Reflections on David, Hypocrisy and Grace

I have been immersing myself this week in the Psalms. I am amazed not only with the diversity and beauty of the art, the theology and passion, the cry from the heart and the adoration of God, praise and plea. The psalms are something to be experienced.

As I read through them, I paid special attention to the many psalms of David. I realize how important it is to remember the stories of David's life as you experience his psalms. They are the backdrop, filling in the holes as David pours out his heart. Is there any more conflicted, complex figure in all of scripture as David. Peasant, king, musician, poet, warrior, polygamist, adulterer, murderer, Man after God's own heart.

Sometimes, knowing what I know about, my first reaction to David's psalms is "What!!! You have got to be kidding me!!! DAVID wrote this??? Where does he get off on writing this?" Its seems to be some of the most hypocritical statements found in scripture. Now remember David's story: Multiple marriages, adultery, fathering a child out of wedlock, trying to deceive the woman's husband and then having him killed, disobedience to God, rebellious children. David was certainly not perfect!

But he writes things like this:
"The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God.
All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight." Psalm 18:20-24

There are many other passages like this in the Psalms. I wonder how David can stand like this as righteous. Because that is the same question we need to ask about ourselves. We may not be adulterers or murderers, but we all stand condemned because of our sin. By what right to we claim the salvation of God. The answer is simple: we have no right.

I then remember a tiny verse tucked into the middle of Psalm 103. In verse 10 David tells us "he (God) does not treat us as our sins deserve..." In this simple statement we find the Gospel. It is God and God only that deals with our sins, the sins that deserve punishment. Yet God removes our sin from us (verse 12). What is left but His righteousness. This is Grace at its simplest. God gives us the gift of righteousness when all re really deserve is the just punishment for our sins.

Oh, what a humbling, joyous little verse. The many things I have done that separate me from God, yet He has brought me too Him. By what right do I stand before God and say "I am clean" as David does? It is only because God has made me so. Oh wonderful Grace!! Of wonderful Love!!