We’ve got a few dark clouds rolling in this week, but expect to see a shaft of light break through the clouds every now and then.
We’re still camping out in 2 Samuel this week, along with a few of David’s psalms. David begins to see conflict within his family because of his sin with Bathsheba. The Lord foreshadowed this in his covenant with David – although his steadfast love would not depart, there would still be stripes for disobedience. We’ll see some of this play out in pretty gory scenes. Keep in mind, though, that God is faithful to his word. I watched this video on God’s providence last week and I think it’s really helpful to shed light on some of the things we’re reading this week.
If you need forgiveness, these passages will be a balm to your soul. If your sins are not counted against you, then you are a flourishing person. Paul picks up Psalm 32 in Romans 4 to show just how blessed we are despite our lawless deed because of Christ’s forgiveness by grace through faith. Psalm 51 teaches us the posture of repentance. Psalm 86 reminds us that even in our sin, the Lord is good and forgiving, merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness – all we need is to come to him and call on his name.
This is a pretty wild sequence of events – but it’s important to remember Nathan’s rebuke of David after the incident with Bathsheba, “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house…Thus says the Lord, ‘I will raise up evil against you out of your own house.’” The Lord is fulfilling his word to David – even though he is not “seen” in this passage. The only person who acts faithfully and calls a sin a sin is Tamar – and the writer wants us to well up with righteous indignation for Tamar’s sake. Dale Ralph Davis describes the actors in this story in this way: Amnon has passion without love; Jonadab has wisdom without principle; David has anger without justice; Absalom has hatred without restraint.
In the midst of uncertainty, we can lay down and sleep in peace because God sustains all things. When we give ourselves up to sleep, it is a declaration that we are not God. Yet, we take heart because He relieves distress and arises to protect the poor and needy. We can ask honestly with David, “How long, O Lord? How long will you hide your face? How long will this sorrow remain in my heart?” Yet we continue to trust in God’s steadfast love for he is the strength of his people.
There’s a common theme in these passages: God’s hidden sovereignty within normal human plans. When you read the first section about Mephibosheth – you might be shocked. But, don’t take Ziba at his word – he’s manipulating David (you’ll see this more clearly in 19:24-30). Cursing Shimei wearies David and his men. Absalom betrays his father by going into all his concubines. Hushai gives counsel that ultimately saves David – in accordance with the Lord’s command and intention to thwart Ahithophel’s counsel (17:14). In chapter 18, after the whole truth of Absalom’s death is reported by an unnamed Cushite, David grieves his son’s death. Dale Ralph Davis notes pointedly, “David knew that his sin had set the sword loose in his own household…Guilt has aggravated grief.”
Where do we look in the face of evil and destruction? Do we place our hope in the schemes of men or the best economic or political plans? How do we respond when we feel unjustly punished? Let these psalms of David instruct you and teach you to love the Lord and walk in his ways…even when you can’t see how he is working.
After the coup has been defeated, David returns to Jerusalem where he pardons his enemies and attempts to reunite the twelve tribes. But, Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite leads a revolt of the ten tribes. David is no stranger to rebellion and this time he quickly acts to put the rebellion down by sending his men after Sheba. The end of Sheba’s story is a great illustration for us: Don’t sleep on the older, wiser women in your life. They’ll cut your head off. But seriously, these kinds of women preserve the heritage of the Lord. Let’s honor the wise women in our lives. The final sequence in these chapters is David’s avenging the bloodguilt of Saul for breaking the oath Israel made with the Gibeonites in Joshua 9.
Psalm 5 is an honest prayer in the midst of groaning for God’s guidance, leadership, and protection. Psalm 38 is a cry for mercy where no longing or sighing is hidden from the Lord. Psalm 41 is a request for God’s grace. Psalm 42 is David speaking to his own soul, reminding himself to hope in God for he will again praise him. The trajectory of these psalms is beautiful: an honest request, groaning and sighing that is seen, a plea for grace and a reminder to hope.