The Joy of Forgiveness

Commentary

This chapter records the experiences that David went through as he faced his sins, confessed them, and received God’s forgiveness (vv. 1-2). He was a very miserable man after he seduced the wife of his most loyal soldier, and arranged with Joab for the murder of this man.  Instead of facing the facts honestly David sought to hide his sin and, when that failed, to pretend that nothing was wrong. As long as he kept silent and refused to confess his sins, he was under the chastening hand of God. Sin and conscience sapped his physical strength. Instead of enjoying strength and “freshness,” he was dried up, weak and without enthusiasm (v. 3). He was living in a perpetual drought instead of enjoying the showers of God’s blessing (v. 4). This is one of the prices of concealing sin.
As David continued to sin, his bones wasted away but his conscience continued to haunt him. He groaned every day from the weight of God’s heavy hand on him. He had all the symptoms of guilt.  But he confessed his sins, acknowledged his transgressions, and experienced complete forgiveness.
How foolish it is to keep silent when we ought to confess our sins. Had David openly confessed his sins immediately, and not tried to hide them, he would have avoided months of agony and discipline of the hand of God. Finally God sent Nathan the prophet to confront him with his sins, and seeking to bring him to sincere repentance (II Samuel 12). At this point David admitted to God that he had sinned with a broken heart (v. 5) (Psalm 51:16-17). To confess our sin is to agree with God that He is right to declare what we have done as sinful and that we are wrong to desire to do it.

Application

What many people think in confession of sin is really only excusing sin and looking for a way to escape from the consequences. True  confession of my sin must not just be with my lips but there also needs to be a broken heart (I John 1:9).