Posts with the tag “psalms”

2 Samuel 12:7, 11-13 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man" “This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Psalm 51:16-19 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar. Before we move on from these troubling passages, there’s one more point to consider. The pages of scripture show that it is unrealistic to believe forgiveness and acceptance conveniently eliminate consequences. Engaging in sinful behavior threatens our relationship with God. Not because He will eventually forsake us or be unwilling to forgive, but because sin subtly drives us far enough away from salvation that we would no longer reach for the hand of Jesus. The Bible suggests that God won’t give up on us before we give up on Him. Our sins lead us to reject God, rather than the other way around...  Read More

2 Samuel 12:5-10 David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. Psalm 51:12-15 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. We’ve reached a point in our story where David is overwhelmed with guilt. He has taken what isn’t his, betrayed his family, ruined neighbors’ lives, shed innocent blood, and become a cautionary tale of power and entitlement. Tomorrow’s lesson will examine the consequences of wrongful actions that are never completely avoided, no matter how much we repent. But today, we see the grace and salvation Jesus offers to everyone who confesses. Before we go further, I have to admit that part of me feels relieved to read this story. Some Christians jump between Biblical success stories, skipping the troubling ones, in a way that makes following God seem impossible. In contrast, between the stories of Moses crossing the Red Sea, David slaying Goliath, and Peter preaching the resurrected Christ, we have opportunity to read about their failures and flaws, allowing space for me to follow Jesus despite my imperfections.  Read More

2 Samuel 12:1-5 So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.” David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die" Psalm 51:7-11 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Have you ever felt your face flush with embarrassment when you realize how wrong something you did was? Maybe someone repeats what you just said, and you respond, “When you put it like that, it sounds awful,” even though all they did was echo your words. This is David’s situation as he sits before Nathan...  Read More

2 Samuel 11:26-27 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done. Psalm 51:1-3 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Last week, we started studying 2 Samuel 11-12, focusing on David’s rapid decline into the life of a mass murderer. Today, we go back to the beginning of the story to examine David the adulterer and his sexual sins. Today’s passage concludes both themes as Uriah is dead, and Bathsheba goes to the palace to join the king’s harem. Soon, everything will become public when Nathan confronts David. But, before we reach the showdown between the prophet and the king, let’s take a moment to revisit how it all began...  Read More

2 Samuel 11:22-25 So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.” “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow Fight harder next time, and conquer the city” Psalm 32:11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure The messenger shows wisdom and doesn’t wait for David to get angry as he reports the failed attack, during which many of the king’s men died. He mentions Uriah's name from the very beginning. This part of the story highlights two points. First, awareness of David’s plot is beginning to leak past his inner circle. The pool of those with insight into what he has done is steadily growing. We all know how people talk. Several individuals are likely starting to compare details gathered from whispers and observations. Messengers have been sent to communicate with Bathsheba, bring her to the palace, and exchange notes. Many must have seen the beautiful woman coming and going from David’s quarters not long before her husband's strange visit, during which he sleeps on the palace steps instead of going home. Weird. Now, a messenger returns with tales from the battle, knowing it’s wise to mention the name Uriah when describing a poorly planned battle. Does his tone hint at a wink as courtiers listen? These are the kinds of things people love to talk about...  Read More

2 Samuel 11:14-21 So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. Then Joab sent a battle report to David. He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’” Psalm 32:8-10 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’S unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. In the course of our story, David has moved far from being the heroic good guy. His cover-up is in full effect as Uriah dies in battle alongside his fellow soldiers. Maybe the king will get away with it...  Read More

2 Samuel 11:11-15 Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” Psalm 32:6-7 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Every once in a while, the painful consequences of our failures are easily avoided, cleverly sidestepped, or simply don’t happen. However, as we feel the floodwaters of our poor decisions rise around us, we often turn to more deceptive schemes in an effort to escape. First, we try to create opportunities for our guilt to sink into the shadows. Eventually, we move from passive strategies to actively manipulating our surroundings, hoping to change the circumstances...  Read More

2 Samuel 11:6-11 Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” Psalm 32:3-5 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. A simple lack of motivation or indulgence in excuses allows David to nap while his men are at war. He has shown the heart of a warrior in the past. So he’s entitled to sit this one out, right? With this one mistake, momentum builds, and lustful eyes lead to a coercive affair with Bathsheba. Ah-oh, she’s pregnant. Missing his appointment with the army was a mistake. The affair with Bathsheba was a sin. Now David is so deep into it that he can’t easily back out. The snare has fully tightened around his ankle. It won’t be long before the truth comes out. David must act quickly to control the story and protect his reputation. So he sends for Uriah...  Read More

2 Samuel 11:1-5 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.” Psalm 32:1-2 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. Over the next two weeks, we will study 2 Samuel 11 and 12, focusing on the story of King David, Bathsheba, Uriah, and Nathan. While reading the verses in chronological order, we will examine two themes one at a time. This week, I invite you to reflect on David the murderer. Next week, we will explore David the adulterer. I hope this approach helps clarify why we focus on certain parts of the text now and save others for next week...  Read More

Psalm 132:1-5 LORD, remember David and all that he suffered. He made a solemn promise to the LORD. He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel, “I will not go home; I will not let myself rest. I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber until I find a place to build a house for the LORD, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.” 2 Samuel 6:1-3 David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. This week, we examine 2 Samuel 6 and what David’s life teaches us about worship. If it seems like the study starts with a simple rearrangement of religious furniture, don’t be fooled. There’s much more to it than that. Worship, at its core, celebrates that the “I Am” of Exodus 3:14—the One who “was and is and is to come” in Revelation 1:4—chooses to draw near and live with us. The creator of all things adopts the name Immanuel, ‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23). The first chapter of the book of John describes Jesus’ mission of redemption. He is the Word. He is God. He was in the beginning. He is the Creator. And in verse 14, John says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The literal translation of the Greek is that Jesus “tabernacled” among us. Throughout the Old Testament, God describes Himself and His desire for closeness using various metaphors and symbols. One of the most vivid images appears in the wilderness tabernacle that God commanded to be built at the center of the Israelites’ camp during their exodus from Egypt. God outlined every detail of this structure so that the story of salvation could be revealed. It included symbols representing the cross of Christ, His resurrection, prayer, and forgiveness. In the innermost part of the tabernacle sat a gold-covered acacia wood box called the Ark of the Covenant...  Read More

(Psalm 68:6) God places the lonely in families;He sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.But He makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.Loneliness is one of the worst feelings one can experience. To feel like you have no one in your life can lead to so many negative emotions. Deep down, we all want to be part of a family, to never experience deep loneliness.There was a time that I fel...  Read More

The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with, or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.LITURGIES: Prayer, Fasting, Solitude, Silence, Statio/Stand StillOPENING QUESTION(S)When you pray, what do you picture or imagine? Do. you imagine a ...  Read More

SilencePsalm 62:1-2I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.Psalm 62:5-6Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.Psalm 62:7My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enem...  Read More

Process And PatiencePsalm 32:1-5Oh, what joy for those   whose disobedience is forgiven,   whose sin is put out of sight!Yes, what joy for those   whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,   whose lives are lived in complete honesty!When I refused to confess my sin,   my body wasted away,   and I groaned all day long.Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.   My strength evaporated...  Read More

Psalm 8:1-9O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers- the moon and the stars you set in place- what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you shou...  Read More

Did you miss this week's sermon?  Or perhaps you'd like to hear the series as taught from a different voice or campus? Here is your chance to catch up with a sermon or podcast from our Crosswalk Media Content Team as we teach through our current series....  Read More

1 Samuel 24:16-22When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the LORD put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. Who else would let his enemy get away when he h...  Read More

1 Samuel 24:12-15“May the LORD judge between us. Perhaps the LORD will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? May the LOR...  Read More

Samuel 24:9-11Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the LORD placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the LORD’s anointed one.’ Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is...  Read More

Psalm 131Lord, my heart is not proud;    my eyes are not haughty.I don’t concern myself with matters too great    or too awesome for me to grasp.2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,    like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.    Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.3 O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—    now and always.1 Samuel 18:6 When the victorious Isra...  Read More

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Psalm 55:1-8, 14, 16-171 Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help!2 Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.3 My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats.
They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down.4 My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me.5 Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking.6 Oh, that I had wi...  Read More

14 What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.-Psalm 55:14We’ve included Psalm 55 in this week’s focus because as we’ll learn more about on Friday when we look at more of this passage, scholars believe this Psalm was written by David after Jonathan died in battle.One of the complicated things about friendship is that entering into a friendship always comes with ...  Read More

INTRODUCTIONThe following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.OPEN QUESTIONSThe story of David and Goliath is a favorite tale for many who grow up in the faith.  Share one of your favorite childhood s...  Read More

1 Samuel 17:41-50Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, sp...  Read More

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” Psalm 42:1 You survived the first two rules: 1) I’m wrong about stuff, and 2) I don’t know which stuff. Now, let’s address rules three and four simultaneously.  Read More

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105I love this verse of scripture. But my reasons have changed over time. Initially, I read this as a promise of certainty and clarity. I considered this God’s way of saying that reading the Bible was a sure way of sorting out questions about right and wrong. God was saying His desire for me was to have absolute doctrinal clarity....  Read More

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God…”Be still. Calm down. Exercise some patience—all words we need to hear at this point in the journey. The chaos of deconstruction causes most of us to squirm. Overwhelmed by the instinct to “fix it,” we gravitate to five-point plans, old formulas, and confident teachers. But hold on. This might be the perfect time to slow down and sit in the rubble.When...  Read More