King David’s Repentance
By Ashley Sreekeessoon
“But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant
also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent
of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
This month’s WWW verse is from chapter 19 of the book of Psalms which is a Psalm of David. The Hebrew phrase translated as a ‘Psalm of David’ could mean a Psalm written by David, dedicated to David, written about David or a Psalm written for the use of David. Nonetheless the association of so many Psalms with David is in keeping with the idea that he was ‘Israel’s singer of songs’ (2 Samuel 23:1).
Repentance and the fear of the Lord
The laments of King David are laid out in verse 12 as he realises the sins he committed in sleeping with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, and subsequently killing the former by sending him to the frontline of battle. As we read on to verse 13, the guilt of King David is visible as he seeks the Lord to keep him from willful sins. This verse is also one of repentance and the fear of the Lord as he does not want to be ruled by sins but wills to be blameless and innocent of great transgression.
Reflection
At the start of this year, let’s imagine instead of David’s name, it is our name to which this psalm is dedicated. The question we now face is; are we like David when it comes to building our lives around repentance and the fear of the Lord?
