Sin of Licentiousness
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God has not allowed much said in His Word to extol the virtues
of the best men that have lived upon the earth. All their victories
and great and good works were ascribed to God. He alone was to
receive the glory, He alone to be exalted. He was all and in all. Man
was only an agent, a feeble instrument, in His hands. The power and
excellence were all of God. God saw in man a continual disposition
to depart from, and to forget Him, and worship the creature instead
of the Creator. Therefore God would not suffer much in the praise of
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man to be left upon the pages of sacred history.
The Penitential Psalm—David repented of his sin, in dust and
ashes. He entreated the forgiveness of God, and concealed not his
repentance from the great men, and even servants of His kingdom.
He composed a penitential psalm, recounting his sin and repentance,
which psalm he knew would be sung by after generations. He wished
others to be instructed by the sad history of his life.
The songs which David composed were sung by all Israel, espe-
cially in the presence of the assembled court, and before priests, elders,
and lords. He knew that the confession of his guilt would bring his
sins to the notice of other generations. He presents his case, showing
in whom was his trust and hope for pardon. “Have mercy upon me, O
God, according to Thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude
of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly
from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” “Deliver me from
bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation” [
Psalm 51:1, 2,
14
].
David does not manifest the spirit of an unconverted man. If he
had possessed the spirit of the rulers of the nations around him, he
would not have borne from Nathan the picture of his crime before him
in its truly abominable colors, but would have taken the life of the
faithful reprover. But notwithstanding the loftiness of his throne, and
his unlimited power, his humble acknowledgment of all with which he
was charged is evidence that he still feared and trembled at the word
of the Lord.
Results of David’s Wrongdoing—David was made to feel bitterly
the fruits of wrongdoing. His sons acted over the sins of which he had
been guilty. Amnon committed a great crime. Absalom revenged it by
slaying him. Thus was David’s sin brought continually to his mind,
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