Psalm 38 Series

It is not evident that David’s plea is for salvation and everlasting life, but for deliverance from the immediate things that afflicted him.

Psalm 38 does not address the eternal aspect of sin’s ruinous results– only those injurious effects suffered in the mortal state.

And yet in David’s lifetime it is said that David’s sins were taken away.

In v13 of 2 Samuel 12, regarding the sins with Bathsheba and Uriah:

David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

According to the prophet Nathan, the Lord had “put away” David’s sin. Put it away!

The NASB says “taken away.”

Was Samuel saying the David’s sin was removed in the same sense our sins are remitted in baptism?

If not, in what sense were David’s sins taken away? Is there any other sense?

Yes. Sins were dealt with ceremonially through the offering of the blood (?) of a red heifer.

But that only made the sinner ceremonially clean, with the result that he/she became eligible to enter the congregation (meaning the temple?).

David’s sin concerning Bathsheba and Uriah were “put away” or “taken away.”

What is the meaning of that, as it might shed light on Psalm 38?

No sin was ever taken away from the one who committed them but by the power of redemption. Redemption resides only in Christ’s blood.

Not Adam’s

Not Abraham’s

Not David’s

What could David do to remove his sins? Nothing.

Nothing he could do would remove them.

The high priest did all there was to do on the annual day of atonement, by applying the blood of a bull for his own sins and the sins of his family in the most holy place and applying the blood of the scapegoat to the people.

In David’s day, that’s all that was available.

But that annual ritual didn’t remove the sins.

Hebrews 10:4 …it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Only the blood of Christ has that power:

Hebrews 9:13-14 …if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, (14) how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

We know that today we may seek – and obtain– absolution on the terms of the gospel.

But the gospel was not revealed to David’s generation.

On what terms could David make such a request?

In v17 of Psalm 51 David states the terms - or principle - under which he places his confidence and relief is sought.

Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

David showed in this and many psalms that his spirit was broken and his heart was contrite.

Were the sins committed before Christ “rolled forward?”

That’s what I was taught as a child. Some passages in Hebrews and elsewhere seem to be explained by that perspective, although it strains some passages in Leviticus that say sins “are forgiven.”

If that visualization works best for you, enjoy it in good health.