David says some things today (in Psalm 7) that he could never repeat … after this sin with Bathsheba. Or after the “chain” of sins the Bathsheba affair entailed in his life.
Listen to this man of God (yes, David) as he is being falsely accused (by a man named Cush) of intending to harm King Saul. “If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy ….” Psalm 7:4
David held no animosity toward the reigning (though failing) King!
If he had done so … David was fully willing for God’s Hand of Judgment to fall upon him. Tomorrow’s verse proves this: “Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust.” That is, if I (David) have so sinned against Saul!
If I have dishonored the King, God’s very “anointed,” David calls him.
Yes, David “lists” the very things of which he is being accused, apparently. “If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy ….”
Not only had David done Saul no “evil” … he had previously refused to “deliver” Saul to an assassin! Thus sparing the man’s life! Twice (previously) David had already refused to take Saul’s life!
So, David in Psalm 7 is praying, pleading his “innocence” toward Saul … as an “argument” for God to keep him safe in the wilderness! Safe from Saul’s relentless “posse.” The king’s death squad!
And every single word David spoke to God here … was truth.
But, as I sadly said earlier in the Lesson … David could not pray these words any longer after the debacle with Bathsheba and Uriah.
Because, in killing his new “lover’s” husband … David DID “reward evil to him who was at peace with him.”
And David did “deliver (to be murdered) him that was without cause his enemy.” In fact, Uriah (professionally, as a soldier) loved his King, and was loyal to David to a fault!
Oh, what a difference one blunder can make!
Even after that sin has been erased, forgiven.
By the way, keep studying with us the next few days … David (who was genuinely not guilty of Cush’s accusations) will have a “mood” change. One approved of God, I suspect.
David will put his true enemy (Cush) into the Hands of the Lord!
Yes, imprecation is on the way!
More about that later, however.
In the mean time … let us all stay clear of sin, best as is humanly possible. Let us pray (as Jesus taught us) “Our Father which art in Heaven … lead us not into temptation, but deliver us of evil.” Matthew 6:13
Stay innocent.
Avoid “the unintended consequences of sin!”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell