O God [Y]ou are my God, I seek [Y]ou, my soul thirsts for [Y]ou; my flesh faints for [Y]ou, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon [Y]ou in the sanctuary, beholding [Y]our power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise [Y]ou. So I will bless [Y]ou as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on [Y]our name. Psalm 63: 1-4, NRSV.
Gracious God, today we acknowledge our sins against You. We beg for Your forgiveness, and restoration. Please teach us how, in the name of Jesus!
This psalm was written by David during a rather trying time in his life. He was being pursued by Saul. He was in the Wilderness of Ziph; and Scripture informs us that, “Saul sought him every day, but the LORD did not give him into his hand” (1 Samuel 23: 14). God had already rejected Saul from being king over Israel, because of his disobedience. It is important for us to recognize that God was not rejecting Saul, as a person! God never rejects us! Whenever a relationship between God and anyone comes to an end, it is because that person has rejected God! It is crucial that we understand this!
In the place of Saul, God had selected David to reign as king over Israel. But Saul, had become spiritually blind, and deaf! That is what sin will do to us. It will make us see what is not there; and it will blind us to what is there! He was sure that David was seeking the throne, and therefore he was determined to destroy David! The prophet Samuel had explained to him that God had taken the kingdom away from him and had given it to someone else (1 Samuel 15: 24-28). But Saul was bent on having his way, for the sake of appearance.
When the prophet reprimanded him, notice his words, “Then Saul said, I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God” (30). Emphasis provided. This is a very unusual request. True repentance makes only one plea; the plea for forgiveness. Saul is here requesting that Samuel honor him, before his people and before Israel, so that “I may worship your(Samuel’s) God!” For Saul, it was all about Saul. He did not claim God as his God! Was it an unconscious rejection of God?
Now let us consider David. In our Scripture for today, notice how he expresses His devotion to God. He begins by acknowledging the fact that God is his God! He seeks Him. His soul thirsts for Him. His flesh faints for Him. He seeks Him in the sanctuary; he beholds His power and glory. To David, God’s steadfast love was better than life. For David, it was all about God!
Did David sin? Of course he did! Grievously! However notice his manner of repentance, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to [Y]our steadfast love… Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity… For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against [Y]ou, [Y]ou alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in [Y]our sight, so that [Y]ou are justified in [Y]our sentence and blameless when [Y]ou pass judgement” (Psalm 51: 1-4). In all things David sought to be humbled, that God and His justice might be exalted!
This is the story of two kings who sinned against God… The difference between their repentance and the outcome of their lives, was that God was sitting upon the throne of David’s heart; while Saul was seated upon the throne of his own heart. One allowed God to humble him completely; while the other sought to make himself look good.
Whoever is upon the throne of our hearts will determine the kind of story that you and I are writing.