The Anguish Of Sin Can Find Relief

by Micky Galloway

David wrote, “For mine iniquities are gone over my head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are loathsome (stink KJV) and corrupt, because of my foolishness. I am pained and bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with burning; and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am faint and sore bruised: I have groaned by reason of the disquietness of my heart” (Psalms 38:4-8). Perhaps it is futile to speculate about the occasion which prompted this Psalm. However, it possibly has reference to the severe affliction which David experienced after he committed fornication with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. Whatever it was, David was miserable. He deeply repents and earnestly pleads for the support of God. “Forsake me not, O Jehovah: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation” (Psalms 38:21-22). David said his pain was great, “because of my foolishness.” Though we sin by “leaving undone that which we ought to do” (cf. James 4:17), our conscience is especially smitten by some definite act of sin, though perhaps long past, that still stands out with tormenting clearness in our memory. David said, “My sin is ever before me” (Psalms 51:3). What caused David to feel so bad?

David’s conscience was awakened. Nathan told a story of a poor man who had only one lamb and a rich man that had many. He told how the rich man spared his flock, but took the poor man’s lamb, killed, and dressed it for his visitor. “David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah liveth, the man that hath done this is worthy to die: and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Then Nathan said unto David, “Thou art the man” (II Samuel 12:1-7). The story of Nathan was constructed to make David pass sentence on himself. David indeed paid fourfold. He lost four sons by untimely deaths: the son born of Bath-sheba was very sick and died (II Samuel 12:14ff); Amnon was murdered by his brother Absalom (II Samuel 13); Absalom was slain by Joab the captain of David’s army (II Samuel 18); and Adonijah was slain by the order of his brother Solomon who had become King (I Kings 1-2). In fact, for the rest of David’s life, he experienced one tragedy after another, either in his family or in the kingdom. What a heavy burden he endured for a lifetime knowing that it was because of those foolish moments of passion with his neighbor’s wife (II Samuel 12:10-12). David’s sin could be forgiven, but he could not escape the bitter temporal consequences of his sin.

David had despised the word of God. “Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight?” (II Samuel 12:9). To “despise” is to consider something to be worthless. God had said, “thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife,” “thou shalt not commit adultery,” “thou shalt not kill,” and “thou shalt not bear false witness” (cf. Exodus 20:1-17). David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, murdered her husband, and then explained it away saying, “the sword devoureth one as well as another” (II Samuel 11:25). Certainly he had held the law of God in contempt breaking four of the ten commandments.

David had given the enemies of God occasion to blaspheme. “By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme” (II Samuel 12:14). Not only had his sin given occasion to all the wicked, idolatrous nations that were around them, but also to the unbelieving among the Israelites themselves to speak ill of God and His law. King David, one who professed great honor for God, failed to restrain himself from adultery and murder. Fornication was tolerated in the church of the Lord, “and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one of you hath his father’s wife” (I Corinthians 5:1). What does the ungodly world and the spiritually weak think of God when they see those who profess godliness, encourage drinking, dress immodestly, use vulgar language, practice fornication, live in adultery, etc. We bring shame and dishonor to the Lord and His church when we fail to let our light shine in the midst of a perverse generation (cf. Philippians 2:12-16). We must protect our influence that our lives might glorify the God we claim to honor (cf. Matthew 5:13-16).

What gave David relief (II Samuel 12:13)? David did not excuse himself, there was no explanation; no attempt at justification. He simply confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord” (KJV). “Nathan said unto David, Jehovah also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” David’s humble appeal to God was, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin … Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice … Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities … Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with a willing spirit … For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” The weight of his sin was lifted in forgiveness. David wrote, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile … I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:1-5).

Freedom from the anguish of sin is found in forgiveness. Yet, forgiveness is not unconditional. To those who were in anguish, believing they had crucified the resurrected Lord, Peter said, “Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins” (Acts 2:38). This was the same message taught throughout the early history of the church in the book of Acts. Those who were baptized for the “remission of sins” had the burden of sin lifted in forgiveness.