Fr. Mike shortly touches on David’s honest prayer in Psalm 109 before diving into the unending love God has for his people. As we continue to journey through our readings, we will begin to see the words of the prophets come to fruition as those who return to the Lord in faith will experience his undying love and forgiveness, despite their unfaithfulness. Today’s readings are 2 Kings 9, Hosea 11-14, and Psalm 109.
When Samuel confronted him: 1. Saul claimed he’d obeyed (13). 2. Blame-shifted his responsibility to others (15). 3. Explained how he’d “mostly” obeyed (15). 4. Claimed he obeyed in a statement that proved he hadn’t (3*, 20-21). 5. Blame-shifted and claimed they’d disobeyed God in order to honor God (21)! 6. Finally agreed he’d sinned, but explained why (24). 7. Wanted to be honored while he publicly pretended to respect God (30).
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” ~ Sir Walter Scott, 1808
I thought of this quote when reading the story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). One unconfessed lie always leads to a worse lie, and one unconfessed sin always leads to a worse sin.
David’s deception truly led to a “tangled web” of deceptions and sins.
The deception started, as it often does, with self-deception: David saw no harm in looking at a woman bathing, and he gave in to lust.
Then David indulged his lust. Knowing she was married, he sent for Bathsheba and committed adultery with her.
When Bathsheba informed David she was pregnant, the deception went further and deeper. He ordered others to murder Bathsheba’s husband.
Oh, what a tangled web did David weave…
He could have looked away.
He could have stopped when he found out Bathsheba was married.
He could have repented when he saw the honorable self-denial of Uriah.(1)
At every step, God gave David a “way out” of his temptation, but David refused to take it (1 Corinthians 10:13).(2)
Let’s learn from David’s failure.(3)
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Footnotes: (1) 2 Samuel 11:10-11: “David was told, ‘Uriah did not go home.’ So he asked Uriah, ‘Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?’ Uriah said to David, ‘The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!'”
Uriah refused to sleep with his wife out of respect for his suffering troops. He would not indulge himself while those under his command were denied their wives and families. What a contrast! David had not only enjoyed himself while his troops were suffering. He enjoyed himself with the wife of one of his most loyal soldiers. And now he was hoping that Uriah would sleep with Bathsheba and think the baby was his. But Uriah refused, even when David got him drunk (2 Samuel 11:12-13). You know that God was trying to get David’s attention through Uriah’s honorable behavior.
(2) Throughout this entire situation, God was giving David a “way out,” but David refused to take it: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
(3) If David failed so miserably, why was he fully restored and why did God speak of David as a godly man after this incident? For the answer to that important question, see Short List Repentance.
“David saw what everyone saw…heard what everyone heard…thought what no one thought.”(1)
While strong, experienced soldiers cowered, David told Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Samuel 17:45).
Throughout Scripture we hear this truth:
“’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6
“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10
“I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
In our present world, “Goliath” enemies stand and mock biblical principles. All of us hear the same trash talk and see the results. The choice is ours: we can join the enemy…cower in the shadows…criticize the faithful like David’s brother (1 Samuel 17:26-30)…
Or we can fight like David, confident that God’s Spirit within us is greater than any “Goliath” in our world (1 John 4:4).
“How have the mighty fallen … I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been a close friend to me. Your love to me was more wonderful than the love of women.” – 2 Samuel 1:25-27 NASB
David gained fame as a mighty warrior. He also was a man of principle with deep feelings. This became clear after the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. Others thought he would be relieved. Instead, David wept openly. He expressed his feelings in a lament, which showed compassion for Jonathan, his friend, but also for Saul, the king who sought to take his life.
This lament became a central moment in King David, a drama with music written by Swiss composer Arthur Honegger. Born on this day in 1892, Honegger was chosen for this assignment because he had musical skills, but he also had a spiritual understanding.
He was raised in a home where spiritual things were important. He knew the Bible and had insights into David’s character. Honegger threw himself into the challenge, completing his composition in just two months.
In this drama, the key moment comes as David laments the death of Saul and Jonathan. Honegger’s music helps us appreciate how David put aside the horrible things Saul had done to him. This moment symbolized what made David so unique. We can see why God chose him to be king, for he was a man after His heart (Acts 13:22).
The Bible reminds us that God seeks people of principle who are fearless and compassionate, who boldly embrace every assignment. He seeks those who are ready to serve Him with their mind, soul, and emotions.
Prayer
Father, I desire to serve You with my whole being, without reservation. Give me boldness and compassion. In Jesus’ name, amen.
David (D. March 1, 589) is the patron saint of Wales and perhaps the most famous of British saints. Ironically, we have little reliable information about him.
It is known that he became a priest, engaged in missionary work, and founded many monasteries, including his principal abbey in southwestern Wales. Many stories and legends sprang up about David and his Welsh monks. Their austerity was extreme. They worked in silence without the help of animals to till the soil. Their food was limited to bread, vegetables and water.
In about the year 550, David attended a synod where his eloquence impressed his fellow monks to such a degree that he was elected primate of the region. The episcopal see was moved to Mynyw, where he had his monastery, now called St. David’s. He ruled his diocese until he had reached a very old age. His last words to his monks and subjects were: “Be joyful, brothers and sisters. Keep your faith, and do the little things that you have seen and heard with me.”
Saint David is pictured standing on a mound with a dove on his shoulder. The legend is that once while he was preaching a dove descended to his shoulder and the earth rose to lift him high above the people so that he could be heard. Over 50 churches in South Wales were dedicated to him in pre-Reformation days.
Reflection
Were we restricted to hard manual labor and a diet of bread, vegetables and water, most of us would find little reason to rejoice. Yet joy is what David urged on his brothers as he lay dying. Perhaps he could say that to them—and to us—because he lived in and nurtured a constant awareness of God’s nearness. For, as someone once said, “Joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence.” May his intercession bless us with the same awareness!
