I’m taking a little break, today on this mid-week day, from writing about my past. In fact, revisiting my past reminds me much of a man who I’ve always admired.
King David.
He was imperfect and reckless and made decisions with his heart more often than with his head, and even so, the Bible says that he was “a man after God’s own heart”. That brings me so much hope that even an imperfect person (Lord knows that’s me) can have a deep passion and desire to do right in the eyes of God. David is my BRO. For real. I just GET this guy.
The following is a song I wrote about 8 years ago about King David. It reads like a poem currently, since I don’t have the original musical accompaniment to serenade you with. That being said, I still feel a deep need to share it with you. So, here it is.
David
Oh youngest son of Jesse
Strong and beautiful
You let a woman tempt you
While your rooms were already full
The claws of bears and lions
The haughty head of a giant
All ten thousand slayed
From Saul you were saved
But that holy bread wasn’t enough
And you became
Greater and greater
She bore you a son
But now do you hate her?
The child has died
Uriah has died
Your child has died
Uriah has died!
When Nathan came to correct you
Calling out your heinous crimes
You cried out in repentance
And shifted the paradigm
And you became
Greater and greater
A man after God’s own heart
But now do you hate her?
Have mercy
Have mercy
Have mercy on me
Oh wash me
Oh wash me
Oh wash me clean
Purge me with hyssop
And I shall be clean
“Cast me not away from your presence!”
Are the prayerful words you spoke
“And take not your Holy Spirit from me”
Are the historic words you wrote
“Restore unto me the Joy of your Salvation”
Was your cry of remorse
“And renew a right spirit within me!”
Set you on an exonerated course
Cast me oh
Cast me oh
Not away
From your presence
I beg you allow me
To stay
And you became
Greater and greater
A man after God’s own heart
Living in the light of His favor.
David went from only desiring Bathsheba to only desiring God. I’ve been there, in a sense, and can relate to the heartache that following my every passion and desire can bring. The many times that I have succumbed to my flesh, I am almost immediately filled with extreme sorrow and repentance. This causes me to turn and run directly into the arms of Jesus. He accepts my repentance and turns me towards the way everlasting.
If you’ve never read this story, I would love to point you to 2 Samuel 11-12. It not only chronicles the David and Bathsheba affair, but Nathan the prophet’s rebuke of the King’s wrongdoings. What I adore about 2 Samuel 12:13 is how humbly and sincerely David begs for the Lord’s forgiveness of his sinful actions and deeds. Once you’ve read this, take a look at Psalm 51. This was David’s lament and response to his agony as he realized how painfully he had displeased God. I don’t believe we are to see David’s actions as an excuse to commit adultery and murder….however, it is such a reassurance to know that God is able to forgive the unmentionable sins of our past, present and future.
*All lyrics are copyrighted and are the personal creative property of Danielle McEntee. They cannot be copied for personal or public use without permission. Thank you 🙂 *
