A Song of Repentance

Psalm 38:18 “But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done.”

King David is known to be a man after God’s heart. Yet this is the same person who committed adultery with Bathsheba, then had her husband, Uriah, intentionally killed in battle to cover it up. He was a murderer and adulterer, not normally someone that would please God. He had his good points, he defeated Goliath and had great military victories but so did other people in the Bible. So what was it that set David apart compared to others?

It was his heart and the softness of it. David understood repentance and a need to ask forgiveness. Saul wanted him dead but he continually showed him mercy. His own son Absalom overthrew him yet again he showed mercy. You see David wasn’t a man after God’s own heart for his strengths or weaknesses but because when confronted he turned to God and surrendered his life, asking for forgiveness.

In the same way we can be a man or woman after God’s own heart. It starts with understanding none of us is perfect. We all have and all will make mistakes it is our response to those mistakes that can completely change our lives. When we mess up and sin, we must immediately ask God for forgiveness and repent for what we have done. We then need to no longer continue down that path of sin. For David, he repented, asked God for forgiveness, and he turned from his sinful ways. We too must do the same. Take time today to confess your sins to God, repent and truly be sorry for the things you have done.