In 2 Samuel 23:5, David finally declares the Divine Persistence of God:
“Although my house is not so with God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; will He not make it increase?”
David’s answer to the persistence of God was that of his perfect confidence in it. It was that confidence which made him write his penitential psalms.
When we speak of David’s sin let us in all fairness speak also of his penitence. When we would know how deep his penitence was, let us hear his declaration to God in Psalm 51:4:
“Against You, You only, have I sinned.”
This is the language of a man dealing with the profoundest things of his life.
Of course, if men deal with surface ripples only, they will say that God is not concerned by human sin; but to know God is finally to exclaim of every sin: “Against You, You only, have I sinned.” This confession demonstrates the consciousness of the persistence of God in mercy. Otherwise, I would be overwhelmed by my sin, by my sin made careless of sin, and ultimately by my sin made to continue in sin; were it not that I know the infinite goodness of God that is set upon delivering me if I but stand in right attitude towards Him.
The conformity of my life to the will of God does not depend upon my ability to live it but upon my abandonment; not upon my persuading God to do something, but upon my allowing myself to be persuaded by God to be something.
The attitude of conformity is that of being willing to know, to be, and to do His will. By that attitude, God measures a man. God is measuring me not as man would measure me. I am prone to measure a man by the last sin he has committed. God never does. God measures by the attitude of the soul. This doctrine is full of comfort.
What is my attitude towards God? Have I lived a clean life? Would I have lived a clean life if I had the chance to live a filthy one? That is the question. Is my purity due to birth and environment? If I had the opportunity, would I live in crime? If so, God would measure me as the criminal. This is fire, it scorches, and it burns.
God keeps the record and He will reward. The issue for us is that we see the immediate but God sees the end. What is my motive? To receive a reward now? If so, there is no issue for me but the immediate.
David was a man after God’s Own heart because of the posture of his soul; and God fulfilled the underlying desire of his heart through an everlasting covenant of kingship, ultimately emanating in the Messiah. May he come soon and speedily in our days!
Teaching Series:
What happens when someone spends over $10k on someone, an emerald ring and broke their nose and now they’re preaching gods msgs ? Hypocris?