment. You heard it said before that "dying is easy, its living that's hard." This would be true for David. David would accept GOD's correction and punishment and still continue seeking hard after and following the LORD. That is the heart we need to emulate. We can also rest in the knowledge that GOD's justice will be perfect on this side or the other side of eternity. All the more reason to accept GOD's free gift now through Jesus Christ and receive mercy not justice.

David knew only GOD could:

- blot out all,his iniquities 

- create a clean heart within him

- renew a steadfast spirit 

- choose to stay close to him

- let his HOLY SPIRIT remain

- restore his joy of salvation 

- uphold and support him

- deliver him from bloodguiltiness.

In doing this David would as an outpouring of thankfulness he would:

- teach transgressors

- help sinners return to GOD

- sing of GOD's righteousness

- declare GOD's praise.

You and I are partaking in this right now as we study David's Psalm.

We will recap as David does in verses 16 - 19:

- GOD does not delight in sacrifices, remember sacrifices were only needed after the fall. They are because of us not because of GOD.

- the sacrifices GOD is looking for are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart.

These are acceptable sacrifices that GOD does not despise.

Finally David asks GOD to good to Zion and Jerusalem, he recognized that as it's leader they would and did get hurt by his actions and bad choices and would also experience the fallout from his punishment.

My prayer is David's Psalm - Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Thank you LORD in Jesus name, amen.