DAVID AND THE POWER OF REPENTANCE

 

There was not a king who loved the God of Israel more than King David. When he conquered Jerusalem he brought the ark of the covenant into the city ‘with gladness’ and led a procession of Israelites playing instruments, shouting, singing and dancing ‘before the Lord with all his might’ in praise of the God he worshipped (2 Samuel 6:12-15). No king of Israel was more free from idolatrous inclinations or practices than David. Because of this, he became the standard of excellence that all subsequent kings came to be measured by. 

 

David’s reign is known in the annals of history as ‘the golden age of Israel’. It is under his reign that Israel came to occupy the total of the land promised to the children of Israel through Abraham  nearly 1,000 years earlier (Genesis 15:18-21). He was truly an outstanding king who proved that even the greatest among us can fall and this is how it came about: the kingdom became a well-oiled machine and David, a man of war, entered his comfort zone……so much so that ‘when kings go forth to battle, David sent Joab, his captain’ to fight the Ammonites while ‘he tarried at Jerusalem’ (2 Samuel 11:1). From there his life teaches us two things: 1. You should always be at the right place at the right time; and 2. In the words of C.S. Lewis: “The heart can and should obey the head”. 

 

Instead of being at the right place at the right time, David was idling on the roof of his house watching a woman of great beauty washing herself (2 Samuel 10:2). From the wrong place at the wrong time ensued an adulterous affair which led to murder. So a king who was destined for exaltation fell from God’s grace (D&C 132:38,39) and became a symbol of Christ’s gift of resurrection to all the human family including those who commit murder and inherit a much lesser kingdom of glory but which, nevertheless, surpasses all understanding (D&C 76:89). David’s gratefulness that the Saviour will not leave his soul in hell (Psalms 16:10; Acts 2:27) became known as ‘the sure mercies of David’ (Acts 2:25-28; 13:22-37; Isaiah 55:3).

 

Here is what I admire most about David: his sincere repentance of godly sorrow. The Psalms of David are heart wrenching evidence of his unfailing love and praise of Jehovah despite his fall from grace. May we follow suit when sin finds us and turn to Him who can forgive and yet rescue our souls from everlasting misery and may we harbour in our heart David’s testimony forever: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation….” (Psalms 18:2). 

 

He is the one and only giver of mercy and forgiveness and there is none else….not in heaven above, or earth beneath…..nothing, nobody, nowhere…..(Deuteronomy 4:35, 39)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Forgiven by Greg Olsen)