Read 2 Samuel 24

God’s Mercy

What caused David to number the people? Was it pride? Was it a desire to expand the kingdom through military means? Was he placing trust in the numbers rather than God? Whatever the reason, it was sinful. He was tempted by Satan to sin against God (1 Chronicles 21:1), and as God does not violate man’s free will, David was allowed to go through with it (2 Samuel 24:1).

David knew that he was doing something not approved by God, and immediately after it was done, he felt guilty. “And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servants, for I have done very foolishly’” (2 Samuel 24:10).

While forgiveness was certainly possible, sometimes there are consequences we still must face. God sent a prophet to David named Gad. Through the prophet Gad, God said, “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it for you” (2 Samuel 24:12). God allowed David to pick his own punishment: seven years of famine, three years of fleeing from enemies, or three days of pestilence. What would you have chosen if you were in David’s shoes? The king chose three days of pestilence, relying on God’s mercy rather than trusting in the strength of his men to stand up against his enemies.

In the eighteenth century, a man named Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon entitled, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” He painted a vivid picture of hell, observing the immoral conditions of the world at the time and the condemnation of those sins in the Scriptures. Mr. Edwards’ sermon is credited as one of the catalysts of the First Great Awakening.

It is a sobering thought to consider the anger of God when one is caught up in sin. However, if we are penitent like David, recognizing our sin, and asking for forgiveness, God will be merciful. “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off” (Romans 11:22).

God’s mercy is great toward those who strive to do what is right and refuse to make excuses for their shortcomings. Have you been faithfully obedient to the Lord?

Read 2 Samuel 22

Be A Blessing, Be Blessed

David continuously praised God for His many blessings. The king recognized that everything good in his life was a direct result of God’s faithfulness to His faithful servant. “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God” (2 Samuel 22:21-22).

Far from claiming that he deserved any of God’s blessings, the king nevertheless acknowledged that God’s grace would be shown to one who was righteous. On the other hand, those who rebelled against the commands of the Almighty would be punished justly.

One should not expect to receive what he is not willing to give. “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; with a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; with the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. You will save the humble people; but Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down” (2 Samuel 22:26-28).

We must strive to be like God in all that we do, even though we know we will fall short. We must strive to show mercy to our fellow man, knowing that only the merciful will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7; 6:14-15; 18:21-35). We must strive to be blameless, just as the Son of God stood blameless before His accusers (Luke 23:4). We must be pure if we hope to see God (Matthew 5:8).

Yet, if we behave in a “devious” manner, we will discover that we cannot fool God. Paul warns, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Perhaps the apostle had David’s words in the back of his mind when he wrote to the young evangelist Timothy. “This is a faithful saying: for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:11-13).

Do you want to be blessed by God today? Have you been a blessing to someone else today?

Read Psalm 139

The “Omni” Attributes of God

The Latin word omnis gives us the prefix “omni,” which is combined with other words to indicate that something or someone encompasses all of a certain attribute or characteristic. Have you ever considered how God is all-knowing (omniscient), all-present (omnipresent), all-powerful (omnipotent), and all-good (omnibenevolent)? The inspired psalmist considers these facets of God’s nature in Psalm 139.

David expressed, “You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways” (Psalm 139:2-3). There is nothing man can say or do or even think without God’s knowledge of it! In fact, David declares, “For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4). How does he react to such knowledge? He says it “is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it” (Psalm 139:6).

The poet king also pontificates on God’s omnipresence. He asks rhetorically, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). The prophet Jonah discovered that he could not flee from God or from his God-given responsibilities. One day we must all give account for what we have done and where we have gone.

The omnipotence of the Almighty God is a frequent theme in Scripture, and this psalm also briefly explores that topic. Focusing upon God’s “fearfully and wonderfully made” creation of mankind, David declares, “Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:14).

Finally, David writes about God’s goodness or omnibenevolence. Since God is all-good, He hates those things that work against His perfect will. He hates sin. The psalmist pleads, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). God wants everyone to accept His gracious offer of salvation, and through His goodness He has made such possible.

Read Psalm 63

The Blessing of God’s Help

The sixty-third Psalm was written by David. My Bible’s superscription identifies the location of writing as “the wilderness of Judah,” which may also be identified as the area of the deserted region near the Dead Sea. The most likely time of the writing of this song of praise is during the king’s son Absalom’s rebellion.

Charles Spurgeon identifies both plural and singular forms of the words for God in the first verse, which expresses both “the mystery of the Trinity” and “the mystery of the Unity.” Indeed, the fact that Jesus, the Word, existed as God in eternity just as the Father and the Spirit, is affirmed by the poet king long before the Second Person’s incarnation in Bethlehem.

David longed for fellowship with God. “My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dray and thirsty land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). David, while looking out at the dry land west of the Dead Sea, reflected on His spiritual desire for a relationship with the Almighty.

Why was this desire so strong? “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life” (Psalm 63:3). The word “lovingkindness” is translated from a Hebrew word that is most often rendered “mercy.” How is God’s mercy better than life? Is it not God’s mercy that allows us to live a life at all?

Have you ever reflected on the grandeur of God’s mercy? How deep His love, how powerful His grace? David says, “My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips” (Psalm 63:3-5). If His mercy does not create in us the same emotion as king David, we may need to reflect on it a bit more seriously.

Let us make a special effort to “remember” God and “meditate” on Him and His many blessings in our lives. “Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice” (Psalm 63:7). How has God helped you lately?