David's Confession Series

David’s Confession

Sermon by CH(CPT) Keith J. Andrews

All Scripture marked The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Earlier this month, as I listened to the news—where most people receive their news—in the DFAC, there was a story about the confession of John Edwards and his affair with Rielle Hunter two years ago.

Confessions, while admirable—don’t occur very often, especially in the high profile people in America. It seems in this lawyer saturated environment, it is always best not to confess. Now, I understand the legal benefits of remaining silent and, in fact, the public relations benefits of remaining silent.

But this morning, we are going to look at the Israelite king, David, after he sins against God and man. We are specifically going to look at how he confesses his sin to God.

This story of David is found in 2 Samuel chapter 11and 12.

Verse two of chapter 11 sets the stage

2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. (2 Sa 11:2-4, ESV).

Now, as the story continues Bathsheba becomes pregnant, while Uriah, her husband was out with the Army and he brought him back to sleep with his Bathsheba, so that know one would know the difference.

Verse 9;

9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. (2 Sa 11:9, ESV).

Uriah’s response to the king was that he would not go back to his house, while his Soldiers were still in the field. David’s response then was to send Uriah to the front line and abandon him there so he would be killed.

It is indeed a devastating sin by the man who was described as “After God’s Own Heart” to commit. But, it was also just one of many examples of God’s loving forgiveness for a sinner who confesses his sin before God.

This morning, we are going to examine David’s confession as an example to us—so that when we sin, we can bring our transgression before God, properly and humbly.

So look with me at Psalm 51, and we will see the Psalm of the Confession of David.

We see first that David sets the example to us by showing

1. Ownership of Sin

Psalm 51:1

1 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. (Ps 51:1-6, ESV)

In these six verse, David sets out his acknowledgement of his own sin. It is very important for us to understand that we are sinners by our nature and by our choice—here we see that David acknowledges the same attributes.

In verse 4, David acknowledges that

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight, (Psalm 51:4a, ESV)

That is the sin, he is aware of committed through the free will and control of his mind and body. He acknowledges that he is responsible for the sin that has been committed.

Then in verse 5, he also acknowledges that he is a sinner, by his very nature and by his birth.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5, ESV)

Many times, we want to say that we have sinned because it is our nature—and move on. We talk about having condoms in our schools, because kids will just have sex—that is what they do. The proponents will argue that, there just isn’t any way to stop it—because, after all it is their nature.

But, we are still responsible for the sins that we commit. It is not enough for us, just to confess that we are prone to sin. We must acknowledge that we choose to sin as well.