Tag Archives: Bathsheba

Apr 26 2013

Psalms 51 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit

EnstromAccording to the superscript, the occasion of this psalm was when the prophet Nathan came to rebuke David for his sinful affair with Bathsheba and the premeditated murder of her husband and David’s loyal soldier and friend, Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 12:1-14).  It is a psalm of prayer from one who has committed grievous sin, and who makes no excuse for it.  As a prayer, the psalm is a great model for us, because it shows us the correct attitude one must have toward his own sins, and in asking God for His forgiveness.

God does not take sin lightly, but He does forgive us for our sins when we come to Him with a truly repentant and contrite heart.    It is with a properly broken spirit that David says “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.”  David knows that no sacrifice or burnt offering would appease God in this case, and that God has no interest in it; and he says that “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (verse 17).

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

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Jun 4 2012

1 Kings 1 – Solomon Anointed King

David had become old and could not get warm, so his servants provide a beautiful girl named Abishag to keep him warm.  The scripture says that he was only “of service” to him for that purpose, and attending to him (verse 4).  But she will become important later because of this service anyway.

David’s son Adonijah was the next one born after Absalom (verse 6), and must have supposed that entitled him to succeed David.   Verse 5 says that he “exalted himself, saying ‘I will be king.'”  Much different from the humble manner in which David patiently waited – all the time showing respect for “the Lord’s anointed,” Saul.   And the chariots and horsemen, as well as men to run before him, remind us very much of Absalom.  Verse 6 says that David never questioned or rebuked him, which is unfortunately consistent with his negligence as a father (2 Samuel 13:21-22, for example).  In verses 9-10, Adonijah only invited royal officials to his feast and sacrificing ceremony – carefully excluding David’s “mighty men” and his brother, Solomon.

The Anointing of Solomon by Cornelis de Vos. A...

The Anointing of Solomon by Cornelis de Vos. According to 1 Kings 1:39, Solomon was anointed by Zadok. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nathan has enough of this, and talks to Bathsheba.  One at a time, they let him know that Adonijah has done this under his very nose, even though David had already determined that Solomon would be king.  So they challenged him to do something about it.  David finally takes action and has Solomon anointed as king, giving explicit instructions on parading him on David’s own mule with much fanfare (verses 32-35).

When Solomon shows up announced, the guests scattered, leaving Adonijah (verse 49).  At this point they were guilty of treason without question.  The matter is settled though, and Solomon showed forgiveness and mercy – but strength as well, with a warning accompanying the forgiving gesture in verse 52.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

May 27 2012

Reading Samuel / Week 20 Summary Posted

English: Uriah the Hittite

English: Uriah the Hittite (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This week we will begin in 2 Samuel chapter 15, and we see David in his darkest hours as the prophecies of 2 Samuel 12:11-12 of David’s punishment for his sin with Bathsheba and taking the life of Uriah the Hittite.

Summing Up

Each weekend, I am now posting a small PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week.  I have posted the summary for Week 20 (May Week 2) of the schedule I am following.  This short PDF document contains condensed comments about 1 Samuel 15, 16, 17, 19 and 28, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

May 25 2012

2 Samuel 12 – Nathan Rebukes David

The Lord has decided that it is time to call David into account for his sin with Bathsheba, so He sends Nathan with the words to rebuke him.  Nathan tells David a moving story about a poor man who had a single lamb that he had loved and raised as one of his own children.  And there was a rich man who didn’t want to take any lamb’s from his own flock for food preparation, so he took the poor man’s beloved lamb to prepare a dinner.

English: Nathan Rebukes David, as in 2 Samuel ...

English: Nathan Rebukes David, as in 2 Samuel 12; watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

David became very angry, saying that this rich man should die for what he has done, and declares that this man will repay “fourfold” for this act “with no pity.” In verse 7, Nathan tells David “You are the man!”  He then proceeds to tell him all that the Lord has done for him, and how David has despised the word of God with this evil.  He has taken Uriah’s wife and stuck him down “with the sword of the Ammonites.”  This point from verse 9 is sometimes missed when we read about God’s anger with David over this.  The Ammonites were some of the very people, God had brought the Israelites to the promised land to get rid of.  Now David has used those people to help him with his evil deed.

The next words from God in verses 10-11 foretell the great anguish David will face  – the sword will never leave his house, and God “will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.”

And then in verse 12 – “For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.”  David, in contrast to Saul, takes responsibility for his action and confesses that he has sinned against God. Here, we see David acting as the true leader and the man of God that he should be, but his sin will cost him.  David wrote Psalm 51, as he repented for his sin.  The child Bathsheba conceived from their adulterous affair dies (verse 23), but that is far from the end of David’s troubles, as we will see in chapters ahead.

We do not know how much time passed until verse 24 when Solomon was born, but 1 Chronicles 3:5 suggests that he was the fourth son of David by Bathsheba.

Verses 26-31 are important, not just for the military victory over the Ammonites, but for the gold and precious metals for Israel’s treasury – as well as the crown for David, taken from the Ammonite king.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.