Bible Study for the Brotherhood of the Book – November 16, 2024
By Terry Smith
Psalm 51, A Prayer for Mercy, Forgiveness and Restoration (NIV)
For the choir director. A psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him after he committed adultery with Bathsheba.
A RESPONSIVE READING
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me, the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will turn back to you.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God and the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
“Of all the lives in Scripture, David’s is the only one that is exhaustively examined from the time of his childhood to his death. It is an open book like no other. Even his state of mind is revealed in the Psalms, like a diary open to our review. How would our own lives look if subjected to this type of scrutiny? I am humiliated to consider that the day is coming when all the hidden things of my life will be revealed. For that reason alone, we should be kind to the memory of David, recognizing in him many of our own failings and weaknesses, but also admiring his strengths.” – William H. Gross
David, a man after God’s own heart, a shepherd, a musician, a warrior, a poet King. To get a better understanding of David’s heart and his confession, let’s take a look at some of his interactions with God through Nathan the prophet.
After his slaying of the giant Goliath, entering the service of King Saul, his many battles to defeat the Philistines, being made King, bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, etc. he desired to build a place for God to dwell.
2 Samuel 7: 6-17 – The Davidic Covenant
2 Samuel 7:18-27 – David’s Prayer
2 Samuel 11 :2-5 – David’s sin with Bathsheba
2 Samuel 11:14,15 – Killing of Uriah the Hittite
2 Samuel 12:1-12 – Nathan Rebukes David
Discussion Questions:
What was David’s status at the time?
How was Nathan’s approach to David key in reaching David’s heart?
What does David think God’s view of sin is?
What attributes of God’s character does David identify?
Does David make any excuses to minimize his sin?
What did David ask God for?
What promises did he make to God?
For consideration and reflection:
How conscious am I of my sin?
What excuses might we make to minimize our sin?
According to David, what is it that God desires from us?
What does that look like?
PSALM 117
1) Praise be the Lord, all you nations, extol him, all you peoples.
2) For great is his love toward us and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.